Bhanuka Rajapaksa brings explosive claim on India (Source: @CricketopiaCom/x.com)
After days of tense drama over their India boycott, Pakistan finally reversed their decision, bringing relief to fans. Just when things looked normal and Indian fans had a sigh of relief, another new controversy hit them.
Star Sri Lankan player Bhanuka Rajapaksa levelled a shocking claim against Indian batters. Speaking in a recent interview, he claimed that Indian players use more advanced bats, which generate more power.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa levels explosive claim against India
Over the years, irrespective of the tournaments or bilateral series, the world takes a pause and watches the sublime, destructive innings from the Indian batters. Across the formats, they channelled their inner excellence. The opponent bowlers often had nightmares when Team India unleashed their firepower. Yet, who could have imagined that such devastating hitting would spark a massive allegation?
Even before the T20 World Cup 2026 came, the future of the India-Pakistan match troubled the Indian fans. Just after the drama ended, Pakistan surrendered, and another massive controversy hit the Indian fans.
During a recent interview, the Sri Lankan batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa made a solid allegation against the Indian batter. He claimed there’s a huge difference between the bats used by Indian players and those used by others. He further added that these bats generate significantly more power than usual.
“Indian players have bats that are far superior to the best bats we get. It feels as though a layer of rubber has been applied. I can’t imagine how that’s possible. These bats can’t even be bought by others — all players know this,” he said.
Whether the allegation holds any weight or is even true remains unknown. But the statement has created massive buzz among the Indian fans.
Sri Lanka vs India war of words is as old as time
The recent comment of Bhanuka Rajapaksa might have grabbed the attention, but the war of words between India and Sri Lanka has a long history. There was a time when Sri Lanka dominated the Men in Blue, before the script flipped with time. Even as eras changed, the rivalry never lost its edge.
Just after the COVID outbreak came under control, Team India toured Sri Lanka with a younger side, missing out on some of the big names. Loaded with six uncapped players, the Men in Blue landed on Sri Lankan soil for a white-ball series.
But the move didn’t sit well with Sri Lankan legend Arjuna Ranatunga, as the 1996 World Cup-winning captain took a dig at the Indian side. He slammed the Men in Blue, calling them a “second-string team” and claiming that playing against them was an insult to Sri Lanka. The remarks sparked backlash, forcing Sri Lankan cricket officials to later respond to the offensive comment.
Sri Lanka begin T20 World Cup 2026 with a positive start
As the T20 World Cup 2026 has already begun, Sri Lanka faced Ireland as their first opponent and had the perfect start. While batting first, the co-host put on 163 runs on the board, with Kusal Mendis’ unbeaten 56 and Kamindu Mendis’ 44-run innings. But drama ignited in the second innings.
While defending the total, Maheesh Theekshana secured an early scalp, and Wanindu Hasaranga claimed the second one. Despite Sri Lanka’s lethal bowling attack, Ireland batters showcased their brilliance but fell short in the end. Restricting the Irish side to 143 runs, they won the match by 20 runs.
.jpg?type=mq "Injury scare leaves Sri Lanka")
