Bhanuka Rajapaksa is in supreme form for Asia Cup and is confident he can lead Sri Lanka to victory. While we have seen Bhanuka Rajapaksa perform brilliantly in the IPL, his injury-ravaged 2016 prevented him from having much of an impact on the ODI squad. But now that he’s been in fine fettle with the bat in T20 cricket, he looks like he might be ready to make his mark on the ODI squad too.
What does it take to be an international cricket player?
The preparation for an international cricketer does not stop at the on-field skills. The whole set of an international cricketer goes much beyond batting, bowling or fielding during the game. In the Asia Cup, Bhanuka Rajapaksa is prepared to bring IPL confidence as a player who has played all formats of cricket around the world with outstanding performance. He will be a key bowler in Sri Lanka’s bowling unit considering how important his experience will be against top class batsmen from Asian countries where he had faced last year due to his stint with Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
How does one develop as a player?
It is hard to improve as a player without playing with better players on a regular basis, which leads most national players towards the IPL. Where players are compensated well and get a chance to play against international players while feeling more pressure than they would at home on the national team. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who played his first IPL season this year feels that experience has improved him as a player already, in all aspects of the game.
The Asia Cup 2022 is going to be tough
The best of the best will be representing their country at the next edition of the competition, so Bhanuka Rajapaksa should be in superb form by then. There are some big tests coming up soon that Sri Lanka should be favourites for too such as Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Scotland but it’ll be tough to beat Bangladesh or India. The 22-year-old first led his country at just 19 and showed then that he has the potential to become a world-class leader.
When I stepped into this team I was 19, said Bhanuka Rajapaksa after being appointed captain last year it’s not about age or experience but about how you perform.
In the Asia Cup, Bhanuka Rajapaksa is prepared to bring IPL confidence.
It’s possible that Chris Silverwood has pondered the Bhanuka Rajapaksa question several times. You have arguably the best batter who isn’t the modern-day definition of fit.
Silverwood no longer has to worry about the issue since becoming Sri Lanka’s coach, and for that Rajapaksa deserves some credit. A concerted effort to improve his fitness – along with losing weight – has contributed to the revival of his career.
At 30, a time when cricketers at the crossroads start to wonder if opportunities will pass them by, Rajapaksa is enjoying a new wind in his career. It initially didn’t seem possible when he retired in a huff, citing disagreements with his then-coach Micky Arthur over fitness standards, but he decided to unretire and improve his fitness.
Rajapaksa can lift the game with his power-hitting abilities for Srilanka
Rajapaksa has a sensational hitting ability from the opening overs, which would make him an effective opener in the T20 league. He is also a useful bowler with two speeds – slow and quick – that can beat the batsman at their own game, especially if they’re not careful enough about their off-stump line. As India gears up for its cash-rich league, it remains to be seen how many players from across the world will make the trip over to take part in what is destined to be a career-defining venture for most of them. But as Bhanuka Rajapaksa gets set for the Asia Cup, he’s feeling optimistic about his chances of leading his side to victory.
This year at the IPL, Rajapaksa showed that he has power-hitting skills for Punjab Kings. He was able to play aggressively for a long period of time, but unfortunately, that did not happen all the time. He’s now also signed on to play for Dubai Capitals, who also run Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
As Rajapaksa returns to a familiar stadium, one where he had a triumphant inning for the T20 World Cup, his next outing in Sri Lanka will be on Tuesday and he looks forward to carrying his recent confidence and recent success in the IPL into this Asia Cup.
According to this player, playing for his country helped his skill and could give other Sri Lankans hope. When he spoke to one Indian player, he asked if he had driven it in the air. They talk as if they are madly in love with each other. If he wants to get it out of the ground, make sure he gets it in the trees. Although I can’t spend the time to detail all of the talks we had, there were many positive vibes. I hope we can take the same passion to the world.
The Asia Cup is going to be tough too with Sri Lanka
Whilst Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa speaks of the brand of cricket his country want to play, Gary Silverwood, his associate, sat beside him, laughing. Silverwood knows all too well the kind of adjustments England made to become the white-ball powerhouse they are today. The game is not yet perfect for Sri Lanka, but the thought of an attacking mindset is the way to go.
It won’t happen overnight, though. Silverwood barely had time to become acquainted with the head coaching job. Right after arriving in May, Sri Lanka played two Tests against Bangladesh at home, followed by a series against Australia and then one against Pakistan.
For one, the Asia Cup is going to be a challenging competition for Sri Lanka with the team grouped in the tougher half with Bangladesh and Afghanistan. As a matter of fact, Silverwood, who only took over at the beginning of the tournament, is already pleased with how the team is coming together.
My experience with Sri Lanka has been excellent, he said. The people here are open-minded and eager to learn. They want to improve and want to continue to work hard. As a coach, I couldn’t ask for anything more from this team.
“It would’ve been lovely to play the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, but unfortunately it’s not happening there.
We’ve accepted the fact that we must play the Asia Cup within the UAE. Our mindset is very much able to focus on what we have to do to compete and be successful in the UAE. A lot of the guys have experience playing here already, so we will use that. We’re to accomplish in order our best to win the tournament. “It would have been lovely to play an Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, but unfortunately it’s not happening there.
While Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup campaign gets underway on Saturday against Afghanistan, attention is already focused on Sunday’s matchup between India and Pakistan. Flying under the radar might be just what Sri Lanka needs, according to Silverwood.
It’s important to stay under the radar and focus on your game, but that’s not going to last long and you’ll have to face some teams eventually, and we’re watching every game with interest to know what we’re up against.