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Kaushal reported for suspected illegal action

Sri Lankan off-spinner required to undergo testing within 14 days

Sri Lanka off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal has been reported with a suspected illegal bowling action following the third Test against India in Colombo.

The match officials’ report, which was handed over to the Sri Lanka management, cited concerns about the legality of Kaushal’s bowling action.

The off-spinner enjoyed a productive series against India, taking 13 wickets in three Tests and continuing to build his reputation as the next in line to replace veteran 37-year-old spinner Rangana Herath.

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That followed on from nine wickets in two Tests against Pakistan in the June-July series, after which he received considerable praise from Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews.

"Tharindu Kaushal turns the ball,” Mathews said. “I understand that he's raw, but he's got more than 200 wickets in first-class cricket and we have to be positive with him.

“Test cricket is completely different, but unless we give them opportunities, we won't know what they can do. It wasn't a gamble to select them."

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Kaushal’s bowling action will now be scrutinised further under the ICC process relating to suspected illegal bowling actions reported in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.

He is required to undergo testing within 14 days, and, during this period, Kaushal is permitted to continue bowling in international cricket until the results of the testing are known.

The 22-year-old is the latest in a long line of bowlers to have been cited since the ICC’s crackdown on illegal actions, and follows on from the establishment of a Suspect Bowling Action Review Committee by Sri Lanka Cricket in June.

That led to 170 club and school cricketers being cited, as the Committee sought to identify suspect actions from first-class cricket to grass roots level.

Of the 170 reported bowlers, 42 were cleared after tailor-made remedial bowling programs were issued to each bowler. Periodical assessments of the remedied actions were carried out until an assessor was satisfied the new action was within the legal limit.