Fast-bowling all-rounders are the crown jewels of any cricket team – rare gems that bring balance, firepower, and flexibility. Especially when venturing into hostile foreign conditions, these players are worth their weight in gold.
Scan the international circuit and you’ll spot several of them holding court with aplomb. Ben Stokes is England’s talisman, turning games on their head with sheer grit. India’s Hardik Pandya brings the X-factor, often changing the course of a match with bat or ball. Australia, always blessed in the pace department, boast a whole arsenal – Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, and the versatile Beau Webster. South Africa have long leaned on the all-rounders’ crutch, and in Marco Jansen, they’ve found a left-arm weapon who delivers with both bat and ball.
More often than not, the Proteas throw in a second seam-bowling all-rounder like Wiaan Mulder to bolster their line-up. England do the same with Sam Curran slotted in at number eight, giving them depth, control, and a sting in the tail. But here’s the burning question: who’s flying the flag for Sri Lanka in this department?
Let’s face it – we don’t have much to show.
All too often, we get carried away when a batter sends down a few medium pacers and slap the “all-rounder” tag on him. We build castles in the air, expecting the sun, moon, and stars. Take Dasun Shanaka, for instance. A natural six-hitter and an ideal T20 finisher, he was thrust into a role beyond his station. Expecting him to send down a full quota of overs was asking a lion to swim. The result? His bowling fizzled out, and his career stalled.
When you label someone a seam-bowling all-rounder, there’s an unwritten rule – they must have genuine pace. Thisara Perera, in his prime, ticked that box. He had the heavy ball, the brawn to belt sixes and the heart to share the new ball. But for reasons only the cricketing gods know, he never quite hit top gear. A pity, really – he had all the makings of a match-winner.
Now, enter Chamindu Wickramasinghe.
At 22, the lad has already worn the Sri Lankan cap, and if we play our cards right and let him simmer rather than burn out, he might just be the answer we’ve been searching for. Built like Thisara, Chamindu has the frame and fire to generate pace and it’s reasonable to expect his engine to rev higher as he strides into his mid-20s.
Just this week, he turned heads with a five-wicket haul in the NSL for Kandy. Jaffna were shot out for 201, and Chamindu’s scalps weren’t tailenders – he accounted for the likes of Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, and Janith Liyanage. Not content with the ball, he padded up with purpose. Kandy were tottering at 250 for 7, but Chamindu stitched together a vital 77-run partnership with Shiran Fernando. No swipes in the dark – he batted over two hours, showing temperament and ticker.
And this wasn’t a flash in the pan. A few weeks ago, turning out for SSC in a First-Class fixture, he tonned up batting at number eight. That’s the kind of statement innings that makes you sit up and take notice. A hallmark of a true all-rounder is not an occasional cameo but the ability to score tons and bag fifers with some regularity – not once in a blue moon. But here in Sri Lanka, the bar is set low. A quickfire 30 and a couple of wickets, and we’re quick to hand out the all-rounder badge. No wonder the cupboard is bare.
These are early days for Chamindu, no doubt. But for talents like him, it’s vital we throw them a long rope rather than yank it at the first sign of struggle.
The blame doesn’t lie squarely on selectors or coaches for our lack of a steady seam-bowling all-rounder. The problem often lies with the players themselves. Many start with great gusto, willing to run through brick walls. But once the spotlight shines, and opportunities knock – especially the glitzy ones from T20 leagues – the hunger for the grind wanes. First-Class cricket is pushed to the back burner, and the quick buck takes centre stage.
Can we fault them? Not entirely.
The landscape today is a far cry from what it was 15 years ago. Opportunities abound, and the financial lure of franchise cricket is hard to resist. Players are simply making hay while the sun shines, looking after themselves and their families – which is fair play in this day and age.
And so, we watch and wait. Let’s see how young Chamindu’s journey unfolds. Will he be a flash in the pan or the real McCoy? Only time will tell.
But for now, let’s not smother the flame. Let him breathe, let him grow, and just maybe – we’ll find our all-rounder at the end of this winding road.
