There was little doubt about Thisara Perera’s remarkable ability as he could change the outcome of a game in a matter of few overs. Since his debut in 2009, the burly all-rounder had underachieved. However, he turned a huge corner last year where he found consistency with both bat and ball. Thisara finished 2018 as the highest run getter in ODIs and the second highest wicket taker in the team.
Rex Clementine in Johannesburg
In 17 games, Thisara took 25 wickets and averaged 20 while with the bat he managed 415 runs, joint highest along with Niroshan Dickwella. This year it has been even better. After just three games in 2019 he has already scored 224 runs that includes a career best 140.
“The confidence that I have been given has helped me to turn things around. Earlier the trust wasn’t there. The Head Coach and Batting Coach Tilan Samaraweera did quite a bit of work with my game and it helped me to turn things around,” Perera, who had a lengthy net session at the Wanderers yesterday, told ThePapare.
“I was told that because I was not too sure what to do with the short ball my batting was suffering. So we worked on that area. I was surprised with the results. It was just a small adjustment but it was paying off. As a result I was able to turn things around and hopefully the best is yet to come.
There’s also this sense of feeling that Perera wasn’t utilized properly over the years to get a best out of him. Currently he occupies number seven in the batting order and says it is tough to target milestones while batting so deep.
“I have to play to the team’s need. The position that I bat now requires me to score runs quickly. So it’s not easy to have targets. I always wanted to score a hundred in ODIs that I have achieved now. Mine is a position where I have to bat according to situation. It is hard to bat for long periods at seven when you come with the team needing quick runs. But if there’s a situation where I have to bat long like in New Zealand, then I have to adapt.”
“To be honest I don’t have many personal targets. I was lucky to be part of the team that won the World T-20 in 2014. I have played in a World Cup final as well and if I can win a World Cup that will be the best thing for me,” Perera commented.
