IPL 2022:Axed Punjab Kings star Bhanuka Rajapaksa has sought the help of Sri Lankan professor Arjuna de Silva in a bid to build up his fitness. Rajapaksa’s talent has caught the eye around the globe, with Punjab Kings picking him up in the IPL 2022 auction, but the 30-year-old is continuing to battle fitness issues, which saw him being axed from the Sri Lankan squad. Follow Insidesport.in for all India vs Sri Lanka live updates.
IPL 2022: Punjab Kings star Bhanuka Rajapaksha to take special fitness class from Prof Arjuna after India series snub – check details
As per Cric-Intra, Professor Arjuna de Silva, the chairman of the medical panel of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board will personally supervise, guide and monitor the fitness and skin fold level of Bhanuka Rajapaksa. The 30-year-old top-order batter has missed the selection of the India tour after being found to have an excessive skin fold on his body.
Speaking from Colombo, Prof. Arjuna said, “I am a big fan of Bhanuka and will take all possible measures to ensure that he retains his fitness as per normal standard any international athlete should have”.
“There is no time (to make him fit) to join the squad in India but he (Bhanuka) is a player, whom we can rely on for the World Cup and will surely work with his fitness from now onwards,” added de Silva.
Last week, the fans protested at the SLC headquarters to include Rajapaksa in the side. Even the sports minister Namal Rajapaksha has also expressed his adulation for the 30-year-old but wants Bhanuka to take fitness seriously. He said, “The excessive skin fold can be hereditary but we cannot have an exception for one player. It is also unfair”.
IPL 2022: Punjab Kings star Bhanuka Rajapaksha to take special fitness class from Prof Arjuna after India series snub – check details
Bhanuka’s fitness test was recently done and skinfold callipers were used just like everyone else. Unfortunately, the Punjab KIngs star did not meet the minimum standard required. “Fitness does not guarantee success but it does help with intensity at which one can play and perform continuously. Less fat amounts to less injuries. Excessive fat is only useful in Sumo Wrestling, where an athlete can’t be pushed out of the ring easily” – Prof. de Silva concluded.
Rajapaksa is currently one of Sri Lanka’s most reliable batters in the white-ball format. He has scored 320 runs in only 15 T20I innings at an average of over 25 and an impressive strike rate of nearly 140. Owing to his consistent performances with the bat, Punjab Kings bought him for INR 50 lakhs in the IPL 2022 auction, making him the lone Sri Lankan batter to be sold at the auction. With the 2022 season of IPL being around the corner, it will now be interesting to see how the 30-year-old batter regains match fitness in a month’s time.
IPL 2022: Punjab Kings star Bhanuka Rajapaksha to take special fitness class from Prof Arjuna after India series snub – check details
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