Calls for Sri Lanka to build new Test team

Sri Lankan fielders give South African century maker Faf du Plessis a congratulatory walk-back after they waited till he made 199 and lose his wicket in the first cricket Test last week

There has been calls for Sri Lanka to build a new Test team starting with this month’s home series against England keeping aside the outcome of the series which is just short term and not long term unlike the country’s future on the international scene, analysts and followers of the sport say.

They said that Sri Lanka has already found two players for the future in middle order batsman Dasun Shanaka who made an unbeaten half century after being recalled and spin bowler Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva who took four scalps and made a half century on debut against South Africa in the first Test that the team lost by an innings and 45 runs on Tuesday.

“Before you can win, you got to establish yourself. In Sri Lanka it is the other way around.

“You are supposed to win without establishing yourself and that is where the problem is,” said a former player who did not want to be named as he is also part of the administration at Sri Lanka Cricket responsible for the current mess.

He said that ageing players like Angelo Mathews who is injury prone should not be given the current attention that he gets as the highest paid player which only takes away the focus on team-building for the future.

Some analysts also argue that it is high time that Sri Lanka Cricket takes a second look at uncapped middle order batsman Bhanuka Rajapakse who also has the capability to be a better reader of the game, a possible captain, but has never been given a break and managed properly while Minod Bhanuka should also be groomed as a future middle order batsman.

Head selector Ashantha de Mel has also come under fire for covering up the selection of an injured batsman Oshada Fernando while Sri Lanka Cricket is also being questioned for permitting coach Mickey Arthur to sit in the commentary box at the LPL instead of monitoring the fitness of the players ahead of the South Africa tour.