JOIN USSri Lanka's Dasun Shanaka was charged and fined for changing the condition of the ball on the second day, and while Sri Lanka admitted that it was an error in judgment on the part of the all-rounder, they emphasised that there was no mala fide intention behind the act.
"It is actually an error in judgement on Dasun's part and just for one over it happened," said Sri Lanka team manager Asanka Gurusinha when asked whether it was an innocent act or done out of frustration as the Indian wickets were hard to come by. "None of the team members knew that (ball tampering) and it wasn't planned or anything. He is very remorseful about what happened. He takes full responsibility for that. It wasn't frustration or anything. The senior players have spoken to him. He needs support. He is a young kid and this his third Test match. The team has got discipline guidelines and he has to follow that," he explained.
The paceman was caught on TV cameras picking the seam of the ball in the 50th over of India's innings on Sunday. Shanaka admitted that he tried to tamper with the ball and match referee David Boon fined 75 per cent of his match fee besides adding three demerit points to cricketer's disciplinary record.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake agreed it was a concern that Sri Lanka have not been able to take all 20 Indian wickets even once in the last five Tests.
"We came quite close (to claiming all 20 wickets) in the first Test," he pointed out. "People then said that it was a green track. We took 17 wickets in Kolkata. (But) It is a concern. I am not trying to say that we have the best bowlers. In today's context, we have not done well. I would like to still encourage the bowlers saying that they have slowed the process a little bit. We need to take 20 wickets that's for sure."