Spotlight on Dickwella after Galle defeat

Niroshan Dickwella has featured in 40 Tests but no hundreds yet.

Rex Clementine in Galle Fort

Sri Lanka will have a couple of days to regroup in Galle ahead of the second Test match on Friday at the same venue and the performances of certain players will come under the spotlight. The hosts lost the opening Test match by seven wickets on the final morning as England enjoy their excellent record in Sri Lanka.

England teams of good old days barely lasted three days in the scorching heat of Galle, but they have reversed the trend in recent times. In a row, England have now won five Tests in Sri Lanka. They have not lost a series here in 14 years.

Sri Lanka’s tactics during the opening game has been under spotlight including their choices of players.

Wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella is yet to post a Test match hundred despite featuring in 40 Tests. Since July 2017, Dickwella has been a permanent fixture of the Sri Lankan side and although he averages 30, the team’s decision to back him to bat at number six raised a few eyebrows.

While Dickwella –although he spilled a chance in Galle –has emerged as Sri Lanka’s number one wicketkeeper, his batting has been inconsistent. A former Head Coach of the team once said that he fears getting a heart attack when Dickwella is batting with his fair share of scoops and reverse sweeps.

Number six used to be a prime slot in the Sri Lankan team; once occupied by Hashan Tillakratne and Tilan Samaraweera, two of the nation’s finest Test cricketers. Both could be relied upon when chips were down. If there was a collapse, like it happened in Galle, number six is the man who is supposed to fix the mess grinding it out and stitching crucial partnerships with the tail.

Getting Dickwella to bat at six is like appointing Ravi Karunanayake as Finance Minister.

Dickwella hasn’t got the credentials to be your number six. He’s a batsman with an attacking mindset and that shouldn’t be your choice for a crucial slot like six. Roshen Silva maybe the answer that you are looking for. No one is going to find fault if Dickwella drops down to number seven.

Sri Lanka also should re-examine whether playing all-rounders is the right way forward. The likes of Wanindu Hasaranga and Dasun Shanka could be useful players in white ball cricket but Test match cricket is a different kettle of fish and you need specialists. Sri Lanka badly lacked a few of them in their bowling department.