Developing unearthed talent

The recent tour of Pakistan was most revealing and it is most heartening that some players showed their untapped potential. It is also necessary to remember that once talent is identified he gets opportunities to perform. Sometimes we tend to label players as One-day players or Test players for reasons best known to the cricket hierarchy.

Identifying good players is just one aspect that must be followed to unearth potentials to represent SL

Oshada Fernando has a career best score of 234 runs in first class cricket. He blossomed in February in South Africa and scored 131 runs in two Test matches, including a match winning unbeaten 75. He also scored 49 in an ODI in South Africa. But he was overlooked when the team for the World cup was selected. He was also not selected for the Bangladesh ODI series and the NZ series. The Pakistan tour was therefore a God-send for him and he has opened our eyes once again. Avishka Fernando was a star and caught the eye of all International commentators, but on his return he was not chosen for the NZ Test series. The reason may have been that the selectors labelled him as a One-day player. The player himself must learn to adjust his play according to the format. The main identifying factor is whether he has the talent and most importantly the temperament. Some people call this mental strength but it is the ability to play your shots without fear. Danushka Gunathileke and Bhanuka Rajapakse, as the keeper have the makings of good players and the selectors must give them opportunities. Wanidu Hasaranga was discovered in 2018 when he played against Zimbabwe under Angelo Mathews.

It is therefore apparent that identifying good players is just one aspect must be followed opportunities to perform at different formats. In the past we have had instances of good players surfacing and thereafter disappearing perhaps due to lack of opportunity.