by Rex Clementine

When the ICC announced the ODI Team of the Year for 2024 last month, there was a pleasant surprise – Charith Asalanka was chosen as captain, ahead of battle-hardened leaders like Pat Cummins, Rohit Sharma and Jos Buttler, who had all won the World Cup for their respective countries. The selection panel, a mix of former players and journalists, must have seen something extraordinary in him to hand him the reins. And on Wednesday, under the floodlights of RPS, he showed us why, leading Sri Lanka to a morale-boosting win over Australia after the bruising Test series.

A poya day, a Sri Lankan win, and the Aussies struggling against spin – what more could fans ask for? While the stands weren’t bursting at the seams, thousands were glued to their TV screens, watching Sri Lanka turn the tide and reminding the Aussies that, despite their cricketing pedigree, playing spin in our backyard is still a bridge too far for them. There’s no better feeling in sports than to beat the Aussies.

Defending 215 was always going to be a tough ask. By Asalanka’s own admission, he had hoped for at least 270, but he adapted brilliantly, handling the game like a seasoned pro. His dismissal of the ever-dangerous Alex Carey was a captain’s dream. Carey, a prolific sweeper, was lured into a false sense of security as Asalanka cleverly took the pace off the ball, making the shot riskier. The inevitable happened—Carey mistimed one and Sri Lanka were back in business.

But Asalanka’s leadership wasn’t just about his own performance; it was about reading the game and making bold calls. Wanindu Hasaranga, the team’s premier bowler, wasn’t quite landing them where the team needed. Many captains would have hesitated to pull their trump card out of the attack, but Asalanka? He didn’t blink. He quickly switched to another spin option, showing that he isn’t afraid to make the tough calls – even if it means telling his best bowler to get lost.

What truly sets Asalanka apart is his man-management. He’s tactically sharp, but more importantly, he understands his players. That’s where Dhananjaya de Silva faltered in the Test series – waiting for things to happen rather than making them happen. Cricket, much like life, favours the brave, and Asalanka seems to know that instinctively.

If Sri Lanka hands him the full-time captaincy across formats, it could be the start of something special. Just look at what he did for SSC last week. The country’s premier cricket club is staring at relegation, a fate unthinkable in years gone by. For all of MJ’s tactical brilliance during his playing days, his tenures post-retirement – whether with the national team or SSC – have been, to put it mildly, disastrous.

But Asalanka wasn’t about to let SSC go down without a fight. In their last First-Class game, he scored a century and then, with his part-time off-spin, picked up a staggering ten-wicket match haul – sending down more than 50 overs in the process! This isn’t Muralitharan we’re talking about. This is a batter who bowls a bit of off-spin, yet he put his body on the line for his club. If he brings that same passion to the national team, Sri Lanka could be in for a revival.

And let’s talk about his batting on Wednesday – it was unreal. After yet another batting collapse, Sri Lanka looked down and out, but Asalanka orchestrated a rescue act that was a joy to watch. The way he farmed the strike with Eshan Malinga at the other end, ensuring the innings went deep, was pure cricketing intelligence. Then came the calculated risks – targeting the right bowlers at the right moments. He couldn’t have executed it better.

The mood in Sri Lanka after the Test series drubbing was gloomy, but Asalanka has given fans a reason to believe again. If he leads Sri Lanka to a series win, the selectors should waste no time in handing him the captaincy across all formats heading into the next World Test Championship cycle.

Sri Lanka need a leader who can take the game by the scruff of the neck, someone who doesn’t just react to the opposition but forces them to react to him. Charith Asalanka might just be that man.