Sri Lanka will improve in six months, says Nic Pothas after Dambulla drubbing

Sometimes the devil could also be in the missing detail. After India crushed Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the first ODI on Sunday, the homepage of Sri Lanka Cricket’s website prominently featured the video of Man-of-the-Match Shikhar Dhawan’s address to the media.

However, it did not contain Sri Lanka’s interim coach, Nic Pothas, lashing out at the current set-up in island’s cricket.

On Sunday night, fans called out the name of Lasith Malinga, who looked unfit and could not take a wicket in his 200th ODI. It added to the gloom as abject batting saw the hosts get dismissed for 216 and lose by nine wickets. The loss followed a 3-0 rout in Tests.

A bunch of spectators tried to stop the team bus, heckling the players before police stepped in to clear the way. Sri Lankan fans and former players, the 1996 World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga being the most vehement critic, have lashed out, blaming the administration.

Pothas says he can bring about a turnaround if given a free hand. “For me, if we were left alone and you could work with this group of players, you could get some stability and consistency over six months, you’d see massive improvements. These are seriously gifted players. They are very, very gifted players.”

Pothas, a former South African wicketkeeper-batsman, joined the Sri Lanka squad as fielding coach last August and was named interim head coach after compatriot Graham Ford quit following the first round exit in the ICC Champions Trophy.

Although Sri Lanka Cricket have said that they are looking for Ford’s replacement, the appointment of former batting stalwarts, Asanka Gurusinha (cricket manager) and Sanath Jayasuriya (chief selector) seems to have left the players with too many bosses.On Sunday, minutes before going out to toss, new ODI skipper Upul Tharanga was in a deep chat with Jayasuriya outside the dressing room. Normally, only discussions in dressing room take place around that time.

Sri Lanka have also been hurt by injuries. Both leading pacers, Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep, are out of action. A controversial selection policy has seen Dinesh Chandimal, Test skipper and seasoned batsman, kept out of the ODI squad.

Pothas was asked about the Sri Lankan batsmen’s poor execution. The sweep and reverse-sweep too have been blamed. Sri Lanka’s first 50-plus opening stand of the India tour was squandered on Sunday by reverse sweep with Danushka Gunathilaka hitting it straight to KL Rahul at mid-off.

“You’ve got to go to the individual,” Pothas said. “Our job as coaches is to put ammunition in the ammunition belt. It’s up to the player to make the decision based on his strengths, reading of the conditions, and the reading of the opposition.”

At the moment, it’s only a misfiring Sri Lanka. 

(Source: Hindustan Times)