Through the looking glass

Sporting talent is given to many, brilliance to a few. But rarer still and extremely difficult to find is an exceptional sportsman who is at the same time modest, humble, decent and self-deprecating. Indrajith Bandaranaike, a former captain of the Sri Lanka rugby team, is all this and more.

Indrajith, a product of Dharmaraja College Kandy, played in the senior cricket team for four years, captaining the side in his final year. He played in the soccer team for two years. In this first year in the rugby team he played in a mere two matches. However, playing either as winger or centre in his second year, he really excelled and scored eight tries. He recalls a game against Trinity when he touched down to a raucous applause. But cheer turned to jeers when it was discovered that he had planted the ball down over the dead ball line.

Looking back at his fifteen year career in club rugby (1990-2004), Indrajith feels that the best Kandy SC side he played in was the 1997 side led by Lasantha Wijesuriya. The Club won the triple - the league, the Clifford Cup and the President’s Trophy. They had four foreign players in that side and Nakata and Turu were outstanding.

Two years previously, Saman Kotalawala’s team was also a good one (1995). He was entrusted with the captaincy in 1994, in which year, too, they were the league champs. The skipper scored the decisive and only try of the match to beat the Police team 7/3 in a real battle at Police Park. When faced with an emergency situation in 2005, the Kandy management reposed their faith in Bandaranaike and asked him to captain the team in the Clifford Cup engagements.

In a twelve year stint with the Sri Lankan side, (1992-2004) he led the sevens teams in 1998 and 1999. He quips that he wasn’t unhappy that he never captained a 15 a side national team as it involves a lot of responsibility.

Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Taipei, Korea, Dubai, Kazakhstan and Australia are the countries he has played in – A 1993 game against South Africa remains in his memory. The Sri Lankans lost that game 14-28 but created a minor sensation by leading at the half-way mark.

Indrajith is one of a few leading Kandy SC players who never deserted the club. The offers must have been plentiful and the pastures greener on the other side, but ‘Banda’ didn’t leave the club. He had a short break in 1996 when he went over to Australia for two years. Once there, he turned out for Boxhill RFC in four division two games.

Not many, but he’s had his share of injuries, breaking his cheek-bone in a game against Papua New Guinea in 1992. He also suffered severe concussion in 1996 in a match against now defunct (rugby-wise!) -- Old Trinitians Sports Club.

Speaking of Kandy SC players, he says they are talented, their skill levels are high and that they receive good training, They are well looked after and, except for one or two, all the others have played at national level. As to what makes Kandy SC tick, Banda puts it down to the provision of every facility that the players need. Outstanding players are found employment as soon as they join. Others within six months, Medical treatment, accommodation in Colombo, transport – everything is taken care of. In the pre-Malik Samarawickrema days, Kandy’s players whiled away their time under coconut trees before proceeding to a ground in Colombo for their match. Not any more!

‘Banda’ has been associated with, or played under coaches such as George Simpkin, Bruce Robertson, Loga and Johann Taylor, and feels that they are all good in their different ways. As for the future, he is very optimist that, given the young talent in the side, they can go on winning for another ten years.Indrajith migrates to Australia on the 3rd – this time for good – with his wife Stella and two sons aged eight and three. Kandy’s loss could well be Australia’s gain.