Aravinthan Arunthavanathan

Pathum's stint in IPL will be intriguing. For once he'll have the freedom to express himself fully with the cushion of back up gun batters in the line up. At the same time, he will know well with Duckett around he is very much dispensable. Optimal mix of freedom & accountability!

Sanath Jayasuriya. None in that era had the winning impact as a top order batter & skillset of a front line spinner with death over execution as much as Sanath. That would have set him apart from Klusener, Kallis, Razzaq, Cairns etc. Puts peak Sanath's brilliance into context

Fitness, Talent pool depth & Autonomy appear to be key pillars in Kirsten's vision for 🇱🇰. Ironically due to multitude of reasons these have been the very things alien to 🇱🇰 cricket over a decade. Kirsten's pedigree is proven. Will the system align remains to be seen!

@MuraliPod @DominicMachado1 Great discussion. To the point & insightful. Great work!!

🇱🇰🇱🇰🇱🇰🇱🇰🇱🇰🇱🇰 Gary Kirsten spoke to @DominicMachado1 for the Murali End This is what he said about the use of data Full Interview: youtu.be/NwWVUzPv_xo

IPL 2019 final for thag last delivery. From almost being the reason for losing the game to pulling off a last over heist culminating with a slow delivery. Even fingers with nerves of steel would tremble to try that in that context. Yet the GOAT pulled it off in style. Goosebumps!

@DocDevavrat Yes, that knock changed the complexion of the game within a while

@Cricket_decoded I remember in SF, after SL were 1/2, my friends and I went to play cricket outside as our routine was. When we came back in half an hour to check the score, I still rememebr that score tag, 85/3 or something in 14 overs, and De Silva was walking back, 66(47) with 14 boundaries.

On every single anniversary of the 1996 CWC win, I cannot help but get lost in awe of what Aravinda De Silva did. Every single year,yet the wow doesn't subside. 107*, three clutch wickets, all on top of what in my books is the best ever ODI knock by a 🇱🇰 in the Semis. Clutch god!

@PaddyBriggs That season & the knock in the B&H one day Cup final is spoken of highly here

@Cricket_decoded We loved him at Kent !

The day the OG arrived in a format made for him perhaps a decade late! Sanath had shown glimpses of what he could do, but against CSK in 2008 in Mumbai he left MSD looking for answers. The old man wasn't finished & gave us an idea of what he could have been in his prime in T20s

@mahenrr I haven't unfortunately seen that 😕

@Cricket_decoded Only if people witnessed his 42 at Lord’s in 1991….it was against a lesser English attack than SAF but one even Viv Richards if watched would be left in awe

Anyday, not by a country mile but continent miles. Those shots at the Centurion would live rent free in the heads of those who were lucky to witness it live...

@07sanjeewa Wow

@Cricket_decoded Remember Richie Benaud saying on Channel9 he had followed 1938 Ashes series on radio. First shot... He said this is one of the three best shots he had ever seen..Remember him describing his favourite other two shots too..On this 2003 WC commentary with Michael Holding..

Samson's run of consecutive 80+ scores was a highlight in WT20. In WT20 2010, Mahela had a similar run with 81, 100 & 98* in the first three games vs NZ, Zim & WI. This remains the only other instance in T20Is where a batter has scored three consecutive 80+ scores in an innings!

Markets don't lie. From igniting a bidding war in IPL few seasons ago, getting selected in the hundred to going unsold reflects how the stock has unfortunately nose dived. It's not about the money. If your top gun is not sought after in a major league, its a poor reflection!!

#OTD 1996 These numbers would make your eyeballs pop out even now. But this man did this three decades ago in 🇱🇰's first ever World Cup knock out chasing a par score. Sanath Jayasuriya wasn't just a player. Sanath was an emotion, addiction for those who witnessed peak 96/97!!

A Captain is only as good as his TEAM. A Coach can only be as good as the SYSTEM. Individual brilliance in these equations can make only slight positive impact. Unless the right questions are addressed & genuine changes made, this will just be another high profile patch job!

India's triumph shouldn't be confined to this tournament alone. They have reimagined risk & epitomized excellence in this cycle. They raised the bar like great teams do with conviction. Rightfully crowned champions.I dare say we have witnessed the best T20I outfit in history!!

Dushmantha Chameera's resilience & consistency over a prolonged crucial period has to be a shining light amidst 🇱🇰's T20 T20I darkness. One played who has paid back the faith & turned up against the odds as a senior player. Always an under appreciated star delivering when needed

The lack of obvious next in line, for T20 leadership is symbolic of 🇱🇰's T20I shambles, especially given the overall maturity of the side. Its an emphatic statement highlighting lack of performance, consistency & presence. All imperative to T20 success. A true rich to rags story!

The most disheartening & concerning aspect about 🇱🇰's WT20 result is that a core which has been around since 2021 hasn't evolved, adopted, stay optimally fit & managed to deliver consistently despite promise & exposure. That's a huge red flag for man management & skill building!