The dominance of national team’s overrated and overpaid coach Chandika Hathurasingha continues at Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC), as a weakened administration is still more concerned about him than the World Cup.
The classic example is SLC confusion over the captaincy. It’s a shame for a cricket playing nation that even as less than 50 days have left for the world cup, the national team is without a captain.
The blame for this mess up and uncertainty goes to Hathurusingha. That’s why, amongst three realistic captain options – Angelo Mathews, Dimuth Karunaratne and Lasith Malinga – SLC wants to make the captain to a player, Who has not played ODI cricket since last four years, only because he is the only one who shares a good rapport with Hathurusingha.
Malinga, even though could not uplift the performance of the team under his captaincy so far, is the current skipper of the team. In last two weeks, he has done everything (by playing in IPL and in domestic tournament tirelessly) to save his captaincy. After a long time, he is in devastating form with the ball for Mumbai Indians and more importantly has shown the commitment to lead the side in the mega event. However, his only shortcoming is that he doesn’t share a good rapport with Hathurusingha.
Mathews case is also similar. Ideally, he should have never been removed as shorter formats captain, as he was groomed all these years for the job. Even now, if SLC (and the hidden bosses of the board) doesn’t want Malinga as the captain, they should appoint Angelo to lead the team. Unfortunately, like Malinga, Mathews is also on loggerheads with Hathurusingha.
That’s why, SLC are mulling over to appoint Dimuth as captain. By luck or coincidence, he won a test series against South Africa and his only qualification for the job for white ball cricket is that he is in good book of Hathurusingha. He is the only player, Who can be good with Hathurusingha in the world cup.
And, it’s a pathetic situation for the SLC to be in. When all other countries are eyeing on world cup, SLC is still, not only tolerating Hathurusingha, but are dancing on his tunes as well!
