Sri Lanka’s dynamic left-handed batsman Kusal Perera retired hurt on day three after copping a nasty blow to the side of the helmet from Australian quick Jhye Richardson in the second test at Canberra on Sunday.
Perera was struck after turning his head to a Richardson bouncer that clattered into the batsman’s helmet and sent the stem guard of pieces of the protective equipment flying. He was immediately checked by the Sri Lanka medical staff and batted on with a new helmet.
Kusal received some medical attention immediately after the blow, and initially continued batting, facing out four more Richardson deliveries, and even pulling the bowler for two late in the same over. Next over, however, Kusal appeared to be feeling the effects of the blow. He was at the non-strikers’ end when he made the decision to retire hurt, and even appeared slightly unsteady as he approached the boundary. Sri Lanka’s team physio ran out to assist him off the ground.
He left the field on 29 with the score at 3-157 in the 54th over. As per the latest update, Perera will undergo a mandatory concussion test as a precaution.
Interestingly, replacing Perera was Dimuth Karunaratne, the opener who retired hurt on day one after being struck on the back of the neck by a Pat Cummins delivery.
