9 Issues Sri Lanka need to address before World Cup 2015

Kushal Perera (batting) has been a let-down

Thirimanne and Chandimal – Fit them right

Even though Sri Lanka are currently without the services of its two young stars, there is no denying the fact that they will have a huge role to play in the team’s preparation for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

But the team think-tank will have to find the right places for them in the batting order in order to get the best out of them, especially after the failures of those who were tried in the duo’s places.

Chandimal batted at number four against Bangladesh in the bilateral series in the early part of 2014. He failed twice but came back with a match-winning 64 in the third match.

The return of Jayawardene saw Chandimal being demoted lower down the order during the Asia Cup. Coming at number 8 against Pakistan, Chandimal scored an unbeaten 19 off 19 balls and 26 against Afghanistan at number 5 stitching together a partnership of 74 with Sangakkara. Against India, however, the 24-year-old right-hander was clean bowled by a ripper for a golden duck.

Batting at number 4 against Ireland, Chandimal scored 39, building on which Sri Lanka were able to post a defendable score.

Against England, Chandimal returned with the scores of 8, 14 and 6 at number 6, 7 and 5 respectively. Against Pakistan, once again batting at number 5, Chandimal was dismissed for 6 runs.

It is clearly evident that Chandimal has been pushed up and down the order, leaving him with no breathing space to settle down into a stable position. Whenever Sri Lanka had a strong foundation from the top 3, Chandimal was pushed down to number 7 and 8 leaving him with no option of capitalizing on the foundation to score some runs for himself. And whenever there was a top order collapse, he was sent up and, as a result, succumbed to pressure.

History has it that Chandimal has fared exceptionally well in the top 3, and Sri Lanka would do well to give him a chance right up there.

Thirimanne, on the other hand, opened for Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2014 and was highly successful. But his slow-paced innings in the English surfaces pushed him to the middle order where he scored a composed 60 under difficult circumstances to help the team win the series.

Against South Africa, Thirimanne batted at number 5 and failed to make hefty scores.

But I believe that the left-hander’s composure and his ability to score at a consistent rate would make him an ideal number 5. His aloof attitude may help Sri Lanka immensely during run-chases, should he bat at number 5.

Inconsistent performances of the Big 4 – The need to come together

In the early part of 2014 and throughout 2013, Sri Lanka benefited immensely from Tillakaratne Dilshan’s and Sangakkara’s excellent run of form. But, since the Pakistan tour, the pair has failed to make consistent contributions. Sangakkara has scored only 112 runs in his last 6 games, masked by his 61 against India in one match, while Dilshan’s drives have been finding the fielders more often than the boundary.

In contrast, Mathews and Jayawerdene’s forms have been burgeoning, the latter’s since the series against Pakistan. Jayawerdene, since quitting Tests, has been in red hot form averaging in excess of 50. Mathews, on the other hand, has been “Captain Marvelous” for Sri Lanka, often reviving the team back from the jaws of defeat.

Sri Lanka would want their Big 4 to contribute in order to form a formidable batting order that can make up even if the bowlers fail to deliver.

Who partners Dilshan? Not Tharanga/Not Kushal

Sri Lanka once had the most belligerent opening partnership in the form of Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya. When Kaluwithrana waned out, Marvan Atapattu stepped up and ruled the roost at the top order. But, since then, the Island nation has struggled to find a permanent opening partnership.

In 2011, Tharanga was on song and, combining with the evergreen Dilshan, gave Sri Lanka telling starts. But his form, of late, has been disheartening. The team management has experimented with Thirimanne, and his slow but steady batting seems to have cost them more than what it has earned.

Kusal Perera would be the ideal candidate to open the innings, with his unorthodox shots capable of even unsettling the best bowlers; however he, too, has not lived upto his reputation. Although it seems like one good innings can help him kick start his career, that one innings has eluded him for a very long time. Sri Lanka are yet to experiment with him in the middle order, but the already existing joust for the spot in the middle means Kusal’s only way of making it to the XI would be to fare well as an opener. A good two outings against India would do the team more good than to Kusal himself.

Sri Lanka might also opt for Dhanushka Gunathilaka who has had a fantastic 2014 with the A team. His off-breaks might become the deciding factor if the selectors are forced to choose between him and Kusal Perera.

Middle muddle – The big shoes of Muralitharan

Sri Lanka’s bowling in the middle overs has been toothless, which has helped batting teams pile up runs at this stage of the game.

While Ajantha Mendis has been consistent, the selectors’ tendency to hide him against certain attacks hasn’t done Sri Lanka’s bowling any good.

The team is in a desperate need for a wicket-taking spinner, and they would be praying for Mendis to do well against India. Senanayake even though economical has not been a wicket-taker, and there is still a question mark over his place in the side with him having to get his new action approved by ICC.

Since Muttiah Muralitharan’s retirement, Ajantha has picked up 46 wickets at the strike-rate of 26.7 and an average of 21.82 giving away just 4.9 runs per over. Sri Lanka should look forward to the 29-year-old to provide those breakthroughs during the middle overs to slow down opposition’s run scoring.

The decline of Nuwan Kulasekara

Barring Lasith Malinga, Sri Lankan pace bowling has been flat. Nuwan Kulasekara’s indifferent form hasn’t helped them, either.

Even though Thisara, when in full swing, can be a menace to the opposition as he showed against Pakistan and against India in the 3rd ODI, the management would want one of Shaminda Eranga and Dhammika Prasad to add the much-needed extra yard of pace, which will be vital during Sri Lanka’s campaign Down Under.

If either Eranga or Prasad can cement a place in the side, then Sri Lanka will have 3 pacemen who can pick up wickets at will, which will help Sri Lanka come out of their conservative approach against good batting sides.

In 2013, at Brisbane, Kulasekera swung the ball so viciously giving the Aussies a taste of their own medicine. Since Vaas' retirement, the right-arm seamer has given Sri Lanka some consistency in bowling in addition to being a good lower-order batsman. But, in 2014, his batting dwindled and then his bowling, too, followed the insidious path. In his last eight games, Kulasekera has picked up only one wicket.

The 32-year-old has lost the swing that he engenders in the early overs, and, with his pace gradually falling down, he is less likely to be a part of Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad, which will make the bowling attack fall short in terms of experience.