After his counter-attack, Sri Lanka coach Samaraweera feels Thisara Perera is finally coming of age

Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera, after an age is finally showing signs of coming of age, believes the Islanders’ batting coach Thilan Samaraweera after his counter-attacking 49 off 30 balls against South Africa in the first ODI in Colombo on Sunday, July 29. Thisara made a pair with the other Perera – Kushal – to rescue the home team who were reeling at 36 for 5 through the Proteas eventually won by 5 wickets to go 1-0 up.

The tall all-rounder was always looked up with expectations of fulfilling the side’s need for a big-hitter who could take wickets but Perera, 29, has been a disappointment since 2014. This year has been a more of a turning point for the player who has regained the touch which had made him an exciting prospect in the initial years.

Perera coming of age

Having made his ODI debut in 2009, Perera averages only 18.57 in 134 ODIs and that figure in 2015-2017 has been worse (14.50). In the five innings that he has played in 2018, Perera averages above 47 with a strike rate of 156 which is 44 points higher than his career figure.

“In the last six months, he’s improved a lot as a batsman. I gave a lot of space to him, and he’s getting there. The good thing is, after his dismissal, he showed a lot of disappointment in the dressing room, because this was one of the best opportunities for him to get an ODI hundred,” Samaraweera said, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Perera’s bowling also comes handy for the Lankans. With skipper Angelo Mathews continuing to be pegged back by injuries and the ICC World Cup not even a year away, the Islanders are all the more desperate to find a seam-bowling all-rounder who can make use of the English conditions and Perera’s decent show with the ball this year (averaging 17.63 as against 48.24 in the last three years) makes him a valuable cog in the wheel.

Perera has 149 wickets in 134 ODI games with three five-wicket and four four-wicket hauls.

Samaraweera said that the team has already conveyed to Perera how important a pillar he is to the next world cup campaign and also praised bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake for making Perera a better bowler.

“He was very slow to the crease before Rumesh came, and in the last seven months, we can see how much faster he is to the stumps. We had strong discussions, and sometimes disagreements. But Thisara is heading in the right direction at the moment,” Samaraweera said.

Sri Lanka plays their second ODI against South Africa at Dambulla on Wednesday, August 1.

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