Matt Kuhnemann Damage, Galle Pitch

Spinner Matt Kuhnemann has declared himself painless in front of Australia’s test series in Sri Lanka when the tourists got their first look at Galle Pitch.

See India VS England T20i & ODI series LIVE at Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for only $ 1. Limited time offers.

Kuhnemann is with the Aussie camp after being approved to fly to Sri Lanka, despite having suffered a composite dislocation and breaking of his thumb on his non-bowling hand during a brisbane-heat BBL game earlier this month .

Kuhnemann, who sported a light green guard on the thumb, trained on Sunday and stopped gloves with teammates.

Should he be declared suitable for playing in this week’s first test in Galle, Kuhnemann is expected to collaborate with veteran Nathan Lyon in the Australian XI.

“I had a successful operation, and it’s healed really well,” Kuhnemann told ABC Sport from Sri Lanka. “There is no pain at all, and every day it gets better and better, so I feel confident.

“I have been very lucky that I have had some good medical people look after me this past week. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here. “

Aussie State of Play: Shuffle that could open the door to shock lifeline; Why debut makes sense

‘Oh Jeez’: Smith opens up on Lucky Escape – and how Instury Blow will affect the SL series

It is understood that Kuhnemann, pending his fitness, will be preferred rather than Victorian Todd Murphy as he is an Orthodox bowler from the left arm spinning the ball in the opposite direction to the Lyon and Murphy right-wing army.

Although there is also a chance, Murphy also plays and sets up with both Lyon and Kuhnemann – a strategy Australian voters used for three tests in India in early 2023.

Whether Aussies plays two or three spinners depends on their assessment of the Galle -Wicket, which the tourists got a close look at Sunday during a training.

CODE SPORT ‘ Daniel Chernny and Age Dan Brette released both pictures of Galle Ground’s square from their respective X accounts where the track is expected to be used ROPED OFF.

“I think every time you come here – well me personally and probably a few of the other guys in the team – we hope it will turn,” said Kuhnemann.

“We look at wicket and see how we are going, but it’s still a little early. We get a meter on how it will be, but you never know. Sometimes it will be a nice batting -wicket and spin later, or sometimes – as we saw the last time the Aussies were here – it spun from day one.

“It’s a great place to bowl spin, and it’s a great place to put cricket.”

It comes after Sri Lanka appointed an 18-man team for the two-test series against Australia, with the new star Bil Kamindu Mendis named despite having suffered a hand injury last week during a first-class game.

Kamindu on Sunday was named as ICC men’s new cricketer in the year. He was one of six fighters who scored over 1,000 test runs in the 2024 calendar year, gathering 1049 an average of 74.92, while spending five centuries and three fifties.