One skipper: two deputies
Dasun Shanaka remains Sri Lanka skipper for the white-ball series against India, which starts in January next year, but has two vice captains in Kusal Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga, as selectors look to groom leaders. While he has done a decent job, Shanaka is on the verge of being fired–at least from the T20 version–as there are questions over his presence without the performance standards to justify it.Selectors are looking for a captain who is able to carry the weight and lead the team into the next T20 World Cup in 2024. But the existing leadership vacuum has forced them to keep Shanaka in the slot while grooming his successors.
From the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga onwards, there was always an obvious successor groomed as next skipper. But with Angelo Mathews’ resignation after Sri Lanka’s first round exit from the 2018 Asia Cup, a huge gap emerged and seems to continue.
Mendis and Hasaranga are being looked at as Shanaka’s successors but none of both is a clear favourite–the reason they were made deputies. Mendis will be the vice captain of the ODI side which Shanaka is expected to guide at least till next year’s World Cup. But his T20 captaincy is under significant threat with Hasaranga coming in as vice captain.
While he didn’t get the captaincy for being best man for the job, the selectors saw in Shanaka a man who could unite a divided group of players and help Sri Lanka’s ascent in the world order. His relationship with his fellow cricketers is said to be warmer, closer and longer lasting than was the case with Lasith Malinga, who publicly clashed with players while he was captain.
After taking the leadership last year from Kusal Janith Perera, Shanaka has shepherded the team delicately. Both T20 and ODI teams showed signs of recovery, culminating in winning the Asia Cup—Sri Lanka’s first recent victory at a major tournament.
Even though his batting and bowling did not prosper as expected, his leadership then was lauded by many experts as Sri Lanka came from behind to win a title for which they had little hope at the start of the six-team tournament. However, as Sri Lanka made a first-round exit once again at a T20 World Cup this year, his captaincy began being questioned.
Regarded as an all-rounder when he first arrived in international cricket, Shanaka has played the role of a specialist batsman in recent years, but the added responsibility of captaincy has taken a huge toll on his individual performances.
Moreover, his relations with other teammates are also said to have declined and he doesn’t have the same backing he had at the start. This could well be due to “dirty politics” within the team, as some insiders suggest, adding that some players were gunning for Shanaka to get the captaincy.
Mendis, since returning from a ban after breaching the bio-secure bubble during a tour to England last year, has shown fierce commitment and has been in remarkable form with the bat. As a leader, he is proving his worth at Galle Gladiators.
Hasaranga,on the other hand, is Sri Lanka’s best player in the T20 format. While he has no previous experience as captain, he has shown great leadership skills after being elevated to lead the Kandy Falcons side during the ongoing Lanka Premier League.