5 players who could become Sri Lanka captain

Angelo Mathews stepped down as Sri Lanka’s captain from all three formats of cricket following the shocking series defeat against Zimbabwe. Mathews himself admitted that this was the lowest point of his captaincy tenure. Many believed this was even the lowest point for Sri Lanka cricket. Sri Lanka cricket board needs to find the replacement soon as they are scheduled to host India for 3 Tests, 5 ODIs and 1 T20I in July. There are few youngsters who have been shining in recent times for the island nation. Victories for them have been very few but they have come on the back of brilliant performances from the upcoming stars. Now that Angelo Mathews has decided to step down, the time has come for the next gen to take over the baton. Also, the new captain would always be guided by Mathews who has gone through all the tough times when he was at the helm. Here we look at the potential replacement for Angelo Mathews as Sri Lanka captain #1 Dinesh Chandimal Sri Lanka cricketer Dinesh Chandimal. (Photo by ISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Dinesh Chandimal is the front runner for the coveted position. The right-handed batsman has been in the thick of things since his debut in 2010. Not so long ago, he was the vice-captain of the side only to lose his place due to a poor run of form. Chandimal has won many games for Sri Lanka, may it be in ODIs or Tests. Very few must have forgotten his match-winning knock in the second innings against India in Galle a couple of years ago. He is also experienced now after 36 Tests, 128 ODIs and 48 T20Is. He has also led Sri Lanka in few games whenever Mathews was not available. With age on his side and the experience he has gained in last 8 years, Chandimal seems to be the perfect replacement for Angelo Mathews. The extra responsibility might just bring the best out of him which has happened with the likes of Virat Kohli, Steven Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root recently. #2 Upul Tharanga Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga. (Photo credit: JON SUPER/AFP/Getty Images) Upul Tharanga is another player who seems to be the favorite for the top job. As far as leading the young Sri Lanka side till 2019 World Cup is concerned, the 32-year-old looks perfect. Tharanga has even led the same bunch of players in overseas tours this year Though the team lost many games, his captaincy was never questioned. Tharanga’s strength is that he knows the pressure of playing in the high-profile games. He was the member of the side which played the final of 2011 World Cup. His experience as captain could come in very handy as the selectors will look to build the side for 2019 World Cup. If the board decides to appoint the same captain across the formats, then Tharanga might not be the man to lead as he is not the regular member of the Test side. Though he looks the perfect replacement of the experienced Mathews in the limited overs cricket. #3 Asela Gunaratne Asela Gunaratne of Sri Lanka. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) Asela Gunaratne is one cricketer who rose to the top in the last year or so for Sri Lanka. The way he is progressing in International cricket, Gunaratne certainly has the ability to lead his country. In his short career so far, he has shown his prowess with the bat and he can also bowl economical overs if required. Gunaratne has emerged as the finisher of the side since his debut in 2016. He came into the limelight when he played the match-winning knock in a T20I against Australia down under and pulled off the stunning victory by scoring 36 runs in 2 overs. He seems to be calm and composed under demanding circumstances and this is what Sri Lankan cricket needs at this point. If the selectors are willing to look beyond Tharanga and Chandimal, Gunaratne could be the one to take up the coveted job. #4 Kusal Mendis Kusal Mendis of Sri Lanka. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) 22-year-old, Kusal Mendis, is another highly talented youngster who has taken the international cricket by storm. His shots are very fluent and many believe he is one of the legends in the making. His reading of the game has been exceptional and his recent innings of 89 against India while chasing 321 in Champions Trophy is the perfect example of that. Mendis features in all the formats for his country and now walks into the team due to his recent performances and his ability. His innings of 176 against Australia in the first Test series is one of the greatest Test knocks. Given the fact that he is only 22 years old, Mendis could be the long-term replacement for the role in all the formats. #5 Niroshan Dickwella Sri Lankan cricketer Niroshan Dickwella. (Photo credit: LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images) Niroshan Dickwella, the wicketkeeper-batsman, is one of the very few players who have performed when it mattered the most. His recent showings against Zimbabwe makes him the best batsman of the Sri Lankan team. His aggressive nature at the top of the innings might reflect in the field too if given the opportunity to lead the side. He has got the perfect view of the ground from behind the stumps to analyze the game. Considering his natural aggression and his skills, Sri Lanka selectors could be prompted to think of Dickwella as the successor of Angelo Mathews.

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