Charith Asalanka, who is returning to home midway through the ongoing Pakistan tour due to a MYSTERIOUS Illness, Is, In all probability, unlikely to captain Sri Lanka In T20Is again.
Just before the third ODI against Pakistan, Asalanka declared himself sick and eventually Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Yesterday announced his return.
“Captain Charith Asalanka and fast bowler Asitha Fernando, both suffering from illness, will return home. The two players will not take part in the upcoming tri-series featuring Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe” SLC said in a media statement.
“This precautionary decision ensures they receive proper care and sufficient time to recover ahead of future assignments” the media statement reads further.
However, according to the sources, the truth is something else! Following a deadly bomb blast in Islamabad that left 12 people dead and several injured just before the first ODI, It was reported that Asalanka, along with seven other players, was unwilling to continue with the tour, citing security fears. However, SLC and Island’s President Intervened and convinced players to stay.
Cricket Age understands that though other players shifted back their focus on the remainder of the tour, Asalanka and Asitha Fernando remained unconvinced, which eventually paved the path for their return, citing illness!
On the back of Asalanka’s controversial return, the majority in Sri Lanka Cricket circle opines that it’s Indeed the end of his leadership role in T20Is.
“With Asalanka’s unavailability, Dasun Shanaka will lead Sri Lanka during the tri-series” SLC media release said.
However, in most probability, Shanaka will continue as captain, at least until the T20 World cup early next year. Somewhere the national selection committee, headed by Upul Tharanga, was also doubtful over Asalanka’s captaincy future, that’s why Shanaka was brought back in leadership fold (vice-captain) months before the T20 World cup!
Along with Asalanka’s ‘questionable’ return, his T20Is form also weakened his chances of regaining his leadership role in near future.
An average of 22 along with a below par strike rate of 126 in 70 T20Is suggests Asalanka is a misfit in the shortest format and doesn’t deserve a place in the team, If not captaining. To make things worse, his recent T20 form has been disastrous. In his last 8 Innings, Asalanka has accumulated only 93 runs and turned out Sri Lanka’s weakest link in middle order!
More than his batting struggles, though, Asalanka’s on and off field decisions and preferences as captain raised eyebrows. The accusations are that he prefers only his domestic club Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) and school Richmond college players for the national teams.
A classic victim of this sort of biased selection is young Pavan Rathnayake, whose International debut was delayed until the very last in order to accommodate useless ‘friend-circle’ player Sadeera Samarawickrama. Eventually, when Rathanayake was handed his long due debut in the third dead-rubber ODI against Pakistan, he Immediately stamped his authority with an eye-catching Innings of 32, even when he was sent at number 7 by an Incompetent coaching staff!
