The criticism on young batsman Dinesh Chandimal has been mounting for his lack of contributions with the bat.
He has now gone through four ODI series in which he has neither contributed a match winning score nor crossed the half-century. The home series against Bangladesh, Champions Trophy, the tri-nation series in the Caribbean and the home series against the Proteas are the proof taken up against Chandimal. To be precise, in his last 18 games, the young Chandimal hasn’t made a half-century. In those 18 games, he didn’t bat on six occasions however.
It’s very frustrating to see a young player failing repeatedly. But those who mean well for Sri Lankan cricket need to exert extreme caution in putting down a talent as precious as Chandimal. If there’s a man who is going to break most of Kumar Sangakkara batting records, it has to be Dinesh Chandimal. And if you are in desperate search for a principled leader like Arjuna Ranatunga, it has got to be Chandimal. Those are definitely big shoes to be filled, but Chandimal is one man who has shown some glimpse for those twin tough tasks.
With optimism there is need to be caution as well for Chandimal is close to two men who virtually control Sri Lankan cricket. Charlie Austin is Chandimal’s agent while Nishantha Ranatunga is like a foster father to him. Both men have harmed Sri Lankan cricket over the years and have their own agendas. Chandimal could be used by either to achieve their causes.
Those who raise issues have also asked a very pertinent question. If other players like Chamara Kapugedara and Jehan Mubarak weren’t tolerated that much when they failed repeatedly, why Chandimal has to be treated differently. The simple answer is that Chandimal is making an effort. The hours he spends with the Batting Coach trying to fine tune his game need to be appreciated. That was a trait that Sangakkara exhibited in his younger days as well.
Chandimals’ attitude, his intelligence and the passion he shows for the game are indications that this special talent unlike other talents will go all the way.
His Lord’s hundred in 2011 that helped Sri Lanka win an ODI against the Ashes winning England attack is still talked about. Then his twin half-centuries on debut in Durban a few months later were further proof to his temperament.
In fact, some of the modern day heroes had similar records to that of Chandimal in the early part of their careers.
It’s been three years and two months since Chandimal made his ODI debut and currently he averages 31 in ODIs having played 66 ODIs. He has two centuries. Sangakkara after three years and two months into his career had played 95 ODIs and averaged 28 with two hundreds. Mahela Jayawardene was similar having played 77 ODIs at the same period and had an average of 29, but had scored five centuries.
Sanga and Mahela too had similar critics in the early stages of their careers for lack of consistent performances. In the 2003 World Cup, Sanga failed to score a half-century in ten games. Mahela was worse. He played nine games and didn’t get into double figures even once.
Seniors like Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya were doing most of the scoring in that competition.
But the World Cup experience and the constant exposure stood in good stead for them and they haven’t looked back especially Sanga, who makes amends for missing out in early in his career and is world’s number one batsman at the moment.
These experiences will help players like Chandimal as well.
More than anything, Chandimal needs to be supported for one thing. The need of the hour in Sri Lankan cricket is for a leader and a cricketer who will turn his back to that tournament across the Palk Strait run by the gamblers, for the gamblers of the gamblers.
Sanga and Dayasiri Jayasekara have certain things in common. Both know the law and are extremely popular among the masses. At times when there have been little hope, these two individuals in their different disciplines have been a beacon of hope for many Sri Lankans. Sanga fought many a lone battles for Sri Lanka on the cricket field while Dayasiri eloquently debated for the sake of the well-being of his countrymen in the parliament. But their Achilles’ heels bring all hopes of Sri Lankans’ back to square one. One is vulnerable to power while the other has an insatiable desire for money across the Palk Strait.
Why more than anything, Chandimal needs to be protected and persevered with, is his principled stance to not to be part of that stained tournament.
