Playing five specialist batters, dangerous ploy

Rex Clementine at Pallekele

Successful Sri Lankan teams of 1990s and 2000s had a straightforward formula for ODI cricket; they played seven batsmen. That was the case even when we had terrific match winners like Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya in the 90s and a decade later in 2000s when we had the luxury of T.M. Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in the batting order. Sri Lanka are heading into the three match ODI series against Zimbabwe that gets underway today (Sunday) at Pallekele with just five specialist batters. That means, we will have two all-rounders – Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne at number six and seven respectively.

This is a dangerous ploy that could backfire after Avishka Fernando and Dhananjaya de Silva two of the team’s premier batsmen had to pull out from the series.

Shanaka told the media that he is ready to accept the challenge at number six. While Shanaka is an excellent leader and should be given the long rope to establish himself, entrusting him to occupy the number six slot is placing too much on his plate. The selectors would have been better off to beef up the batting department especially as batting has been their Achilles’ heel unable to bat out the quota of 50 overs. The team is also thin on experience and a struggling Dinesh Chandimal is their most experienced batter.

People can brush aside our concerns saying that after all it is Zimbabwe. Well, mind you that an unfancied Zimbabwe side humbled Sri Lanka five years ago and Angelo Mathews stepped down as skipper as the tourists recorded a come from behind win at Suriyawewa.

In modern day cricket, there are no dead rubbers and weak teams. Every game matters as qualification for ICC events are based on your performances in every game and if you are not in the safety zone, you will have to play qualifying rounds for premier events. Having already played a qualifying round last year, Sri Lanka will play another this year down under and looks like the trend is going to continue given the team’s poor standings in official ICC Rankings.

It is true that Dasun Shanaka has done wonders with limited resources. Making him to bat at six is not only asking too much but silly as well. There are already questions as to whether he merits a place in the ODI side. One good thing is that he’s got his priorities right. His primary focus remains cricket and not business.

Dasun is such a humble soul that even if a ground boy comes and gives him some ideas, he will listen, ponder and then take a decision.

Number six is a batting position occupied by some of the best finishers the game has seen like Michael Bevan of Australia or our own Hashan Tilakaratne and Russel Arnold. Those are the big shoes that Dasun has to fill apart from holding a young team together.

Slow over rates has been another issue that has haunted successive Sri Lankan teams in the last seven or eight years. Little has been done to address this issue. The other worrisome area is the reviews. Sri Lanka’s reviews have looked impulsive and imprudent in recent times and although our coaches have come up with various theories, very little progress has been made.