Lions of Lanka: An Ode to Sri Lankan Cricket

Sri Lankan cricket, partly due to selective media indulgence, and partly due to its limelight hogging sub-continental neighbours, has been deprived of its rightful place amongst the topmost countries of the cricketing world. The most obvious reason being the fact that India is the financial hub of world cricket and Pakistani cricket has always been a cauldron of controversies. From revolutionizing one day cricket to producing some flashy geniuses, Sri Lankan cricket has always been, and will be, a group of one of the most talented cricketers in the world.

Credited with the tag of the man who changed the way ODI cricket was played, Sanath Jayasuriya is arguably Lanka's most favourite son

To say that they changed the way the world saw one-day cricket would be an understatement. In the 1996 ICC world cup, Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana took to the opposition bowlers in the first 15 overs of fielding restrictions. Earlier these overs were used to see off the new ball and to build a foundation for the later part of the innings. Theirs was a unique strategy which came off brilliantly and helped Sri Lanka lift their maiden world cup. This type of batting has been the breeding ground for cricketers like Gayle and Sehwag, and has revolutionized one day cricket completely and irreversibly.

Sri Lanka became a test playing nation in 1982 and had no glorious cricketing lineage to fall back upon. They did not have excellent coaching facilities to hone their natural talent. Nevertheless, the impact that they have made on the international stage in such a quick time is unprecedented in cricketing history. They also hold the unique distinction of having the highest score in all three formats of the game (tests, ODIs and T20s).

One outstanding feature that comes into mind while talking about Sri Lankan cricket is the plethora of unorthodox cricketers present in the country. Be it Jayasuriya or the three M’s (Malinga, Murali and Mendis), the cricketers of Sri Lanka have captured the imagination of cricket lovers with their sheer natural talent. Irfan Pathan for instance, was propped up by the BCCI as an all rounder before he was ready. He ended up losing his confidence and now is confined to the IPL. The Lankan cricket board did not tamper with their players in order to make them conventionally acceptable. Cricket is played differently in the islands and is bound to produce unorthodox players. The board allowed them to play their natural game and ended up producing some of the most successful cricketers of the modern era.

While the earlier team Lanka would be hinged upon individual players like De Silva and Vaas, the present team has worked its way towards building a consistent team where every member chips in when necessary. They have the experience of veterans like Jayawardene and Sangakkara along with the fire power of youngsters like Mathews, Mendis and the like. From the explosive batting of Dilshan to the innocuous bowling of Kulasekara, all the players seem to have a specific role in the team. They have the right mix of aggression, experience and charisma to be one of the most successful cricket teams of the world.