A sense of purpose defined the very first Test series between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in 1994/95. At the time Sri Lanka was a meandering Test team with little success and Zimbabwe was just beginning to find their feet.
Free Hit contributor
Both teams were trying to establish a presence in the global arena. The result was three drawn games. But importantly for Sri Lanka, they had solidified a group of players who would go onto win a World Cup in two years. Twenty years later the stakes are even higher. Both teams are suffering from a lack of star players, unpredictable socio-political tug-o-wars, and cricket board shenanigans. Zimbabwe is slowly trying to dust off the ashes, and Sri Lanka is attempting to establish a core group of players for the next five years. For both teams, this series is a genesis of a second coming.
Despite the magnificent display of cricket to trash the Australians at home, only Rangana Herath will step off the tarmac in Zimbabwe with nothing to prove. At least that was true until 24 hours ago. Now he will arrive as the leader of the pack, a deserving tribute to a true hero, but the challenge might be daunting. The country will be hoping that his captaincy will be as Machiavellian as the balls he sends down. A series victory will be a glowing feather in his already bright cap.
The gaping batting hole left by the absence of Dinesh Chandimal’s spark and Angelo Mathews’ grit, reveals three struggling seniors staring down a bare barrel of runs—if Kusal Perera, Kaushal Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne can be considered seniors. Despite coming into form against West Indies A, Karunaratne should consider himself lucky to be in the team. Silva and Perera must certainly feel more comfortable at the top, but have a lot to prove for the continuous faith they receive from the selectors. Zimbabwe presents them a golden opportunity to shine. The openers can define the type of batting pair they could be for Sri Lanka. A failure would certainly welcome the Upul Tharanga fans to stage a coup de grâce against the selectors.
Photos: Sri Lanka Team departure for Zimbabwe 2016
Photos of the Sri Lanka Team departure for Zimbabwe 2016
Against the Australians, Kusal Mendis and Dananjaya De Silva outshined and out-batted their peers. Zimbabwe will certainly set the stage to thrive against a bowling attack that will be significantly weaker than that of Mitchell Starc and Co. Matthews’ injury may be the lucky break Niroshan Dickwella has been looking for his whole life. He and Asela Gunaratne might fill the number six and seven spots with the latter adding an important dimension to the bowling attack. They have both been around the circuit long enough to do well to repeat what once considered a no good player named T. M. Dilshan did in Zimbabwe in 1999.
While Herath and his fellow spinners dismantled the Aussies at home, Zimbabwe pitches will not be as helpful. Both Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan would want to use the series to master their skills, especially while Herath is still around to show them the art of weaving a web. Nonetheless, only the spinners will hold their heads high as a confident unit going into the Tests. The exact opposite is true for the fast bowlers. While all the first choice bowlers are permanent residents at the doctors’ office, the new crop of players and their lead Suranga Lakmal have much to learn, let alone to prove. One can only hope that, like in 1994, Sri Lanka will preview the birth of a Chaminda Vaas.
This tour will only be the beginning of a world-wind tour ahead that ends in February 2017 for Sri Lanka. In that time, it is likely that they will be testing a few more batmen in the middle and a few more fast bowlers in the hospital. But the hope and vigor catalyzed by the Aussie whitewash will certainly propel the newfangled raw talent and the battle hardened veterans to go the distance. This series in Zimbabwe will be the perfect pit stop on their road to redemption.
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