Sri Lanka's top-order gamble
The decision to promote Mahela Jayawardene as an opener has shoved Upul Tharanga, who has a decent one-day record, down the order
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
The decision to promote Mahela Jayawardene as an opener has shoved Upul Tharanga, who has a decent one-day record, down the order. Jayawardene may have good reasons for the move, but the tactic is a gamble, especially against a quality bowling attack like Pakistan's, writes Rex Clementine in the Island.
An avid cricket follower compared the mentality of the top brass of the national cricket team to that of a village tennis ball cricket team where the captain gets to bat first followed by the other big boys, who have the lion’s share of the innings while the small ones are left with the leftovers. Tactically too it sounds weird for a young side needs a calm head to steady the ship.
Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo