Sri Lankan cricket on a downward spiral

For Sri Lanka, the year 2011 began with fireworks. The small island nation was in the World Cup final for the third time, a feat only bettered by Australia. For several decades, cricket had put Sri Lanka on the map for all the right reasons. It was all good news, only until Nuwan Kulasekara dropped Gautam Gambhir on that special evening in Mumbai. The moment that ball hit the ground next to the diving Kulasekera, Sri Lankan cricket took a turn for the worse.

A sport that has captivated a nation has been on a downward spiral over the past few months. The decline has been so rapid that the Sri Lankan team hit a new low by losing ten wickets in less than 25 overs against England. It was gut wrenching. When Sri Lanka lost the World Cup final, the country's president remarked, "we didn't want to make a billion Indian brothers and sisters unhappy". While the president and his fellow citizens were trying to find some humour in a heart-breaking loss, Sri Lankan cricket had begun to fall apart.

One of the most illustrious captains of Sri Lanka resigned. The chairman of selectors followed, together with rest of the committee. The coach also put in his papers. Through all this, the greatest spinner of all, the wizard of the doosra, retired. The best genuine quick bowler Sri Lanka has produced said goodbye to Test cricket without giving himself a chance to prove he is the best. Sri Lankan cricket suddenly looked like a ship with a broken mast trapped in a storm, literally short-staffed on sailors and without a captain to command them. Though Tillakaratne Dilshan stepped up to the plate announcing an early exit from IPL, the storm has refused to relent.

Lasith Malinga’s retirement from Tests - whether the motivation was to secure his own financial future or physical health, or both - left the Sri Lankan attack on board to England looking paper thin. In the two warm-up games, when everyone gave Sri Lanka just an outside chance of surviving the English fast men or denting their batting line-up, the visitors pulled off two stunning victories. However, despite that, they were exposed; the weakness against the moving ball, and the difficulty finding right lengths to bowl on seaming tracks with the unfamiliar Duke ball, was apparent throughout.

The weaknesses continued to the big stage. What was supposed to be the biggest strength of the Sri Lankan team - the batting - failed them when it was most needed. Back home, on the street corners or in the parliament, questions will be raised. Fingers will be pointed. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene’s commitment to Test cricket - as they arrived late from the IPL for an important tour - will no doubt be discussed. While selecting five bowlers to address the lack of depth in the attack appeared to be the right move, the team management will have to answer for the lack of variety in a line-up that was missing Suraj Randiv and Chanaka Welegedara.

How could a team lose the plot so woefully? "If you understand what goes on in Sri Lanka cricket behind the scenes you'd be amazed how well these guys play," Stuart Law, the interim coach, recently echoed the sentiments of his predecessor Trevor Bayliss. One should also be amazed at the millions who continue to follow the game in Sri Lanka, given the whirlwind tours Sri Lanka Cricket take them through more often than not. Resignations, retirements, injuries, and the allegations of match-fixing followed by more last minute injuries, reports of failed drug tests and finally a dispiriting innings defeat will test the patience of the most ardent fan. Off-field distractions should not be an excuse for results, however. Sri Lanka will bounce back, they are capable. For a team that went through the trauma of the Lahore attacks, a rather peaceful English attack ought to be less frightening. They just have to believe.