Kumar Sangakkara explains the reason behind Sri Lanka’s decline

Former skipper Kumar Sangakkara blamed a weakened first-class system for the current struggles of the national side. Sri Lanka looks a pale shadow of its former self these days, struggling to win games in international cricket. They enjoy a winning ratio of 64.32 in ODIs played at home but have now lost 10 out of the last 13 completed ODIs played at home since August 2016.

Sri Lanka have no answer to recent defeats

Sri Lanka played in five World Cup finals between 2007 and 2014, the highest by any team in that period. Irrespective of their form, they always used to punch above their weight in major ICC events. That they were knocked out in the first round of the ICC Champions Trophy underlines their state of cricket at the moment.

The malaise doesn’t apply to just ODIs; they have been equally bad in Test cricket. Playing a 3-Test series at home, the visiting Indian team batted just four times during the course of the series. The fact that the hosts could pick just 32 wickets in the series tells you a story. Kohli’s men won the Test series by beating the home side by 3-0.

Sangakkara, currently playing in the CPL in the West Indies, spoke to The Sunday Times from Jamaica. “Many people think that our success has been due to the prevailing method of doing so. I think our success was due to the weakness of the method,” he said.

“From time to time, Lasith Malinga is discarded. We throw away Aravinda de Silva. We will dismiss Sanath Jayasuriya. We throw out Muttiah Muralitharan. We throw Ajantha Mendis out. Despite shortcomings in the first game, we were given a lot of good bouts from such players. Although the support schemes were confusing, they managed to manage themselves individually, “he said.

Sangakkara confessed that during his playing days Sri Lanka had a strong team and was not confused as they worked individually. He further explained the lack of quality in the first-class system.

“We had a very good training team,” Sangakkara explained. “They worked independently with a good support plan by avoiding the confusion in the surroundings. Now nobody is going through anything without a high quality first-class system … So that’s why we are now embarrassed.”

Sangakkara wants domestic structure to be strengthened

The elegant left-hander also said that too much chopping and changing leaves a negative impact on a player. He highlighted that Sri Lanka beat Australia at home 3-0 only last year hence a more patient selection committee is the need of the hour because the players don’t lack in quality, but confidence.

“The cricket administration changes the recession over the last 18 months, changing coaches, managers and leaders, and more. Just one year ago, defeating Australia by 3-0 in a Test series, there was only one ”
Sangakkara has repeatedly said that Sri Lanka has failed to change the domestic cricket tournament.“Why are not we looking at other countries that show us better than others?” He asks.

“Why are not we looking at other countries that show us better than others?” He asks. Sangakkara was not pleased with the kind of facilities that are offered to the cricketers which have prompted them to come short at the international level.

“By winning Test cricket more than we are, it is clear from winning more cups than us. Over time, we’ll have to wait ahead, change everything. It is a great injustice done to a player if we are in the same old system that we know well that we do not change it, “he emphasizes. “This plan needs to change. The players should be given proper support. Let’s focus on the competition. Proper facilities should be provided,” the legend stated.