Sri Lanka Cricket has a tough ask ahead of them. Team India today is the strongest cricketing nation in the world. In men’s cricket, few teams can truly challenge the talent and depth of the modern Indian side. The newly crowned champions of T20 cricket and ODI World Cup finalists are now facing Sri Lanka’s side which is looking to find its way back to winning ways on the international scene.
Unfortunately for the Sri Lankans, the team that stands in their way is India which is seeking to consolidate its position as the most dominant side, not only in the world but in this era. Similar to what the Australians managed in 1999 – 2007 era and the West Indies in the period between the mid-1970s – to 1980s. This home bilateral series is going to be a tough task for the Lankans, the question is: what can they do not only hold off the power of the Indian team but also put up a good enough fight to make it a competitive tournament?
Sri Lanka Cricket – A Team in Transition that Needs to Settle Down
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News of the resignation of Wanindu Hasaranga as the captain of the T20 side following the team’s poor showing in the T20 World Cup where they failed to make it out of the group stages follows a familiar pattern in Sri Lankan cricket in recent years. The team goes into a big competition with some hope but little expectation and underperforms. This provokes a response where several changes are made, usually involving the axing (or in this case, the resignation) of the captain.
These changes are often taken in the spur of the moment, with the underlying flaws that plague the team often left unaddressed. Then with a new composition, the Sri Lankan team goes out and performs well against weaker opposition and may even upset a big side, but the change in trajectory is never truly grounded. So following a few more series defeats the team falls back to the chopping and changing formula. This needs to change if Sri Lanka is going to make a real resurgence, followed by addressing structural problems that plague the team.
Step 01: Do Not Fear India
On the last two occasions, Sri Lanka and India met the Lankans were bundled out for a 50-odd score. The 10-wicket final defeat to India and a 302-run defeat in the ODI World Cup last year. On both those occasions the Lankans showcased an undeniable fear of the opposition, particularly India’s bowling. Whilst cricket, if you boil it down, comes down to bat-meeting ball, where you play the delivery and not the bowler; but with India, there is discernible apprehension felt by the Sri Lankans as they faced the opposition. This needs to change.
Cricket, like any competitive sport, is a game of wits, technique, and mindset. If the team fears the opposition, then the battle is already lost. When facing India, which is admittedly a daunting task given the relative strength of the two sides and the internal chaos at home, the Sri Lanka cricket team must approach it as top-class professionals who are out to do a job. I don’t know what is happening behind the scenes, but Sri Lanka could do with the help of a dedicated sports psychologist to build them up mentally, for it is badly needed.
Step 02: Believe India is Beatable
Over a decade ago Sri Lanka Cricket was among the most dominant sides in limited-overs cricket. Falling closely behind Australia and India, who were still in the ascendancy, this was a team to be reckoned with, especially at home. Those days are long gone, but the Sri Lanka cricket today, with the talent at their disposal, and the favourability of home conditions must believe they can defeat the Indian juggernaut.
Zimbabwe’s victory in the first T20 in Harare must give the Sri Lanka cricket team some confidence. In cricket, a lot depends on showing up and delivering on the day. This has to be Lankan’s main concern. Above all the Sri Lanka cricket team must believe they have the talent and the ability to compete against India on equal footing, even if this doesn’t turn out to be the case.
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