Old mansion falling apart

For many reasons, Sri Lankan team looks more like an old mansion.

Yestercentury's glory and majesty still stands when seeing from the distance, but a closer look may be contrasting. The ones who built it are no longer around. Inhabitants of the mansion today are poor yet wish to support it at the maximum.

Walls crack open, pot holes decorate the once-polished smooth floor. Roof leaks into internal flooding, as wood work look like disturbed stumps. Fix one place, another is broken - inhabitants have no strength to restore its glory. They use absolutely ugly raw building material, which contrast the ancient glory of the remaining ruins. 

And despite all that effort, it is falling apart.

Yeah you can give 101 reasons. It was India. Look at Ranchi where rare patches of grass were absolutely out of place. Visakapattanam pitch would turn even Ashish Nehra's pace bowling. In India it is hard to differentiate umpires from home team, and commentators  from spectators. The reason why they don't use DRS is because it is unfair to bring 14 people against oppositions 11 - as they already have 13 playing anyway. I accept  your reasoning.

But behind the rising Ranchi sand dunes, and the mist of the dust bowls, I can still see that the mansion is falling apart.

Sri Lanka were the world no 1 T20 team after they won the first match. They are the defending champions of Asia cup and T20 World cup. But are they really? Is this Sri Lanka and that Sri Lanka the same team? Are the inhabitants of the mansion today truly the ones who built it? Do they have the skill rich and elegance of the other?

No need to answer. However tall Angelo Mathews stands, and how ever fast Dilshan can run in front, the answer is clear. And that is why the glory of the ancient mansion is nothing but a burden right now. They need to start from scratch, from the humble mud hut, from the under dog tagline.

Team lacks proper T20 batters. New openers may need some time, yet they don't show signs of learning. Niroshan Dickwella could have hit that ball while it was still leaving  Ashwin's hand. Panic? Scare? Rush? inexperience? more of an inexplicable.

Chandi is SL's gifted batter where a glimpse of elegance shines, yet he is not a T20 batter. He's slowly moving to the point that he will only be selected for being the captain. Honest kid, he resigned from it last time to avoid this happening. I think we should treasure our best test batsman of skill, and not ruin him in T20. 

What about spinners. Of all the players in SL team, they should have no reason to complain about Indian turn-top pitches. But even in such deliberately miscued bias conditions they could not do a thing. 

Take 'em all out of the squad!!! Then fill with whom? Holes holes pot holes on the floor. We just cannot find a filler.

This is a soul searching. I mean good cricket souls from domestics. Players who can stand the challenge of T20. Also in the meantime develop these folks if possible.

I'd still hope that the team will rise up, back themselves and will be hunting like a pack as they defend (pretty much inherited) Asia cup and T20 world cup. But ... the butty but remains at large.

Of the positives from India tour, Dasun Shanaka showed what he can do on a day when others would keep the other end. Pace attack, notably with Kasun Rajitha at that unusual Pune pitch showed that if T20 cricket norms change how well they can bowl. Dushmantha Chameera consolidated his claim for the next great bowler. With the recovery of Angelo, Malinga and Rangana there may be some resurgence, especially if Dilshan finds his almost eternal form. 

Chances are that we may do well. But odds are not even and a good better may skip SL at Mr Punchipala's Neptune Betting Center.