Sri Lanka batsmen should follow Sehwag’s advice

Charith Asalanka, a key batsman in Sri Lanka’s top order is struggling to come to terms with the extra pace and bounce on his first tour of Australia

• “Don’t eat balls in T20. If you’re hungry, eat food”

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka who has lost the first two T20Is to Australia largely due to the failure of their top order batsmen not putting enough runs on the board should take the advice of former Indian opener Virender Sehwag.

After he hung his boots, Sehwag continued to entertain the fans through his social media posts and videos. 

In one such instance during the last IPL he posted a video slamming Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting approach in their loss to Delhi Capitals which said, “Is ball something to eat that too in T20? Don’t eat the ball. If you are hungry, eat food.”

The same would apply to the Sri Lankan batting which has still not found a way to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking. 

The top order by playing down so many dot balls puts immense pressure on the middle and late order batsmen which has resulted in Sri Lanka falling short of the moderate totals they have restricted Australia, the T20 World Cup champions to.

In the first T20I which they lost by 20 runs (D/L method) Sri Lanka played down 57 dot balls which was 45.23 % and in the second T20I which ended in a tie and was won by Australia in a super over, Sri Lanka had 49 dot balls a percentage of 40.16.

What the Lankan batters need to understand is that they cannot clear the boundary lines in Australia as easily as they do at home, and in some other countries, because they are long. 

As a result, the batsmen are getting out caught on the boundary line. 

Fours and sixes are essential but when you cannot score off them the next best thing to do is to push for the singles and twos so that the bowlers and fielders are kept busy on the field. 

By not doing that the batsmen put the bowlers on top and once they strike a proper line and length they are very difficult to get away with. 

This has been done to near perfection by fast bowler Josh Hazlewood whose economy rate is 4.24 and leg-spinner Adam Zampa 5.50. The Lankan bowlers and fielders have done a wonderful job in restricting Australia to totals which are achievable and chaseable, keeping them down to 149 and 164 but it has been the batting especially the top order that has failed to deliver.

With the exception of Pathum Nissanka who has been in excellent touch in both matches, Sri Lanka’s No. 2, 3 and 4 have been found wanting – Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando and Charith Asalanka.

Kusal Mendis who is out of isolation after being tested COVID-19 positive is likely to return to the side for the third T20I at Manuka Oval, Canberra today replacing Danushka Gunathilaka who has lasted only six balls in the two matches getting out for one and a golden duck. 

With fast bowler Binura Fernando still in isolation after being tested Covid positive ahead of the second T20I, Sri Lanka is likely to retain Nuwan Thushara who was handed his T20I cap on Sunday.