Is it necessary to play the winning combination always?

Bro. Nimal GURUSINGHE

There is a school of thought that we must always play the winning combination. A team plays two matches and it wins both and decide to play the same for the next match and if it wins again it continues to lay the same eleven.

Often they do not consider the performance of each and every player, but they say this is the winning team and we must not make any changes and upset the team. I feel it is a good policy if all the members are contributing to the team's victories and they deserve to be in the team. If all the players play a vital role in the winning combination it is no harm to carry on with the same eleven.

We know that all the players play in the team on merit and others in the pool have no chance unless a player is injured or sick in the winning eleven.

If every player contributes substantially for the side it is OK to play the same players for the rest of the games. From that point of view which I respect I have no objection in playing the winning combination.

But on the other hand although a team wins there are some players who neither bat well nor take any wickets but they retain their place because of others. Irrespective of their performance they remain in the side because their team wins. Is it fair by the other players in the pool?

Those players have secured a place in the pool by their hard work. But they have to be on the bench all the time while those who are not delivering the goods are playing in the team.

It is really injust to those players who are knocking at the door to obtain a place in the side.

We know what happened at the T20 World Cup tournament to the Sri Lanka team. The final match became a one sided match. Our coach and captain wanted to play the same winning eleven and lost the match very badly. Chamara Silva and Mubarak played the whole tournament. But they were like passengers in the side. Both of them did not contribute even 120 runs during the whole tournament. Indika de Saram, the Inter Provincial Tournament best player and Mahroof were not given a single match.

When it came to the Super Eight after the first match both players Chamara and Mubarak should have been dropped. Then we should have given a chance to Indika de Saram and Mahroof to show their class. Then the end result of the final match might have been different. It is a foolish idea to keep to the winning eleven all the time. All players who represent the country should play on merit.

In my opinion if any player is not delivering he should be dropped and another player should be tried out. This method will help the team and also will give a warning to all the players that if they want to remain in the team they must contribute substantially as a batsman or a bowler. If you stick on to the winning eleven, the players who fail will remain in the team all the time. Then others in the pool will not get a chance to show their colours. Naturally they will get discouraged and give up cricket. It is always good to drop a player when he is out of form. That will help him to correct his techniques and come back to his true form.

May Sri Lanka always play the best eleven not the winning combination with passengers. You may lose a match because of those passengers and that may be a great loss.