"It's a question mark from our side whether he comes or not" - SRH bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan on Wanindu Hasaranga's IPL 2024 absence

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan has claimed that there still isn't total clarity on whether they will have the services of Sri Lankan star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga for the IPL 2024 season.

Hasaranga was picked up for his base price of INR 1.5 crore in the auction and many felt SRH had an absolute steal. However, the spinner is yet to join the SRH camp due to niggles, as per Muralitharan.

Speaking to the reporters after SRH's defeat against the Gujarat Titans (GT), here's what Muttiah Muralitharan had to say about Wanindu Hasaranga's absence:

"In the auction, we bought one of the best leg-spinners, Hasaranga. He is struggling with some niggles. He is hoping to join from 4th or 5th (April). It's a question mark from our side whether he comes or not."

Muralitharan also claimed that Hasaranga's absence is one of the main reasons why SRH haven't been able to find the ideal balance they wanted in their line-up so far. He felt there weren't many quality Indian spinners available in the auction and that Hasaranga was their best bet.

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Contrasting reports cast further doubt on Wanindu Hasaranga's availability for IPL

Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley De Silva has made a stunning revelation to The Sunday Times that Wanindu Hasaranga had informed them about his decision to pull out of the IPL 2024 season. De Silva claimed that Hasaranga's left heel had a swelling that needed more attention before the all-important T20 World Cup in June.

On this, he stated:

"He is not taking part in the IPL as he needs to do some rehabilitation after meeting the podiatrist. There’s a swelling in the heel, and he has been playing with injections. So he has decided to get this issue sorted out before the World Cup and informed us of his decision to skip the IPL this year."

However, a report from Cricbuzz had Hasaranga's manager stating that the star spinner would join the SRH camp. Even if Hasaranga manages to join SRH camp in IPL 2024, it will be interesting to see how the SunRisers fit Hasaranga into their playing XI with the overseas quota limit.