Sri Lanka start preparations for U-19 World Cup, Asia Cup

 Sri Lanka Under-19 cricket coach Dhammika Sudarshana during a training session

• Exposing schoolboys to domestic cricket is one way of raising U-19 standards: Coach Sudarshana
• 65 players go into 21-day residential training camp from this month

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

One of the greatest mysteries surrounding Sri Lanka Under-19 cricket is that despite boasting of a school system that has been acclaimed by other full member ICC nations like Australia, England, Pakistan and India as one of the best, we have yet to produce a side that can go and win an ICC Under-19 World Cup.

Several reasons have been adduced by experts in the know, but other than churning out some outstanding individual cricketers, Sri Lanka has never been able to raise a team that could become champions.

Several past cricketers have tried their hand towards helping Sri Lanka reach the pinnacle of Under-19 cricket, but so far none has succeeded.

Now the onus of accomplishing that elusive title has fallen on the shoulders of Dhammika Sudarshana, who turned 45 on 19 June and who has the rather envious if not indeterminate task of achieving that elusive honour as the Under-19 cricket coach.

Sudarshana will be taking charge of a 65-player 21-day Under-19 residential training camp from this month in Pallekele – Kandy to prepare them for the ICC Under-19 World Cup and the ACC Under-19 tournament.

His personal view is that while Sri Lanka still bank on their school system to produce Under-19 national cricketers, other countries have found various means to boost their Under-19 cricket standards.

“Even though they don’t have a strong school structure like Sri Lanka they make up for it by exposing about five-six players to play in the Ranji trophy in India for instance. Most of the countries have followed this example because the exposure the Under-19 cricketer gets is tremendous and that builds up their confidence when they come down to play at Under-19 level,” said Sudarshana. 

“That is one aspect of the side we have to improve. By playing at a higher level, the player gains a lot of confidence. We must first prepare the players to play in domestic club matches. There is a gap between schools and playing club cricket.”

Work individually

Sudarshana’s key to being a successful coach is his ability to study the players at close quarters and to work with them individually.

“When a player is failing one has to find what he is lacking, whether it is due to a technical fault or a problem with his mental skills. You need to assess the problem quickly and get him back on track as soon as possible. It is something that I have developed over the years, and for most part, I think the solutions I have given has gone right for the player. A lot of players come to me for advice. I think I am quite good at that.”

Sudarshana, who is a Level two coach, believes the time he spends with each player to sort out his problem has also helped him to become a successful coach and that he can extend that practice with the Sri Lanka Under-19 cricketers. 

A keen student of the game, Sudarshana, a former Richmondite, played first-class cricket as a right-hand opening bat and went onto represent his country in the Sri Lanka ‘A’ side captained by Thilan Samaraweera that comprised of players in the calibre of Kumar Sangakkara, Ian Daniel, Michael Van Dort, Avishka Gunawardene, Chamara Silva, Indika de Saram and Tillakaratne Dilshan. A knee injury cut short what could have turned out to be a budding career with the national team. Despite undergoing surgery, the time he spent away from cricket for more than a year resulted in him unable to produce the same form that got him into the ‘A’ side.

No ambition of being a coach

That unfortunate incident saw fate decide for him that he should turn to coaching. He joined Richmond College as a coach on the insistence of the Richmond OBA as the school did not have a proper coach, and during his ten years with them, he took the school to dizzying heights, reaching three one-day finals and winning a trophy each year either in one-day or in the longer game.

“For me more than winning the championships, my target was to produce players who could play in the first-class domestic circuit, Under-19 and ‘A’ teams. During my period as coach at Richmond, I was able to produce around 13 players who went onto play in the Under-19 World Cup. They also played for clubs in the domestic circuit while still at school,” said Sudarshana.

His personal goal during his tenure as coach was to push for at least five cricketers from Richmond to represent Sri Lanka.

“I have virtually achieved that with Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga and Kamindu Mendis, and Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya Lakshan making their debuts in the ongoing ODI series against England,” Sudarshana said.