ZIMBABWE TOUR

Sri Lanka’s tour of Zimbabwe, which should have been a bre—-eze, caught the attention of almost everybody… for all the wrong reasons. Though the cri-cket played and opponents encountered weren’t great, one felt the team and especially the chairman of the selectors copped plenty of criticism for the manner in which Sri Lanka played – especially in the second Test despite a brave fight back and a creditable draw.

It was apparent that the anger wasn’t due to conceding a first innings lead or having battled it out on the last day; it had more to do with Kusal Janith Perera being dropped from the squad to Zimbabwe.

If Kusal’s case is looked at objectively then Ashantha de Mel’s explanation of leaving him out seems logical. After all, with the tour not having any side or practice games and with back-to-back Tests ahead, the chances of a reserve playing was minimal or nonexistent. So preparing Kusal for the white ball series against the West Indies seems a far better option.

On the other hand, critics could argue that a cricketer who played possibly one of the finest innings in the history of Sri Lankan Test cricket deserves better treatment. Some unanswered questions include whether he should have batted at No. 3 to support Kusal Mendis who was struggling or kept wickets instead of Niroshan Dickwella.

However, judging by the policy of the selectors, they appear to insist on continuity and are sticking with Mendis and Dickwella instead of tampering with the setup. Either way, it’s a no-win situation if you’re a selector because social media makes it impossible to shoot down the millions of arguments put forward by cricket fans – even if some sound ridiculous.

The Sri Lankans learned nothing new on this tour. Whilst the reentry of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal into the Test side was cheered, only the former finished the series with his head held high.

In Chandimal’s case, it was a poor return considering all the experience and quality he carries. But the selectors would do well to retain him for the Test series against England despite the criticism that can be expected. After all, the investment is still reaping benefits, though in the last year or so it’s been negative.

One other question that needs a response is the thinking of the selectors with regard to Dilruwan Perera. When on song, Perera should be the first choice spinner under any conditions with his experience and record though in Zimbabwe young Lasith Embuldeniya peaked ahead of him. The young left arm bowler is obviously making giant strides in the game.

As for Perera, it could be the end of an illustrious career, which was highlighted by his powerful partnership with Rangana Herath. The Test match against England in Galle should help the selectors decide what they should do with him.

In the batting department, Oshada Fernando who was initially tried as a ‘one drop’ appears to have settled into the more demanding role of an opener. Following his mature century against Pakistan in Karachi, Fernando has continuously reminded the selectors of his presence though he hasn’t scored big in Tests – he needs to be scoring big as his career progresses.

The Zimbabwe tour didn’t teach Sri Lanka anything particularly new since the Zimbabweans with their current status aren’t a serious threat. But after their poor showing in India, having a win under their belt in Test cricket is timely though Sri Lanka are about to test rougher waters with the series against England this month.