Kusal Janith Perera, Sri Lanka’s most exciting revelation spoke to ThePapare.com on his life and his road towards choosing cricket as his career.
The top order batsman who has displayed uncanny likeness to stalwart Sanath Jayasuriya in batting style and similar dashing abilities has undoubtedly proved to be a top talent considering his performances.
How would you describe your beginnings with cricket?
I started from zero and I have gathered a lot of memories in my cricket journey. I first started playing cricket for Kottawa Dharmapala where I learnt my basics and then I moved to Royal College after which I made my way to the club system and finally earned myself a national cap.
Did you ever aspire to play at international level?
Early on in my career I never thought I would be playing at national level but as I progressed I began to realise it was a possibility and I started to work towards getting there.
When did you decide to choose cricket as a career path?
Each and everyone has their very own talent that is special to them depending on whichever field. I believe I had the talent to bat with ease and along with the good hand-eye coordination I possessed I used it to good effect. After awhile you start to understand that this could be the career for you and I decided to pursue it.
How do you play to your strengths?
Any professional player will have both strengths and weaknesses, I always try to shield my weaknesses and play to my strengths in my game, which makes my job so much easier.
What do you feel about the comparisons to you and Sanath Jayasuriya?
I don’t believe you can copy any player. Only a few milliseconds separate a bowler be it fast or spin from the batsman and you need to make your decisions extremely quickly. There might be some similarities in shot technique but apart from that it is very difficult to copy a player.
Who is your favourite player/idol?
I obviously did love Sanath Aiya (Sanath Jayasuriya) when I was young, but I never thought it would end in something like this where I would be compared to him.
How do you cope with pressure as a batsman?
As a batsman you need to relieve the pressure and there are many ways you can approach it. Either by talking to the non-striker or doing your own routines which are unique to you which could help keep you calm and composed.
What is your daily schedule like?
On a normal day I spend most of my time at practice, but whenever I am not involved with cricket I love to spend my time outdoors away from Colombo. I love the forests and like going on Safaris very often.
What food do you like to eat?
I love Sri Lankan food the most.
What is your most memorable moment?
So far my most memorable moment is my debut in Australia. It was a country ranked very high up which made it even more special.
What do you see your future in cricket to be?
I want to continue playing for Sri Lanka and play an important role by being a strong player for my country.
What does it take to get to national level cricket?
You need to make a lot of sacrifices at national level. If you are not willing to do that you can’t get here. Especially if you are a batsman you need a lot of practice including a good amount of match practice.
Who helped you on your way towards success?
Duminda Gunasekara, Chulaka Amarasinghe, all my Under 19 and ‘A’ team coaches have helped me on my way and I appreciate their efforts very much. My family at home was also very supporting and if I have to name each and every person it will take awhile. But I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed in any way to help me achieve my dreams.
ThePapare.com thanks the player for sharing his times on behalf of the fans and wishes him all success
