Weed out the liabilities

It has been a tough tour for Marvan Atapattu. The fifth defeat has underlined how little has gone right for the beleaguered Sri Lanka captai...

It has been a tough tour for Marvan Atapattu. The fifth defeat has underlined how little has gone right for the beleaguered Sri Lanka captain.

Not only did they run out of ideas and their Rajkot gameplan went bust, the bowling became decidedly threadbare and seriously lacking in inspiration.

What also doesn8217;t help is Sanath Jayasuriya8217;s continual top-order failure. Not only has he become a liability in a crucial role to the side, his bowling has been affected by his injury and is starting to impact as well.

Sure, he wants to show that at 36 he can still cut it at this highly competitive level. But realistically, it is becoming a series where he should have reassumed the position as a middle-order batsman. In this, such words of comfort that Sri Lankans cling to, such as 8216;don8217;t forget Sanath, he is due for runs8217; have long been consigned to the wastepaper basket.

Now the selectors need to face up to the realisation that they need to make changes to the side, and not just cosmetic ones either, but a serious makeover.

Success at home is one thing, putting it together in foreign conditions is far tougher.

In this the side now faces a 1-6 series defeat and has plunged from second to fifth in the ICC limited-overs pecking order. They could slide even further unless there is a brave decision to weed out those who have become liabilities on this tour.

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No longer is there a place for the likes of Upul Chandana, and Tillekeratne Dilshan8217;s bowling is under serious threat each time he is called on to put together a couple of overs in a side that has already lost the game.

India have not only been just one step ahead of Sri Lanka, but a whole gameplan, and it shows. By continually trying out players who are going to be seriously exposed in Australia later in the season, Sri Lanka are not going to help build for a successful World Cup.

Having chewed over the results of the India Oil Cup defeat and those in Zimbabwe, India have decided on the bold gamble of putting together a side that is fit, strong, motivated and athletic. Fine catches, top-draw run-outs through nifty fielding and generally impressive bowling has left the tourists decidedly flat-footed.

Of course, the emphasis of Sri Lanka8217;s next visit to India will be on a Test squad. Here several candidates come to mind. Left-arm orthodox spinner Rangana Herath, fast bowler Lasith Malinga and aggressive opening batsman Saman Jayantha along with all-rounder Malinga Bandara, who had a season with Gloucestershire and is a more than useful leg-spinner.

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Also largely overlooked on this tour are all-rounders Thilan Samaraweera and Dilhara Lokuhettige. Being drinks waiters and specialist net bowlers has been their lot. Lokuhettige has so far failed to feature and display what talents he has.

Yet, in the opening game of the triangular series in Dambulla back in July, he bowled a fine opening spell.

Questions are being asked and the selectors need to find fresh answers and not repeat the same errors that have left Atapattu wondering from where the next victory is coming.