Marvan Atapattu belongs to a generation when Sri Lanka dominated international cricket. Be it the ODIs or Tests, the island nation had enough talent in its ranks to battle the odds.
But over the years, things have changed.
With some senior players retiring, Sri Lanka has been largely inconsistent. And Atapattu believes that there has to be proper planning, right from the grassroots level.
“Let’s put it very simply — the term transition doesn’t work with me. It’s lack of planning. I think there are too many things, too many cooks.
“We are not short of talent, but then, grooming and polishing the talent is something that we haven’t done properly,” Atapattu told Sportstar on Friday.
In the city for the UnAcademy Road Safety World Series, the former Sri Lanka captain was concerned about his team’s recent performances on the big stage.
Long process
“We have not been good except in the last one-day series. Of course, in Tests, we aren’t doing too badly. It’s a long process. Cricketers don't just sort of come from nowhere. They need to be groomed, given a very strong foundation in terms of technique and personality.
“You do that and the sustainability of a cricketer last longer. And that is what Sri Lanka has to sort of think and do the right things from the grassroots level,” the 49-year-old said.
Attitude is important
Asked what would be his advice to the younger lot of Sri Lankan cricketers, he said: “Attitude is very important. You have got to have that attitude where you are ready to improve yourself everyday.
“It’s a learning curve for everybody, be it batsman or bowler. You need to keep that in mind. You need learn something new every day.”
Belonging to a generation when Sri Lankan cricket was all about batting superstars, it does hurt Atapattu to see the inconsistency in the side’s batting line-up today.
“It hurts. In my opinion, it only shows your upbringing as a cricketer. Your foundation and technique, your mental ability, how much pressure you can handle. We were lucky in our generation that we had very good coaches at the start of our careers,” Atapattu said.
Seniors helped
“We had some good senior cricketers to look up to. They gave us advice on how to handle pressure on the international stage; so we were lucky. That’s the main difference that I see in batsmanship.”
With the T20 World Cup lined up this year, does he expect Lasith Malinga to lead Sri Lanka?
“I really don’t know what the plans are. I am a believer that you should not question the selectors when they are in the job. But when they are out of the job, they can be questioned and they are answerable,” he said.
