Pushpakumara to MRF
Elmo Rodrigopulle
Remember Ravindra Pushpakumara, the former fast bowling sensation.
Pushpakumara who broke into the Sri Lanka team as an excellent fast
bowler, is back in the scene again. Not as a paceman.
He will be leaving soon to MRF in India and work with former
Australian pace ace Dennis Lillee and T. Sekhar, learning how to train
young aspiring fast bowlers.
Pushpakumara fully deserves this stint.
When he was playing for Sri Lanka, along with left armer Chaminda
Vaas, they formed the combination of the local Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram
duo. Pushpakumara and Vaas looked so much like the Pakistan wonderful
duo.
But after a couple of failures, it was sad to see Pushpakumara being
dropped and consigned to the land of forgotten fast bowlers in Sri
Lanka.
Pushpakumara when he was spearheading the Lankan attack was poetry in
motion. He had a dream fast bowler's action, had tremendous pace and
bowled with great hostility.
It looked as though this combination would take Sri Lanka cricket
into the future. But sadly Pushpakumara failed to deliver in some of the
games, and he had to suffer the ignominy of being dropped and never to
be considered again.
While other players would be persisted after many failures,
Pushpakumara was bowled out by the selectors of that time, who did not
show mercy to this promising bowler and that was the end of an innings
for Pushpakumara.
Pushpakumara's stint at the MRF Fast Bowlers Academy, has been made
possible by Arjuna Ranatunga, Chairman, Sri Lanka Cricket and Aravinda
de Silva, batting coach of the under-19 team.
Ranatunga and de Silva need no introduction.
Once Pushpakumara returns, he will be in charge of the young fast
bowlers in the country. That he will do a good job with them is assured. |