SL thrive on smart options
Bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake has credited Sri Lanka's 2018 resurgence to new head coach Chandika Hathurusingha and the culture of freeing players to take the 'smart option' that he has brought to the team.
Sri Lanka endured torrid times for most of 2016 and 2017, when they lost 65 and won just 28 matches across formats. 2018 has been much happier, however, with the latest example being their Nidahas Trophy opening win against India, the world's top T20I side, on Tuesday. That was preceded by a triumphant tour of Bangladesh where they won the ODI tri-series before outclassing the hosts in the Tests and T20Is.
“As I always say talent was aplenty in our team; it's just that the mindset of the boys... and I think coach Hathuru has come in and played a big part in that; I would say he has changed their mindset by letting them do things on their own,” said the former Sri Lankan pacer on the eve of today's Nidahas Trophy match against Bangladesh.
“It's all about smart options, I think he lets people take smart options and even if you fail he will say 'well, that was good enough; let's try again next time'. For example, you tell a boy to go and play some shots but if he gets out you can't ask him 'why did you play that shot?' So he's a man of his word.
“It's about adapting to in-game situations quickly. What Hathuru has done since he came in is he has given the players the freedom to make those decisions.”
Although Ratnayake was happy with where the team are now, for him the real goal is one that will take time to achieve. “We have given the players that confidence and if it has shown in the boys that's good, but consistency is what we're looking for in the future,” said Ratnayake. “If there was any doubt that Sri Lanka's coaching staff are dead serious about their need to improve, Ratnayake dispelled them by finding errors even in Tuesday's dominant showing against India. “We still need to look at our bowling. I personally thought we gave 15 runs too many [against India]. We have scrutinised that a little bit... there is a lot to learn even though we won, while sometimes you have to lose to learn as well.”
Their opponents today, Bangladesh, are in a lean patch similar to what Sri Lanka endured for the last two years, and Sri Lanka and their former coach -- none other than Hathurusingha -- have had a hand in that.
“It's how you see it. You see it as them struggling, but I think we have gone and performed well there. Maybe they're going through a little bit of a rough patch,” Ratnayake said. “And I'm sure they would want to go and show us that they're something different. But we're well prepared and ready for it.”