Fitness permitting, Mathews likes to lead in the ODIs
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Mathews or Chandimal? The selectors will announce new skipper on Tuesday.
With the announcement of a new full-time Sri Lankan limited-over skipper drawing near, it is becoming increasingly clear who is being seen as the best man for the job.
Angelo Mathews resigned in June as skipper across all formats and selectors tried everyone from Upul Tharanga to Thisara Perera to lead the side. Nobody, however, has met expectations.
Tharanga and Perera are now out of the equation and it is a toss between Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal to lead the side during the pre-World Cup leg. The appointment is expected to be made on Tuesday, six days ahead of team’s travel to Bangladesh for a tri-series involving hosts and Zimbabwe.
Chandimal captains Sri Lanka in Tests and was earmarked from early days. But he will not be the automatic choice of selectors this time, given his struggle to find a place in the playing XI in the ODIs. He has managed just 255 runs off 15 innings at 18.21, a ghastly record from a top order bat with over 130 ODI’s behind him. Chandimal was not part of the ODI and T20 series against India last month.
But for his struggle in the format, Chandimal might have been the clear favourite of selectors to lead the side.
The selectors made a similar mistake with Thisara Perera when the bowling all-rounder was appointed skipper for the Indian series despite his performance not warranting a place in the side. Perera was not seen as a captaincy material–and six internationals later, he is being relinquished of that role and could even struggle to find a place in the playing XI.
Chandimal is still in contention to lead the side in all three formats–at some stage. But, with World Cup just 18-months away, experts feel it is best if Angelo Mathews is brought back to lead the side with Chandimal as deputy. The Sunday Times learns that Mathews has given his consent to the new coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, but there are issues.
Mathews has the best average in ODIs for Sri Lanka in 2017, having scored 573 runs at 63.66 in 15 matches. Still, his career during the last 18-months was hindered by complicated leg injuries. He has missed series after series and stayed away for months from cricket, trying to find a permanent fix for calf and hamstring injuries. All does not seem well with the 30-year-old former Sri Lanka skipper either. A recent hamstring affliction saw him return home early from India. He will undergo a fitness test today to determine his availability for the tri-series in India.
Mathews has also stopped bowling in Test cricket and does not bowl the full quota in ODIs to stay free from injury. He might have to give up bowling entirely.
During his first stint, Mathews has led Sri Lanka in 98 matches (winning 47 and losing 45), ending with Sri Lanka conceding an ODI series defeat to Zimbabwe in what was one of the lowest points in Sri Lankan cricketing history. Arguably the most dependable batsman among the current players, he may still be good enough to shoulder the extra responsibility. After all he was Sri Lanka’s designated skipper until the World Cup 2019 before he quit the job last year.