COLOMBO: Sri Lankan off spinner Tharindu Kaushal is banned from using a variation in his bowling after independent assessments concluded that he bowls it with an illegal action, the International Cricket Council announced Tuesday.

The ICC said in a statement that Kaushal can continue to bowl his stock delivery, the off spinner, in international cricket but will not be permitted to use the "doosra" — the ball that is delivered with an off spinner's action but spins way from the right handed batsman.

Kaushal was tested after match officials reported him for a suspect action at the end of the third and final test match against India earlier this month.

The 22-year-old has played in six test matches and has taken 24 wickets.

The statement said that if the bowler bowls the "doosra" in a match despite the ban he runs the risk of being reported again. If a test for a second time proves him to be bowling with an illegal action the bowler will be banned from bowling at all in international matches for one year.

The ICC recently banned Pakistan off spinner Mohammad Hafeez from bowling for 12 months after he was for a second time proven to be bowling with an illegal action.