Lakmal motivation to spur Lankans on- By Trevine Rodrigo in Melbourne (eLanka Sports editor)
photo source: stuff.co.nz
Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne believes the impending retirement of legendary swing bowler Suranga Lakmal will spur the team to a better showing in the second Test at Bengaluru.
Lakmal, one of the best Test bowlers going around and a terrific exponent of variation, has been Sri Lanka’s main strike weapon for a number of years. The 35 year old veteran has decided to call time on an illustrious 13- year career throwing Sri Lanka’s transition plan into turmoil while searching for a suitable successor.
Lakmal described his time with Sri Lanka as satisfying but said he made the call to retire in the interest of the country’s future rather than focus on personal achievement.
In 69 Tests, Lakmal grabbed 170 wickets at 36.38 at a measly economy of 3. In 86 one-dayers he took 109 wickets and took 8 wickets in eleven T20 games.
Sri Lanka’s hopes of a better showing against India in Bengaluru took a dive for the worse with opener Pathum Nissanka and paceman Lahiru Kumara ruled out through injury.
Nissanka’s absence will have heavy ramifications on a already suspect Sri Lanka batting line up which showed little fight in the first Test in Mohali and was given a semblance of respectability through his half century in their initial response.
The void needs to be filled by an adequate opener which the Sri Lankans have been searching for with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne.
Winning the toss and batting first would be vital for Sri Lanka to try and exert some pressure on their dominant neighbour who sapped them out with a leather hunt in their first innings of the initial Test.
Karunaratne defended Sri Lanka’s capitulation to rash stroke play as the Lankan batsmen attempted to smash their way to a competitive total chasing an imposing 574. India choked them with attacking field placings with the knowledge they had enough runs on the board to play with.
Nissanka showed signs of filling in the role with his attacking flair. But his absence calls for someone else to step up and fill in until he recovers.
With Nissanka and strike bowler Lahiru Kumara out and needing replacements, Sri Lanka will be forced to dig deep to cover for them and save themselves more blushes after their first Test debacle.
India have clearly indicated that they will not compromise their dominance and will undoubtedly have a clean sweep in mind over a pesky neighbour who caused them similar embarrassment in the Arjuna Ranatunge led 1996 World Cup and later in the Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharane, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardena era.
Rohit Sharma kick started his leadership with a decisive win in the first Test and obviously plans to inflict more pain on the struggling Lankans.
What the Lankans lack is proper direction, and currently without an astute coach on tour, they are drifting like a rudderless ship.
The onus on this game is definitely on the experienced brigade, Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, veteran Angelo Matthews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva and Kusal Mendis to instill some pride back into a team that is fast losing respect from the opposition.
It will be a defining moment for the Island nation in this Test to prove that recent indicators suggesting an upward trend had some merit
