Not every captain is born to lead. Some inherit the role, others grow into it. Charith Asalanka belongs firmly in the latter camp – groomed from his schoolboy days, captaining the Sri Lanka Under-19 side, and earmarked early as a future leader. Now at the helm of the national ODI team, the left-hander has not just steadied the ship but steered it into calmer, more ambitious waters.

When Asalanka assumed the reins, Sri Lanka languished at No. 9 in the ICC ODI rankings. Eighteen months later, they sit proudly in fourth, having scalped giants like Australia and India along the way. But the 28-year-old southpaw isn’t one to rest on his laurels.

“Those series wins gave us belief,” Asalanka told reporters on the eve of the opening ODI against Bangladesh. “But we’re not done. The goal is to be among the top three teams in the world. We know we’ve still got plenty of work to do.”

A calm presence in the heat of battle, Asalanka has led from the front and is currently Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked batter at No. 8 in the world. More than just a captain, he’s become the heartbeat of a team on the mend after the ignominy of missing out on Champions Trophy qualification.

As the sides gear up for the series opener at R. Premadasa Stadium today, conditions are expected to favour the batters – some respite after spin-friendly surfaces in recent outings.

Sri Lanka have a few selection calls to make. All-rounder Milan Rathnayake, sidelined from the second Test with a side strain, returned to training and is in contention for his maiden ODI cap. The decision hinges on whether the hosts opt for Rathnayake’s seam-bowling versatility or stick with the left-arm spin of Dunith Wellalage.

Speedster Dushmantha Chameera has also been drafted into the squad, though team sources indicate he may not feature in the series opener as he works his way back to the side.

Meanwhile, captains and coaches across the world are still coming to grips with the latest tweaks in ODI playing conditions. One key change Sri Lanka will face for the first time is the use of a single ball from the 35th over onward – a move that will test the bowlers’ ability to reverse swing the older ball.

Bangladesh, too, begin a new chapter under full-time captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The all-rounder has stepped in before as stand-in skipper, but this marks his first series as permanent leader.

The visitors are in transition, having dropped several experienced hands including Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Soumya Sarkar and Nasum Ahmed, and thrown their lot in with a crop of promising youngsters. But results have been hard to come by – the tourists have slipped to tenth in the ODI rankings and are desperate for a course correction.

The two teams, heading in opposite directions on the rankings ladder, now square off in a three-match series that could have implications beyond just the numbers.

Squads:

Sri Lanka (from):

Charith Asalanka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milan Rathnayake, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Eshan Malinga.

Bangladesh (From):

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Captain), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Naim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud.

Umpires:

Allahuddien Paleker (RSA), Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)

Third umpire:

Asif Yaqoob (PAK)

Match referee:

Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

by Rex Clementine