After what happened to Phil Hughes we have to be cautious – Gurusinha

Sri Lanka Cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha said that although Sadeera Samarawickrama was prepared to go out and open the innings he was help back on medical advice.

“He is fine and he actually wanted to open but it’s a mild concussion and we just have to be careful. After what happened to Phil Hughes there are some guidelines that we’ve got to follow,” said Gurusinha.

Australian batsman Hughes died after being hit on the neck by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match in November 2014, three days before his 26th birthday.

“We are working with a neurologist because the team doctors from Sri Lanka told us to only deal with a neurologist and get the green light from him,” said Gurusinha.

“We had a neurologist in the changing room this afternoon who worked with him and he gave us the green light for Sadeera to start running. What we are looking at is if he starts running and if he gets a headache and feels vomitish we’ll have to stop him immediately,” Gurusinha explained.

“We will do a first test tonight (Sunday) with him in the gym if he comes okay from that and the medical staff is happy, he’ll have a hit tomorrow morning and then the doctors will look at him. If things go right he will get the green light to play,” he said.

Samarawickrama was struck on the forehead of his helmet while fielding at short leg by a pull shot from Murali Vijay on the first day of the third

Test and left the field taking no further part in the match. A precautionary CT brain scan cleared him of any danger but he was kept under strict observation. In his absence Dilruwan Perera was promoted to open the Sri Lanka first innings with Dimuth Karunaratne. – ST