by Rex Clementine

Our criticism of Niroshan Dickwella hasn’t gone down too well with some people.After a career with the Sri Lankan side that lasted for nearly ten years, Dickwella was finally axed last year in favour of Sadeera Samarawickrama. He is back in the reckoning now having joined the team in Bangladesh as a last minute replacement for Kusal Perera.

Dickwella and his successor Samarawickrama have contrasting lifestyles. But that’s none of our problem. As the great Richie Benaud, one of the finest journalists once said, ‘Our job starts when players go on to the field and it ends when they come out of it. What they do in between is none of our business.”

Our evaluation of Dickwella is purely based on what he has done on the field. Yes, there is a bit of anger. As we said last week, Dickwella is the most talented person to play for Sri Lanka since Angelo Mathews. Add to that his fighting spirit and a sharp cricket brain, we even predicted that if someone were to emulate Arjuna Ranatunga, it had to be Dickwella.

Any coach who has worked with him from the great Graham Ford to affable Mickey Arthur would vouch for his precious talent. But what he has done with that talent is disappointing indeed.

Early in his career when Sri Lanka toured India, during a Test match in Calcutta we saw for the first time what Dickwella is capable of. It was a Test match that Sri Lanka were going to lose. But Dickwella saved it.

His time-wasting tactics and getting under the skin of the opposition was great to watch. More than that was his game awareness when he reminded the umpire the rule of three players behind square on the leg-side had to be a no ball. You had not seen that kind of combativeness since the days of Arjuna.

Dickwella stood up to Virat Kohli, of all people. They had a go at each other. Given the helm with which Kohli is held in world cricket, most people get their tail between the legs when Kohli has a crack at them. Opponents are just happy to click selfies with the Indian captain after the game. Not Dickwella. He stood his ground and told Kohli where to get off.

The Indian captain, known for his competitiveness, didn’t have an axe to grind with Dickwella after the incident. At the post-match media briefing he appreciated the confrontational attitude and told us that we are seeing a special talent. That was like music to the ear.

“I like to see that character. I liked that competitiveness on the field. He is someone who takes a lot of pride in his cricket, impressed with what I have seen so far from him. He has got great ability to do something very special for Sri Lankan cricket,” Kohli said in response to a question posed by Sunday Island.

“In the heat of things, I will do anything for my team to win. Dickwella is like me. Afterwards we had a chat on the flight. When your opponent is competitive you’ve got to respect that. He is a very feisty character and that works for his game. Credit for him for maintaining that and I am sure he will do many good things for Sri Lankan cricket.”

Then in the final Test match in Delhi, Sri Lanka were again staring down the barrel. A partnership between Dickwella and Roshen Silva helped them save the blushes. Sri Lanka had already lost the series having been beaten in Nagpur in the second Test. To everyone’s surprise Dickwella told his partner not to settle for a draw but try and chase down the target.

“We have anyway lost the series. It doesn’t matter whether we lose 1-0 or 2-0. But if we try and win this game, it will be our first Test win in India. We will create history,” those were Dickwella’s words to his partner.

Roshen Silva wasn’t so adventurous. He wanted to play for a draw. We all came home from that tour thinking what a precious talent we have unearthed. Sky was the limit we thought for Dickwella.

Well, we all know what Dickwella has gone on to achieve and done for Sri Lankan cricket. He has been an absolute waste of talent. You can not blame the administration at all. They have realized his skills and given him ample opportunities. But he has failed to grab them.

However, having said that, there is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future. Hopefully, Dickwella’s second coming brings the best out of him. Kudos to the selectors and the management for the manner in which they have guided him along this time. They’ve given him an ultimatum wanting more accountability. That’s the way it should have been always.