Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal has called on the International Cricket Council to allow substitute players when a match-ending injury occurs early in a game.

Chandimal’s comments came after Sri Lanka middle-order batsman Asela Gunaratne was injured in the opening session of the first Test against India.

Chandimal said there should be allowances for a replacement who is permitted to bat and bowl when an injury occurs within the first 60 minutes of play.

Gunaratne drops catch, needs surgery on thumb

"Asela got injured in the first session itself and we badly missed him througout out the match,” Chandimal told The Daily Observer.

"I am not saying this because our team would have been benefited but in future also all other teams if meet this situation would welcome it.”

Sri Lanka found themselves down to 10 men for the remainder of the Galle Test after losing star Gunaratne to a thumb injury that required emergency surgery.

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Gunaratne missed a catch in the slips from the edge of India opener Shikhar Dhawan's bat, catching him awkwardly on the thumb and leaving the Sri Lankan writhing in pain on the turf.

Dhawan was on 31 at the time when Gunaratne dropped the catch at second slip and hurt the left thumb on an already heavily-strapped left wrist.

Medics rushed to attend to Gunaratne, and he was later driven back up to the Sri Lankan capital Colombo for surgery on the digit.

Gunaratne was player of the match in Sri Lanka's last Test, leading them to a tense final-day victory against Zimbabwe.

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The ICC is currently considering the introduction of concussion substitutes in first-class cricket. In May, the body’s influential Cricket Committee recommended amendments to the ‘Classification of Official Cricket’ to allow countries to run a two-year trial of concussion substitutes in first-class cricket.

Cricket Australia has already introduced concussion substitutes for domestic limited-overs matches, but it requires approval from the ICC to implement it in the Sheffield Shield in order for the competition to retain its first-class status.

Chandimal, meanwhile, was given permission by the ICC to use an inhaler during the second Test, following a bout of pneumonia.

Many inhalers contain substances that are banned by sporting authorities.

"I am much better. Thanks to the ICC they gave permission for me to use the inhaler, and that will help me breathe properly," Chandimal said in the lead-up to the game.