Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas once again said that his players' "discomfort (owing to pollution) speaks for itself" and wondered why the state cricket body, DDCA, sent a local doctor to test their players.
A doctor from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) arranged by the DDCA tested a few Sri Lankan players and then came to the media lounge claiming that all is well with them. A few hours later, he retracted his statement requesting all not to quote him.
When Pothas was asked whether the claim made by the said doctor was correct, he replied: "There were some tests done. I have no idea what they were so it doesn't tell you we saw. At the end of the day, (Mohammed) Shami was also struggling. Our guys did superbly well to deal with the situation.”
"I have no idea what these tests tell you, what we are testing and why are testing, it doesn't make anything get away," Pothas sounded irritated.
Asked about Suranga Lakmal, who threw up in the morning after bowling his first spell, Pothas said: "He didn't feel very well and came off a little bit of steam. It's not easy." Pothas then sounded like he wanted to get over with the discussions regarding pollution.
"The bottomline is we are here to play a Test match. We decided at practice this morning that we are not going to discuss it and not going to talk about it. Our people are in discomfort and it speaks for itself. The rest we cannot control and no use talking about it."
A section of Indian fans has been very critical on social media about the Sri Lankan players wearing anti-pollution masks while fielding and feeling no discomfort while batting.
Pothas smiled for the first time during the media interaction.
"Russell Arnold's reply to that is the best I have ever seen. Some people wear sunglasses when they field and people don't when they bat -- to each his own. If you read some medical reports in newspapers from some experts around India it will answer your question," he said bluntly.
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