Team India’s veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently opined on Sri Lankan and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer Matheesha
Pathirana’s bowling action. While Pathirana has often drawn comparisons with Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga due to the similarities in their bowling actions, Ashwin said that the youngster has a different angle of release, which could make him injured too as well.
Comparing the bowling actions of Pathirana and Malinga, Ashwin said in his latest YouTube video: “One problem that he has but Malinga doesn’t have is that his angle of release is much lower. That puts immense strain on his back, and his front leg literally collapses when he releases the ball; the core gets worked up too much, and it is very strenuous. Lasith Malinga goes for a beautiful side-on position. His back and feet will be parallel to the crease. But Pathirana doesn’t get that. The action is breaking, it is rotating, and the torque is huge.”
“In the recent T20I vs. Bangladesh, it felt like he was straining too much. His hamstring was gone straight. Many people do not understand that everything is connected to one another—his back and glutes, along with his legs. The biomechanics work together.” he further added.
However, Matheesha Pathirana faced a hamstring injury during Sri Lanka’s three-match T20I series against Bangladesh
earlier this month, which ruled him out for the third fixture as well. Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin also opined on his conversation with
Lasith Malinga regarding Matheesha Pathirana’s bowling action. He mentioned that the former speedster himself said that Pathirana gets into awkward positions at times as well.
“I understand the complexity of facing him is different, but he’s facing different problems now. This might be just his early stages, and his body needs to fill up more, but he is getting into some dangerous positions and complications. In fact, I’ve worked so much with Malinga, and Malinga himself told me that he’s a great prospect, but he gets into awkward positions, which is what I feel,” R Ashwin concluded.
