JOIN USIn only his second Test as captain of Sri Lanka, Dinesh Chandimal faces an uphill task against a rampaging India.
Having led Lanka to a four-wicket win after a record chase against Zimbabwe in his first match Test as captain earlier last month, the middle-order batsman had to sit out the Galle Test due to illness. And as he takes back the mantle of the team from Rangana Herath, the right-hander has the enviable job of stopping India running away from the series when the second Test kicks off here at SSC.
“We just want to forget about the mistakes we did in the first game,” he said on his method to motivate the team. “We want to take the positives out of it and go forward. That’s what I’m always talking to the boys. They are all looking forwarding to this game.
“We are always talking about unity, attitude, progress, discipline – and what Sri Lanka are used to playing with -- passion. If we get those five things right, then the result will be good,” he opined.
Declaring himself and Herath fit to play the Test, Chandimal thanked the International Cricket Council for allowing him to use an inhaler that contains banned substances to put his recovery from pneumonia on the fast track. “I am much better. Thanks to the ICC, they gave permission for me to use the inhaler, and that will help me breathe properly,” he said.
Chandimal also recalled his memories of 162 against India last time that helped Lanka not only over-turn a whopping 192-run lead but coast to victory after setting a target of 176.
“It was a really good knock,” Chandimal reminisced. “After that knock we won that game. When you are playing with a really good team like India, you have to take risks whether you are batting or bowling. If you can do that, you can perform well in this kind of situations. That’s what I did in Galle two years ago. I’m looking forward to doing well in this series.”