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KJP WANTS FEARLESS CRICKET AND WINNING MENTALITY

14 May 2021 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}      

BY AMINDHA DE ALWIS

Newly appointed Sri Lanka ODI captain Kusal Perera is hoping to create a winning mentality that encourages fearless cricket within the national side. “From my side, what I am looking to do is create a winning culture within the team. It is through fearless cricket that we can get out of the situation that we have fallen into right now. Playing with fear will just put us further into the hole we find ourselves in.

What I am trying to do is create a culture where players are able to carry the confidence and fearlessness that they show in practice sessions into matches as well,” Perera said. The wicket-keeper batsman said that the selection committee had communicated to him the reasons for the slew of changes made to the ODI squad for this month’s series against Bangladesh and revealed that expectations have been placed on him to convert his half-centuries into matchwinning scores. “The selectors spoke to me saying that they are making changes with the 2023 World Cup in mind.

They were of the view that new players need to be given opportunities. They have given me a responsibility,and they expect me to lead from the front and convert the 50s and 60s I make into big hundreds. That is something I too agree with. You do not get a start in every game, but when you do, you must be able to take that to a big score that will help us win matches,” he stated. Kusal Mendis returns to the side as vice-captain following a spell out of the team after a miserable run of form, and Perera was of the view that the time spent away from the national set-up would have been beneficial for Mendis, adding that he expects the additional responsibility to have a positive impact on the righthanded batsman’s returns. “I think it was good for Kusal Mendis that he received a break. Any player has their ups and downs and during a bad period it is good to get a bit of a break where he can refresh himself, practice, and regain his confidence.

He has been given a new responsibility on coming back into the team and I feel it would be good for him as he is someone who can play long innings and giving responsibility to a batsman like that is something I personally feel will work well for him,” Perera remarked.

The skipper further mentioned that a decision was yet to be made as to his batting position for the three-match series but that he would figure somewhere in the top three while also donning the wicketkeeping gloves. “We have a few openers in the squad including myself. Most probably I will bat somewhere in the top three. Looking at the balance of the team and the combination of bowlers and batsmen we could play, I will most likely be the wicketkeeper for this series,” he said.