The appointment of former fast bowler Pramodaya Wickramasinghe was done undemocratically by those so called advisors, who wants to control Sri Lanka cricket from Mumbai and Rajasthan. In the process, by removing Youth Selectors coordinator Ranjith Madurusinghe, they have virtually curtailed the progress of Sri Lanka cricket.
Appointment of Pramodaya Wickramasinghe as Sri Lanka new chief selector is a 1st April joke, which came yesterday (April 8). After months of drama, Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa’s advisors sticked with their plan: to take the remote control of Sri Lanka cricket in their hands by bringing their favorites everywhere.
In the process, they have removed Ranjith Madurusinghe! Former Sri Lanka right-arm off break bowler, Madurusinghe, without a doubt, has been the best youth selector in last one decade. When Graeme Labrrooy, Asantha De Mel and all others came and became political dummies, it was Madurusinghe, who nurtured entire next generation players for the Island- Ashen Bandara, Pathum Nissanka (Two Young batting prodigies who proved their mettle in recently concluded West Indies tour), Hasitha Boyagoda, Nipun Ransika, Shammu Ashan, Charith Asalanka and many more. Unlike others, Madurusinghe is known for work with vision and planning!
With his removal, Sports Minister’s advisors have curtailed Sri Lanka cricket future as well (present is already bleak and uncertain).
Cricket Age understand that at present Madurusinghe was coordinating youth selectors and school selection coordinators, who were working in groups Island wide.
Along with Tim Maccasil, head of National Cricket Development, Madurusinghe and his colleagues had already conducted more than 50 talent profiling sessions to identify U19 players. Along with High Performance Center (HPC) coaches, they also built 5 teams to play Youth Premier League in May this year. This innovative program was done after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) hierarchy’s green signal.
“It’s a real mess done by so called Sports Council. He (Madurusinghe) was asked to work with Tim on a Youth programme and together they made it a reality amid this pandemic time. Now they were in a great position to move forward. Suddenly, he has been removed” an insider at HPC told Cricket Age.
With Madurusinghe’s removal, Sri Lanka cricket Youth Programme has lost it’s meaning, as now U19 selection will also be done by Pramodaya and his other national selectors, who doesn’t know a thing or two about junior cricket!
The so called advisors of Minister, though, have played their cards perfectly once again! The 6 member committee comprise only 2 test cricketers! In this scenario, it is bound to derail already done and dusted Sri Lanka cricket!
