There was this yarn spun a while back about two friends and their involuntary adversity with each other. The narration, ‘a tale of two friends’ was stalled almost mid-sentence as the duo’s journey had only just begun.
Now, an attempt to rekindle!
The gentlemen in question reign in the pinnacle of fame; captain and vice-captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. The story captured Mahela Jayawardena’s and Kumar Sangakkara’s rise to the top and how they became unintentional rivals to command.
At the time, opinions were scuttled to and fro, as an audible buzz of the cricket clique continuously proclaimed one or the other as captain-in-waiting. Fate as always remains the decider and even though Sangakkara with his ‘looming large’ personality poked in front, Jayawardena who had been preening himself prematurely, tipped the scales.
As nobility is the hallmark of kings and knights, so spins out this account of the two.
Diminutive in build yet with a spirit that’s anything but, Jayawardena took to the job like duck to water. Stature in no way conveys the status; his marshalling of men was very Goliath like. Charging from the front ever so stealthily with just his convictions for company, he formed his brigade of supermen.
In the midst of Jayawardena’s soundless disposition that was even mistaken for timidity, a hidden strength crawled out of the closet. Arrived, not a boisterous, belligerent fool, but an astute, assured captain with a mindset of his own. This split personality is now a national secret!!
Despite losing some of the veteran hands he has chugged along bravely like ‘Thomas the tank engine.’- large in heart! The Jayawardena leadership churned cricket all around. He opened doors to all rank and file and usurped any hierarchical prima donnas in the team. Allowed his younger men a ‘voice’ and enforced belief in them. Though fresh in his mandate he was dedicated the ICC’s ‘captain of the year for 2006’. Apprehension turned to adoration – the country embraced their captain. He won the hearts of many and almost a world cup.
Sangakkara would have been the first to admit and admire that there would be nobody better for the job other than his contender and mate. He simply stood in open awe and offered his unstinted support and co-operation.
Cast eyes behind you; there was young Jayawardena crowned before his time, undeserving as he had not proved himself and Sangakkara working his bones out, demonstrating his worth as a striver and leader. The latter should have been peeved!! But the gentleman he is, he was not. He understood he was seconded, he accepted it was a decision of authority and perhaps, knowing his friend better than us all, affirmed vehemently.
Kumar Sangakkara, is that man. Coming up from behind, grabbing top spot in the Sri Lankan batting and surprising his ‘biggest fans’ by clinching the number one test batsman spot in the world billet, striding into the history books as the 6th in an ICC’s all- time great list, he is a role model personified. The deputy skipper has given his people, his country, a life’s lesson in ‘right effort’ He recognizes he was pipped at the post by a better man and will possibly find it a relief not to actually have had the captaincy with such a ‘master’ breathing down his neck.
Skipper Jayawardena on the other hand did not become lofty at his directive, he did not get cocky or conceited; he played cricket. Perhaps he knew he won to a worthy opponent and also understood he was lucky enough to have had a head-start over the fast catching-up Sangakkara. So he did the next best thing; joined the deputy to his hip and buckled up for some sound captaincy.
This is a tale worth telling, a tutorial to their infantile protégées; how fighting for the most precious crown of the nation, did not turn friend in to foe, did not disarray a country plans for its national team, did not diminish men.
Its not a mountain made out of a mole hill, it is a ‘mountain’ Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara chucked their personal ambitions and inhabitations a side and took up the cause of driving Sri Lanka cricket forward.
A united rule; Sangakkara doesn’t force his opinions on Jayawardena, but Jayawardena seeks him out. If an opinion badly warrants the deputy would venture and his captain would welcome. If Sangakkara spontaneously shepherds Jayawardena’s men, the latter would simply watch with intent. The respect they had for each other was mutual and the strength equal.
Jayawardena was in no-way overawed by the Sangakkara character. He did not try to ape him or have any of his magniloquence rub on himself. He did not worry that his challenger was just a step behind; he did not try to make his compatriot feel less in order to feel more, he did not leave him out of consultation so the competitor cannot take his place. There was consensus all the time. Jayawardena remained himself and believed in himself as the right man to take Sri Lanka to through the next decade. What confidence to stand parallel to the Sangakkara grandeur and not falter!
Loosing to India was not the poor showing it was perceived to be. India had the luck of the draw and Sri Lanka at every turn the bad end of the pitch and conditions. The Indians struggled in the second essay in the final ODI and the T20 under lights. Also the Indian batting line up is legendary.
Jayawardena calling it curtains may have been premature, but it speaks of the man and re-emphasizes the moral fiber caricatured in this commentary. The skipper’s last act has clearly made binding all that has been said about him. A cricketer and a thorough gentleman
As this hits print the roles are soon to be reversed, so we can open another chapter in the lives of this mélange.
