DAMBULLA: Contrary to the barrage of criticism the current Sri Lanka cricket team is undergoing for their series of losses in recent months they have found an ally in India’s destructive opener Shikhar Dhawan who’s 11th ODI century powered his team to a thumping nine-wicket in the first one-dayer played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday.
Dhawan in his assessment of the Lankan bowling said, “See of course this is a young side and they are in transition period where all the boys will mature. In international cricket you need to have that experience. The young boys are good but with time they will get better that’s what I feel.”
Speaking further Dhawan who slammed 20 fours and three sixes in his 90-ball knock of 132 not out said, “I wouldn’t say it is the worst bowling that I’ve faced. I don’t use those harsh words. The left- arm bowler bowls decent pace and even the other fast bowler… they have a good fast bowling attack, even in Champions Trophy, they beat us. It’s just that we have got a mature and very experienced side so that plays a huge role because how you handle pressure in situations matters a lot with experience. So I feel that with time the Sri Lankan team will do good.”
However Dhawan admitted that fast bowler Lasith Malinga was on a downward curve.
“He has been legend for Sri Lanka cricket and he has done great in international cricket in all formats.
He is a bit old now and with time I feel that his pace has gone down a bit that’s why we can attack more as batsmen,” said Dhawan.
“This is natural because he has played so much cricket. It’s just a cycle, life cycle, that’s what I feel.”
Dhawan said that he was playing in the same flow as he did in the Champions Trophy in England in June where he finished as the top run-getter with 338 runs (avg. 67.60).
“I would say that the way I played in my debut match in Test cricket and the Galle match, I played quite similarly. I am trying to keep repeating the same mantra for myself,” said Dhawan.
“I really didn’t think about the pitch. I was just watching the ball and playing it. I felt that the pitch was very good, the way Sri Lanka started the innings, and I thought they will score 300 runs but they unfortunately lost a lot of wickets in the middle and we dominated the game.”
Dhawan said that maintaining the same levels of fitness was important for fielding because it plays a major part in all three formats.
“Fitness was always there it’s just that it is now more in front. It is very important that everyone should be at the same level of fitness. One loose fielding can change the momentum and in today’s cricket you have to be fit, it’s not like 10 years back,” said Dhawan.
“Then things were different, now it is very high paced cricket and you have to be fit. It’s a very fair thing. If you are not fit then the team has to take that load and it’s not fair on the team. It’s not just in Indian cricket, its every cricket team like Australia, England, etc. they all have fitness parameters so it’s good that we are doing it and becoming more professional.”
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