Tak, Tik, Tuk – See if he is good
View(s):Once a cricket insider during a light chat told me about the impression of a captain who sat along with the current selectors for the selection of a national squad. After the meeting, the captain had said, “I don’t think they know what they are doing. Sometimes it’s maddening”.
I retorted claiming that persons in the calibre of Sanath Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillekeratne are also past national cricket captains and, besides, they along with Pramodya Wickramasinghe were members of the Lankan team that brought the highest accolade to Lankan cricket in its history – the Cricket World Cup in 1996. Only former opening batsman Chaminda Mendis was not part of that power pack. They were the incumbent national selectors and unlike most of the previous contingents, this lot had played the game in the modern era and Jayasuriya even played in the Indian cricket carnival — the IPL.
The insider who is also a person who knows what he is talking about did not buy my argument although he accepted the credentials of the people of whom I spoke about. He was of the view that sometimes they tend to play “Tak, tik, tuk” during a selection process.
Then during the last Test which the Sri Lankans lost at Christchurch, I reluctantly realised that there would have been some “Tak, Tik, Tuk” involved in the selection process.
Though most of the armchair pundits whom I associate with were critical of Angelo Mathews winning the toss and electing to field, I bought that decision wholesale. It was because at a new Test venue in seaming conditions, the Lankans with a relatively new-look side in their first Mahela-less Test match overseas should have been given the allowance of playing it safe.
Then when I went through the playing XI once again sceptic in me came to the surface. To me one name did not fit into that final playing XI. In a team that read the names of Kumar Sangakkara, Prasanna Jayawardena, Kaushal Silva and young Niroshan Dickwella — a wicketkeeper who could bat a little was preferred over Dinesh Chandimal, another batsman who could also wicketkeep as good as any other member in that playing Xl.
Then once again when I discovered that only Prasanna Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara had playing experience in these conditions I calmed down a little, but, the sceptic in me kept arguing on Dickwella. Yet, I thought – “Yet, these guys must be knowing what they are up to”. But, both innings, Dickwella failed to build a partnership with his inspirational captain Angelo Mathews. My mundane knowledge kept arguing that if Chandimal was asked to keep, he would have filled two vacancies and may be batting off-spinner Dilruwan Perera could have been useful to trundle a few overs, as they used part time bowler Lahiru Thirimanne. Mind you, Dilruwan once played for the country as an opening batsman, though some other selector was responsible for that.
Travelling back to the toss, after being asked to bat on a five-day Test match, New Zealand were 88 for 3 before lunch. The only factor that did not 
vindicate skipper Mathews’ decision to field was the inning by New Zealand captain Brendan McCullum who played explosively forgetting all niceties of cricket technicalities to score 195 in 134 balls.
On day two, New Zealand on 429 for 7 also did not last long. They lost three wickets for 12 runs in the morning session.
In the fourth ball, Dimuth Karunaratne making a comeback to the opening slot after the same selectors decided to go without him for the Pakistan tour was out in the fourth ball struck by a Boult right in front of the wickets for Zero.
Owing to the early morning slide, Lankans collapsed to 138 all out.
Following on, the Lankans would have been in deep trouble again if the easy flick off the sumps offered by Karunaratne before he even got off the mark was accepted by that unnamed substitute fielder at short square leg position. Taking the maximum use of the let off Karunaratne scored a handsome 152, which was a difficult one for a cricketer playing his first Test match in these conditions?
Yet, my argument is how Karunaratne was subsequently chosen for the one-day squad, which was announced a few hours later.
Here was a man who was dropped after scoring 28 and 45 in the last inning he played in England. The argument – “Karunaratne fails to convert his starts into big ones”. Accepted.
What is rather hilarious was that the man who replaced Karunaratne in the playing XI in the Pakistan series was Upul Tharanga who is branded more as a limited overs player. Tharanga failed to come out as expected, and now he is even out of the ODI contention.
But, this instance is different. Karunaratne was out in the fourth ball of the first over in the first innings and was dropped at naught in the second. Hypothetically what if the catch was taken?
Now I come to my argument. Karunaratne was chosen after scoring a difficult 152 under Test match circumstances. This has no bearing in the shorter version of the game. Have the Lankan selectors at any stage groomed Karunaratne to be a fall-back prospect in limited overs cricket?
The crux of the matter is this. Now by the Tak, Tik, Tuk system he was pushed into this slot. Good for him. It also should encourage him. But, once again hypothetically what if he fails in the shorter version of the game? Would he be dropped from the Test team too? Most of the time that is the Tak, Tik, Tuk system works.
Once again in the same argument – Chandimal was chosen for the Test tour, after he had two good knocks in the shorter version of the game against England. Yes, we all know he has played good Test innings overseas and he has that inherent talent, but, ironically his talent was insufficient for the selectors to choose him for the first Test and they sent another future wicket-keeping prospect to the altar of the King.
The argument on off spinner P.H.T. Kaushal is the same. Though taking only two wickets, one in each inning, he was impressive while playing in alien conditions in his maiden Test. Now that they have rushed a half-fit Rangana Herath to New Zealand, I wonder the conditions in Wellington would be conducive to play two spinners instead of three seamers plus Mathews. If not would this be the end of this young lad for no fault of his own. Tak, Tik, Tuk.
Having made these arguments, we from this side also should come out with what we think would work from our arm chair point of view. We mean our final goal – the World Cup.
Well, the batting composition in the final match against England was impressive with Mahela Jayawardena, T.M. Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal coming in as specialist batsmen while Thisara Perera made his dual purpose appearance.
However, the bowling composition changes with the inclusion of Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath and Sachithra Senanayake.The bowling composition may look like Perera (5), Mathews (5) and Dilshan (5) being responsible for 15 to 18 overs while Malinga (10), Suranga Lakmal (10), Herath (10) and Senanayake (10) completing a four seamer – two spinner attack, one that would be different from the others.
One may argue about two spinners. But, Herath always has done well in Australian conditions and Senanayake was initially drafted to the national side after he did well in the Australian Big Bash.
Last but not least, we feel that Kusal Janith Perera should have been drafted in as the third opener. He was groomed for this position for the past 365 days or more. Sure, he has some mind problems while at the crease and the support staff is there to look after that aspect. He too should understand that he is not Jayasuriya reborn and Jayasuriya also should understand that Janith is not the second Jayasuriya coming. He along with a few others is the next generation of National cricket. A world cup experience would do good to him as it did for Marvan Atapattu in 1996. He was an opener, but during the entire tournament a non-specialist opener in Romesh Kaluwitharana opened along with Sanath Jayasuriya. It worked for Sri Lanka as a team. At the same time the experience helped Atapattu to become what he is today.
If the selectors are really interested in converting Karunaratne into a limited overs opener, then draw up a plan and work on it. Yes, Dilshan and Mahela are not going to be there forever. Then when the time comes, Janith would be ready. So would be Karunaratne. Then there is no Tak, Tik, Tuk.