Discipline: My lifelong lesson to cricketers
Looking back on my journey of more than six decades in the noble game of cricket, one principle has stood firm. Discipline is the cornerstone of unlocking success. Talent may open the first door, but it is discipline that sustains performance, builds resilience and shapes the character. Cricket, for me was never just a sport – it was school of life.
From my early days at Dharmasoka and Nalanda colleges, and later through Cadet Corps and the Army, I learnt that preparation, punctuality and respect for tradition were not restrictions but steppingstones to achievements. These lessons became the pillars of my philosophy as a coach. Every practice session, every team talk, was guided by the conviction that cricket must produce not only fine players, but also true human beings.
Discipline expressed itself in different ways. Sometimes it means arriving on time, dressed properly, and ready to give one’s best. Sometimes, it meant respecting opponents and teammates or preparing thoroughly for the challenges ahead. I wanted every player under my care to know that cricket demanded order, humility and integrity – values that would serve them equally, well beyond the boundary line.
Over the years, I saw how discipline transformed young boys into consistent players, and later respected adults. Sanath Kaluperuma, for example, once reflected on how a small reminder on punctuality became a guiding principle in his life, both on the field and in his career overseas. Gamini Wickremasinghe, who went on to serve cricket and corporate world, often recalled the importance of accountability and teamwork that we stressed at practice.
Creativity too played a vital role in teaching discipline. I remember young Kumar Dharmasena, talented but struggling with overstepping the crease, by turning his brand-new red t-shirt into a visual marker on the popping crease, we found a solution together, that simple exercise left a lasting expression. Kumar went on to become a World Cup winner and today stands tall as one of the world’s leading umpires of the ICC Elite Panel, embodying the same discipline that shaped his bowling run-up.
Asanka Gurusinghe’s story reminds me how discipline and perseverance go hand in hand. Even in the face of early challenges, he showed determination and focus, qualities that helped him rise steadily through the ranks. His discipled approach to batting at anchor position, became a defining factor in Sri Lanka’s historic World Cup victory in 1996. What gives me the greatest satisfaction is not just the cricketers these youngsters became, but the leaders they grew into. Roshan Mahanama, became a model professionalism and integrity, admired round the world. Mahela Jayawardena with his calm, cool and composed captaincy, reflected the virtues of preparation, strategy and dignity that we always spoke about. Each of these players demonstrated how discipline, instilled in their formative years, became the hallmark of their success on and off the field.
But my satisfaction does not rest only with those who reached the pinnacle of international cricket. Many of my students took the same values into banking, law, medicine, education, corporate and public service. They carried with them the lessons of punctuality, teamwork and humility, becoming leaders in their own fields.
In this way, discipline proved its worth not only on the playing field, producing champions, but also responsible citizens, respected gentlemen professionals. As I reflect now, I see my legacy not in trophies or records, but in the lives shaped through cricket. Discipline was my constant message, whether through a gentle reminder, a creative drill, or the standards I demanded from players and teams. It was always about preparing them for challenges of life on pitch, in their professions or in their society.
This is the lessons I hope today’s young cricketers will carry forward: “Embrace discipline early, live by it fully, and let it guide you towards becoming not just a successful player, but a person of integrity and leadership”.
Cricket is my vocation, but discipline is my message and that is I believe is greatest innings of my life.
(The autobiography of veteran coach Nelson Mendis, ‘Disciplining Many’ is available at the Vijitha Yapa and Sarasawi Book shops and the Colombo International Book Fair)