SRI LANKAN CRICKET TEAM: 'THE GENTLEMEN IN A GENTLEMAN'S GAME'

We always tend to refer cricket as a gentleman's game. It is rightly so. But, it is also true that international cricket is not the same as it used to be at a time. Everything has changed:its momentum, style, fashion, custom, quality, variation, body-language.  In the ocean of change, what has not changed is a cricket playing team from an island nation from South Asia: Sri Lanka. 

It is fascinating to see that how a small island nation tends to produce so much of talented cricketers. There are many reasons; the major being their passion for this sport and structural development of cricket in the nation. The likes of Jayasuriya, Attapattu, Kaluwitharana, Roshan Mahanama, Mahela, Sanga, De Silva, Ranatunga, Samaraweera, Gunarathne,Russell Arnold,Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Dilshan, Herath, Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Malinga,Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Chandimal have entertained us and are entertaining us to the fullest, but we shy away from idolising them. It is like enjoying the movies of Abhay Deol, Jimmy Shergill, Akshaye Khanna and still calling The Khan's as favourites(Hindi Cinema), because all favour them. If we give a glance to international records, especially, one day international, cricket, we will find that most of the records are captured by this island-playing nation. The leading wicket-taker in the history of test cricket(Muttaiah Murlitharan) belongs to this nation. Rangana Herath continues to sway away in Test cricket, but there is no noise/ecstasy about him. In the batting line-up, they have fiery Kaushal Silva, attacking Kushal Mendis, promising Karunaratne, then, dependable- Lahiru Thirimanne, upcoming star-batsman and  fine wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal, fine-Kapugedera, talented Gunathilaka, busy-operator, fine all-rounder, hard-working skipper Angelo Mathews, useful Senanayake, clicking Seekuge Prasanna, aggressive and entertaining Thisara Perera, in the bowling, talented Dushmantha Chameera, capable Dhammika Prasad, experienced star-bowler Lasith Malinga,  tempting Suranga Lakmal, chief spinner and a huge- identity Rangana Herath, new Tharindu Kaushal, experienced Nuwan Kulasekara and others. 

The Sri-Lankan lineup was more fiery, promising, glittering, star-studded, strong earlier. However, they have always banked and operated strongly by relying on some of their players. In 90's and early 2000's, in the batting it were Arvinda Desilva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Attapattu, in the bowling it were Chaminda Vaas and Muttaiah Muralitharan. Similarly, from early 2000's till now, in the batting, it has been Mahela-Sanga era, while in the bowling, it has been somewhat Malinga-Herath show. The international cricket team of Sri Lanka is undergoing a very sensitive and crucial phase now. They have suffered and are suffering hiccups and nightmares to some extent. They need some heroics out of their line-up, Chandimal and Thirimanne will have to saviour the team as Mahela-Sanga, and in the bowling, Lakmal/Prasad alongside Malinga and Kaushal/Prasanna alongside Herath will have to perform exceptional. 

The team is truely gentle. Their behaviour, discipline, commitment for the team, professionalism, mannerism, craft for the game is exceptional. Watching cricket being played in this nation is a treat, their noisy-trumpets being blown, crazy and passionate audiences/crowd, over the top atmosphere, colourful jersey of the team, disciplined and at times sensational commentary, everything.Still, as to why they are not so popular in the arena of cricket is a mystery. The major-reasons being: they do not have the lethal style, aggression, glitz as that of Australia, do not possess the star-value/celebrity status, marketing, supplement and coverage  as India receives from the media, board and nation as a whole, do not have the street-smart attitude and rowdiness/roughness as that of Pakistan, lack the quality and standard as that of South Africa, do not have an elite and modern cricket board and cricket structure as that of England, lack the entertainment quotient as that of West Indies. The team has a whole is very simple, a bit shy, does not engage itself much in marketing, promotions, conferences, parties, etc. It may accustom and adapt itself with that with the changing times. But, one thing is for sure that it is the most gentle cricket team, and the messengers and pioneers of playing the sport with peace, commitment and passion and keeping and coping up with the spirit of the sport in a true way. The Lankan Tigers!!!!