by Rex Clementine

It’s been a bruising fortnight for Sri Lanka’s cricket fans as the team stumbled through the bilateral series in New Zealand. While losing the T20 series would have stung, the ODI defeats laid bare the long and winding road Sri Lanka must travel to truly compete with top-tier teams on foreign soil.

For a side that once rewrote the script of white-ball cricket, watching their current struggles bring disappointment. Yet, there are glimmers of hope – pockets of improvement that, if nurtured, could eventually transform this team into a force to reckon with again in the shorter formats.

The middle order’s performance has been, to put it politely, underwhelming. The selectors must take stock of whether they’ve hit the right combination or if it’s time to reshuffle the deck. At the moment, Sri Lanka is fielding two seam-bowling all-rounders in Janith Liyanage and Chamindu Wickramasinghe. Unfortunately, the captain seems to trust their bowling about as much as a cat trusts a rocking chair.

With the bat, these players can chip in with 20s and 30s, but modern cricket demands lower middle-order batters capable of smashing run-a-ball half-centuries or better. Instead, in both ODIs, Sri Lanka suffered batting collapses that begged for someone to dig in, weather the storm, and bat out the full 50 overs. Alas, no such hero emerged.

It must be maddening for the selectors. They’ve plucked players who’ve shone in domestic cricket, only to see them fumble on the international stage. It’s a tale as old as time – Sri Lanka’s domestic system is about as good at preparing players for international cricket as a tricycle is for the Tour de France.

This is where ‘A’ team cricket and the Provincial Tournament come in. These formats offer a more competitive environment than the cozy confines of club cricket.

The real question for the selectors is whether to persist with Liyanage and Wickramasinghe or try someone like Milan Ratnayake. Primarily groomed as a Test cricketer, Ratnayake seems to have the tools to succeed in 50-over cricket.

Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Last year was an excellent one for Sri Lanka in ODIs, highlighted by a stunning series win against India. A setback in New Zealand doesn’t make this team a bad one overnight.

For years, Sri Lanka lacked representation in the ICC’s top-ten rankings for batters or bowlers. But thanks to consistent performances by Pathum Nissanka, Maheesh Theekshana, and Wanindu Hasaranga, the team has started filling that void. The bowlers, by and large, have been doing their job, keeping opposition batters in check. It’s the batting that has turned into a house of cards.

Charith Asalanka had a series to forget, his brain fade in Hamilton – taking on a single to mid-off – being the lowlight. But let’s not forget he was Sri Lanka’s standout batter last year. Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis also had a rough series, and the critics wasted no time sinking their teeth into him. Funny how they gloss over the fact that Mendis was the world’s leading ODI run-scorer in 2024.

Had Sri Lanka won the series, they would’ve climbed to fifth place in the ICC rankings—a lofty perch for a team still finding its feet. Instead, they return home with more questions than answers.

One topic sure to spark debate is whether Kusal Janith Perera should have been retained after the T20s. Of course, hindsight is a wonderful thing—it always knows the winning lottery numbers after the draw.

The fielding, at least, has been top-notch. Two years ago, Sri Lanka’s fielding resembled a circus act without the fun, but now the energy and commitment are palpable. If only they could pair that with a reliable batting lineup, this team might finally roar like the lions on their crest.