Kumar Sangakkara doubtful for India tour

COLOMBO: Experienced Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara has been rendered a doubtful starter for the five-match ODI series against India due to a back injury.

Sangakkara, who had questioned the wisdom of the hurriedly arranged series in the wake West Indies' sudden end to their India tour, has developed a slight back injury, team sources said.

All-rounder Thisara Perera has also suffered a hamstring injury of a serious nature the team sources added.

Sanath Jayasuriya, the Chairman of selectors, said either wicket-keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella or left-handed batsman Kithuruwan Withanage would replace Sangakkara in case the senior batsman fails to make it.

Sangakkara in a tweet had questioned the wisdom of the tour at a time when the Sri Lankan squad was going through a specially designed fitness programme.

The SLC in a statement had later defended the decision to undertake the tour citing the long standing good relations between them and the BCCI.