India vs Sri Lanka: Visitors promise not to use witchcraft against Virat Kohli & Co

Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi: Sri Lankan cricket team landed in Kolkata on Wednesday for a gruelling six-week India tour which starts on November 16 with the first Test match at Eden Gardens.

In their first media interaction, the visiting captain Dinesh Chandimal was hounded with questions on witchcraft, but team manager Asanka Gurusinha promptly came to his defence to avoid any further embarrassment.

Chandimal was asked whether he sought any blessing from "meyni" (sorcerer) ahead of the tour, but before he could make a reply, Gurusinha played down the controversy, saying they believe in performing on the ground.

"He [Chandimal] has answered some questions back there. In cricket, you got to get out there and perform on the field... Each player has to do that. That's the way the Sri Lankan team believe.

"Yes, we have our own religious beliefs like all of your. But at the end of the day, you go there and just play," Gurusinha said.

Last month, Chandimal admitted that the Lankan team had received a special blessing from a meyni, or sorcerer, ahead of their Test series against in the United Arab Emirates.

"I am always ready to accept the blessings of anyone, whether it is a meyni or any clergy. You can have talent, but without this blessing, you can't move forward," he was quoted as saying by AFP.

Believe it or not, Lanka, after suffering a tour whitewash against India in which they lost nine matches including three Tests, five ODIs and a T20I match, beat overwhelming favourites Pakistan 2-0 in a Test series in UAE.

It was Pakistan's first series defeat at their adopted home in seven years. They had won five of the previous nine, with four drawn.

Several Sri Lankan politicians, business leaders and sports stars believe in astrology and witchcraft. Many have ended up being victims of charlatans.

Then-president Mahinda Rajapakse took the advice of his personal astrologer and called an election two years ahead of schedule in January 2015, only to lose badly.

The six-week long tour comprises of will start with the first of three Test matches in Kolkata, followed by a ODI and T20I series. The limited overs series will have three matches each. The tour ends on December 24.

Sri Lanka squad: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lahiru Thirimanne (vice- captain), Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Gamage, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Dasun Shanaka and Roshen Silva.