Australian cricket star Steve Smith has expressed confidence that spinner Matt Kuhnemann will pass all tests on his bowling action, stating he was “surprised” when told the left-armer had been reported.
Kuhnemann is set to undergo biomechanical testing within the next 10 days after match officials raised concerns about his action during the second Test against Sri Lanka. Despite this, Smith remains optimistic about the outcome.
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“It’s come as a bit of a surprise to me,” Smith said. “He has been playing for eight years in professional cricket and nothing has been said in that amount of time. I am thinking of him, at present, he has to go through the process. We’re confident he will pass. He will go through that process back home, we wish him all the best.”
Australian officials have been reserved about the specifics of Kuhnemann’s assessment, but it is expected to take place in Brisbane. The 28-year-old will undergo hours of testing, with markers attached to his arm and cameras monitoring whether his elbow extension stays within the ICC’s permitted 15-degree limit.
Despite the report, Kuhnemann is still eligible to play domestic cricket and is set to feature for Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield. However, ICC rules prohibit him from participating in international matches until he is cleared.
The decision to flag Kuhnemann’s action has left Australian players and officials puzzled, given that he has played 124 professional matches since 2017 without any prior concerns. The left-arm spinner has previously represented Australia in ODIs against Sri Lanka in 2022 and in Tests against India in 2023, before starring with 16 wickets at 17.18 in the recent Test series win in Galle.
Smith revealed that he only learned of Kuhnemann being cited after Australia’s series-clinching win in Galle and did not notice anything unusual in the spinner’s action.
Sri Lankan players had reportedly raised concerns about Kuhnemann’s action during the series, prompting umpires to refer him to the ICC. However, Sri Lanka’s spin bowling coach, Piyal Wijetunge, defended Kuhnemann, suggesting that the doubts arose due to his distinctive wrist action rather than any illegal movement.
If Kuhnemann’s action is deemed illegal, he will face a tight deadline to rectify it before Australia’s three-Test series against the West Indies in June and July. His availability will also be crucial for Australia’s 2027 tour of India, where his left-arm spin could play a key role alongside Nathan Lyon.