Vykunthan Visvalingam
I am one of the million fans of the Sri Lanka cricket team and one of the frustrated fans in recent times. My hope for the team is fading away. My biggest fear is that will we come out of this disaster or will be like next Zimbabwe? I don’t just watch the cricket but I follow Sri Lanka cricket. I watch matches even if it is happening at 2 Am, I watch from the moment toss is done, I get curious to see what will be our playing 11 (and yes get frustrated after seeing the XI most of the time), I watch the match till the last ball even if the results are known to be a lost. I am sure I am not the only one like this, there are many.
People are laughing when seeing the protest in front of SLC in support of Bhanuka. But, how frustrated they must be to go on this way. We laughed at Indian fans when they throw stones at Sachin’s house or when they set fire in the semifinals in Eden Garden in 1996. But look at them where they are now. They can simply make 3 international teams with the players they have now. They too had Sumathipalas (Lalith Modi) in their administration and they too have political administration in BCCI (Jay Shah) but in a small portion.
Now, we have completed two T20 series with a series lost and no more T20 matches before the world cup. I was not expecting the team to win the series but, we had 3 good matches in the whole 8 matches. I felt like Dasun and the team were standard by SLC and selectors, in terms of team selection and injury replacements.
Here are my questions
- Dickwella and DDS sent for the second match and never got a match why? They both had a good domestic tournament.
- Janith Liyanage was removed from the second match and brought back in 3rd match based on what? What could have changed in that one day? We are not expecting him to score 40 0r 50 runs but his shot selections and singles on the 3rd match were like a schoolboy cricket.
- We failed with Vandersay experiment from the 2019 world cup (Wanindu was not even part of the squad Thanks to Asantha Demel) so who is our backup? who are we grooming to be Wanindu’s back up so is Deekshan’s back up)
- When we lost Thushara, Ramesh Mendis, Avishka, and Kusal Mendis due to injury, why proper replacements were not sent? And the 2 that were sent just stayed in the Hotel. As per the news they did not have any quarantine restrictions.
- We do not have any T20 international before the world cup. How are we going to make the team selection and based on what? Clearly instant performers on LPL are not making an impact in the international field Example Janith Liyanage, Chandimal, Avishka in T20s, and Vandersay.
- It was announced Mahela a consultant coach and Dasun says he is not even having virtual sessions with the team. Was that announcement a media stunt to calm the fans?
- Is Chamika an overrated T20 allrounder? His numbers are not good as his energy and attitude in the field. We may have to make a decision to play only with Dasun as a batting allrounder and Wanindu as bowling allrounder Chamika can be in reserve.
Of course, no fans are going to get answers to these questions and there will be more coming. We will be keep watching matches and support our team even if the match is at 1Am and no gas or electricity our home.