What has happened to the mental approach of our national cricketers?

Rev Bro Nimal Gurusinghe, FSC

When we play any game it is very important to have skills and talents. If not you cannot play the game properly. When we look at our national cricketers they are skillful. When we see the way they bat and bowl we do not observe anything wrong in their batting technique and in bowling action. In our country we have very good coaches in schools who train our budding cricketers very methodically.

Even in club level there are excellent coaches who train our lads. When it comes to the national level our selectors choose the cream of those players to Sri Lanka team. In the Sri Lanka side we have some world class and reputed players. No one can question their talents. Sometimes we see our players are more skillful than so-called cricket giants of other countries.

So how come a team of that nature sometimes cannot chase a target of 230 runs, when we have players of Mahela Jayawardena's, Kumara Sangakkara's and T M Dilshan's calibre. Even Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga and Dinesh Chandimal are very talented players. When our country has such a strong batting line up it is difficult to believe that we cannot chase a small total.

If the players are mentally not fit and if their mental approach is not up to the mark batsmen tend to throw their wickets at very important moments. Also they do not know how to handle the pressure. Then they will surrender to their opponents and gift the match to them. It has happened to Sri Lanka team very often.

It is the duty of our Cricket Board to see to this aspect and help our cricketers to overcome this difficulty. When you are mentally fit and tough you fight until the last ball is bowled. As we all know cricket is a mental game, players should have the guts to face any situation bravely. There are days everything goes your way. On those hay days it is easy for the players to perform well. But it is very essential to show your colours when things are tough and gloomy.

A mentally fit team will handle the situation very calmly and deliver the goods. I feel Sri Lanka Cricketers are not at all mentally fit to face difficult situations. Therefore they lose vital and important matches. Any country may have a highly talented players but if they are mentally not fit they will not deliver the goods, especially when it is really needed.

As an ardent cricket fan I could see that mental frame of our so-called world class players are very low. They cannot concern and play long innings unable to bowl their heart out to win matches and fielding is very poor. They miss vital catches and run outs. When your mind is not set to play serious cricket you cannot give hundred percent to your team. This is a very serious matter. Our Cricket Board has to see to this aspect and find a solution to this problem. If not our winning the next World Cup is only a pipe dream.