For the sake of Sri Lanka cricket, Captain must go

Sri Lanka’s Captain Dasun Shanaka is clean bowled by India’s Mohammed Siraj during the Asia Cup 2023 final one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and India at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 17 September 2023 – AFP

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Enough is enough. The Captain must go before we suffer further humiliation in the upcoming World Cup in India.

The shame Sri Lanka suffered at the hands of India in the Asia Cup final being shot out for the lowest total in the history of the tournament and suffering a ten-wicket thrashing was the last straw.

The national selectors headed by former fast bowler Pramodya Wickramasinghe have been too lenient in allowing Dasun Shanaka to retain the Captaincy for so long despite his contribution to the team as a player being nil. Had he not been the Captain he would not have warranted a place in the team.

True, under his leadership Sri Lanka had won a couple of bilateral series, the Asia Cup when it was held in the T20 format and also had a record run of 13 consecutive wins in ODIs. But while all this happened what contribution has the Captain made?

Since coming to bat at number seven Shanaka’s scores have been 31, 17, 23, 5, 0, 5, 1, 14*, 5, 24, 9, 0. During that period, he batted at number six twice but his contributions were 1 and 2.

Batting at number six he has an average of 25.78 and a strike rate of 96.57 and at number seven, he averages 23.15 and a strike rate of 84.77. No big difference in his batting performances. It was batting at number six that Shanaka scored his two centuries in ODI cricket but on both occasions, Sri Lanka finished on the losing side to Zimbabwe and India.

If you adopt the Australian system of choosing a Captain Shanaka would not justify his place in the team. The Australians first pick the team and from within it, they select the Captain.

Sri Lanka has an excitingly talented young team that needs inspired leadership. When the Captain does not contribute towards the team how can he inspire the rest of his troopers to perform well?

After such a humiliating thrashing this young team needs a leader who can motivate them. To lead from the front you need to be a performer. Shanaka must be magnanimous enough to admit that he has failed and without comprising the country, step down.

If not, the national selectors must take radical steps and call for Shanaka’s resignation as Captain or show him the door. They have the option of appointing an experienced hand as Captain for the World Cup or looking at the future, picking someone from the present ODI squad.

Kusal Mendis has been Shanaka’s deputy and should stake a claim for the Captaincy. But he should be relieved of wicket-keeping duties. Otherwise, there is too much pressure on him to deliver as a Captain, top-order batsman and wicket-keeper. Two others in the squad could perform duties as wicket-keepers Kusal Perera and Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Sri Lanka’s final 15 for the World Cup has yet to be finalised. With so many injury concerns Sri Lanka can bide their time. As per ICC rules, the final submission for the squad of 15 players has to be made by 27 September. But that should not deter the selectors in the meantime from picking a new Captain.

The social media is agog and showing their anger and frustration at Sri Lanka’s abysmal showing, some of them having spent as much as Rs. 40,000 for a grandstand ticket to witness the final, which is easily the highest amount paid to watch an international cricket match in Sri Lanka. Instead of 100 overs of action, they got to see only one-fifth of it. The entire match lasted just 21.3 overs.

Sri Lanka Cricket authorities need to take drastic steps and ensure a new Captain is installed and the young team is given the confidence to perform. Not allow them to become a cropper at the World Cup.