Sri Lanka’s new ODI captain Thisara Perera believes that the return of all-rounder Asela Gunaratne and wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Janith Perera will be a massive boost for the Sri Lankan side in the upcoming ODI series against India. Both players have missed a considerable amount of cricket during the last six months due to injury. While Kusal Janith suffered a hamstring injury during Champions Trophy in England in June, Asela fractured his thumb attempting to take a catch during the first Test against India in Galle in July this year.
“If you look at the time that we used to do well, those two players were an integral part of the side. We depend a hell of a lot on them. They helped us to balance the side. We missed that in the last six months and now that they are back it gives the side a nice blend. Pleased with their arrivals,” Thisara Perera told journalists.
Visit the Sri Lanka vs India HUB
The first ODI gets underway on Sunday at the beautiful Dharmasala in the Himalayan chain of mountains.
Sri Lanka have lost 12 ODIs in a row now and Thisara Perera was confident of ending the deadlock. “Any team can go through this kind of slump. It is like a cycle. There’s a period that you do well, another period that you don’t do so well. We can’t be bringing players from other countries and play to come out of this struggle. We have to work with the players we have. At the moment we lack a bit of confidence. One game if we can win, everything will fall in line,” he added.
India are ranked number two, just below South Africa according to official ratings while Sri Lanka are rated number eight. The hosts will be overwhelming favourites going into the series. “If we do the basics right, we can win games. We have to do our basics right. Don’t forget that we were ranked number two or three not long ago and we should be able to improve our ranking moving forward,” remarked Thisara.
A Test match for the ages
The buzz in the press box when Angelo Mathews was dismissed on the fifth morning of the Delhi Test match was that this is going to be all over by lunch.
Sri Lanka have been whitewashed 5-0 on three occasions this year and one of those humiliating series losses came against the Indian team at home.
“We lacked confidence. If you come and see the things the boys do in training, you will be amazed. If we can replicate that on the field, it will be totally different. My personal feeling is that when we lose regularly we lack confidence and that’s the area we need to overcome,” remarked Perera.
India will be without the services of captain Virat Kohli, who is taking a break from the series and the captaincy responsibility has been handed to Rohit Sharma. “He is their leading batsman. However, although he is not there, they have some other very good batsmen. We don’t think about that too much. We think of playing our best cricket and that’s what we are focused on.”
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Dehli hero Dhananjaya de Silva, who had to retire due to tightness in glute muscle during his match-saving knock has been treated by the physiotherapist and will undergo a fitness test on Saturday prior to the first ODI.
