Cricket World Cup 2011

Why not Aravinda as a consultant

Across the globe never has cricket been at its height with some of the top notch countries and others clawing to make their presence felt both at Test and one-day level. Of course, as of now the clock keeps spinning towards what is considered the showpeice of cricket - the World Cup scheduled to get underway in March 2011. Invariably, it has been phasing out towards that extravaganza with already the heavyweights team building and preparing to put out their best sides come the big occasion.
Interestingly India has shifted the balance in its favour occupying No.1 spot in the rankings as South Africa and Australia closely hover on the Indians heels. An indication of the heavyweights in top contention for World Cup spoils. Interestingly, as of now despite India’s roller coaster successes at that level Australia has made its presence felt in a strong way on the comeback trail under the able tutelage of skipper Ricky Ponting whose rediscovery of his best form yet has significantly contributed towards that tilt; that and some of the new faces who have raised their hands in staking for permanent places.
It is in this backdrop that Sri Lanka needs to reassess its preparations and build up towards the 2011 World Cup. Evidently, some progress has been made with the selectors and captain focusing on the reality of blooding the team with young ones. For, it is young limbs that importantly hold sacred in drilling up an elastic side where more than anything the fielding component needs to be at its peak. In this context, already in recent outings the newcomers who were introduced have struck a chord for youth showcasing the fact that the success of a team cannot forever roll on old broomsticks but on able bodied portals that with it gives any team a huge tonic of adaptability.

Think strong and hard

Thus, the selectors and skipper Kumar Sangakkara will importantly need to think strong and hard as to the prudence whether the side is to constitute old hands with made names that have markedly begun to take a beating in the form book or look in the direction of guys like Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Suraj Mohamed, Lahiru Thirimanne and a like crop who have shown their capability.
And in this build up perhaps wouldn’t it be prudent to look at somebody in the higher echelons where coaching comes to play to fit into the Sri Lanka squad of expertise at that level. In that sense, given recent achievements on the Lankan cricket radar hugely point at none other than our once dynamo with the bat Aravinda de Silva. It would do well for the Sri Lankan cricket authorities to think seriously of drafting Aravinda de Silva into the coaching squad given the telling influence the former Lankan star batsman in his time has made in converting our youth cricket into tangible property. Aravinda has made a significant contribution in gelling the Lanka under-19 xi into a top notch outfit at international level. The u-19 xi’s historic series win over Australia down under in an ODI series that marked the island nation’s only success in Australia at any level internationally was a turning point; a turning point in giving a shot in the arm for youth cricket and signifying the stellar Aravinda presence in whatever role he stars in.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) could do well to strongly consider the prospect of drafting Aravinda de Silva into its expert coaching team. For de Silva has shown on and off the field what a shrewd reader of the game he is and I’m sure his presence in the Lankan squad at least as a consultant at that level would make a huge difference in pumping in the oxygen of assurance in the side that is an all important factor in the middle.