Chandana’s unique ways of raising fielding standards

by Rex Clementine

All of us lovers of Sri Lankan cricket agree that the national cricket team’s fielding standards have improved leaps and bounds in the last two months. After a horrible World Cup where the team dropped 16 catches in nine games, there was much criticism on poor fielding. However, fielding at the moment has been a breath of fresh air and the main man for that is none other than Fielding Coach Upul Chandana.

The former leg-spinner is set to be given the role in a full time basis having been drafted into the coaching staff after the World Cup debacle.

Chandana has been with Sri Lanka Cricket for 14 years now and mostly has been in charge of the Under-19 team. When SLC handed the responsibility of handpicking the coaching staff for the national team to a former Test captain, the board expected him to do an honest job, but he ended up packing the coaching staff on club loyalties while bringing in some unknown foreign coaches.

Once the team got knocked out of the Champions Trophy after finishing the World Cup ninth, changes needed to be made and which is why Chandana has been handed this key responsibility.

Currently in Bangladesh in a bid to take fielding standards to the next level. Chandana has introduced the ‘Orange Cap’ and a medal.

After every game the fielder who excelled on the field gets the ‘Orange Cap’ which he can wear during practices while he can keep the coin for himself. After the first T-20 against Bangladesh, Kusal Mendis and Chairth Asalanka were on the run for the award and eventually Asalanka won it having taken three good catches during the Bangladesh innings.

The same tactic Chandana had used during his stint with the Under-19 team. While the ‘Orange Cap’ was always there, instead of the coin he had gifted a watch to the player who excelled in the field.

Not that Chandana earns a fortune. But for some people coaching is not just another job, but a passion. They take extreme pride in their charges doing well and monetary values come secondary to them.

It has helped that Sri Lanka’s T-20 side is skippered by someone who sings the same tunes like Chandana. Wanindu Hasaranga in his first media briefing since taking on the leadership role revealed that he wanted fielding excellence and together they are helping Sri Lanka to get back their glory days.

In cricket, your batters can have a bad day and there are days when your bowlers aren’t firing on all cylinders. But fielding is one thing that you can control. It is a skill that doesn’t need much talent and even an average athletic person can go on to become a good fielder. That is what Sri Lanka are believing in and are working on.