Some media outlets have reported that Jayawardene wanted Promodaya Wickramasinghe, Chairman of Selectors, to include left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya (pictured above), a member of Jayawardene’s former club SSC as replacement for injured Lasith Embuldeniya for the upcoming home tour by Bangladesh[/caption]
An alleged incident involving former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene has been in the headlines recently. Some media outlets have reported that Jayawardene wanted Promodaya Wickramasinghe, Chairman of Selectors, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to include left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, a member of Jayawardene’s former club SSC as replacement for injured Lasith Embuldeniya for the upcoming home tour by Bangladesh.
Did the events actually take place as reported? We are not privy to that confirmation, yet. Is it likely that the described events took place as reported? Maybe. Have similar incidents occurred in the past? Most likely. Have other former national Captains influenced the selection process in the past? Almost certainly. Is there a player/s who owes their longevity in the national team to the cheerleading done on their behalf by prominent former players? Most likely.
Have there been instances when selectors were influenced/pressured by SLC personnel and or personnel associated with member clubs? Almost certainly. Have there been instances where politicians have interfered in selections on behalf of players? Almost certainly. Have players curried favour with selectors through third parties? Almost certainly.
Both Mahela and Pramodya have denied
Have senior players pressure selectors to include, exclude and/or retain certain players in the side? Almost certainly. Have senior players refused to be rested against weaker opposition in order to blood new players? Ashantha de Mel, former multiple-time Chairman of selectors has confirmed in an interview that senior players pressured him to play them against certain opposition so they could pad their numbers. The answer to the above question is, yes.
Have there been occasions where national selectors were picked by the Minister of Sports with the objective of balancing the interests of individuals and factions interested in running the affairs of SLC? Most likely.
Let’s also take into consideration other salient facts surrounding the said incident. First, Jayasuriya was not included in the final squad. It has been reported that Jayasuriya failed his fitness test. If he did and was kept out on that ground, then the selection process is working as intended. According to The Pakistan Observer, both Jayawardene and Wickramasinghe have denied the allegation of influence peddling.
Two newcomers are from Colts CC
Interestingly, the newly announced squad includes two players who were not members of the recently returned squad from the Caribbean, Praveen Jayawickrama and Dilshan Madushanka. Angelo Mathews who had returned from the Caribbean due to personal reasons also returned to the squad. These three players all represent Colts CC.
Interestingly, two of the candidates contesting the upcoming SLC elections against incumbents for the posts of President and Secretary are the President of and Past President of Colts CC. These two candidates have also filed a number of objections in courts against incumbents seeking their disqualification from contesting the election.
Does above indicate that the two opposing candidates from Colts CC influenced selectors to include three players from their club in the squad? No, it does not. Has the local media felt the need to mention the above facts in their reporting? No, they have not. Some of the local media has said that a person associated with SSC, a controlling member of SLC, was trying to strong-arm the selectors to include Jayasuriya. Coincidentally, Colts CC also happens to be a controlling member of SLC.
Apologists in journalism
The outrage directed at Mahela Jayawardene is misplaced, hypocritical and selective. This misplaced righteous indignation also bypasses the fault lines in the selection process that allows and encourages outside interference. Media’s failure and/or refusal to dig into the rotting carcass of a selection process has allowed vultures unimpeded access to the carcass.
It should be mentioned that a few journalists of integrity are keeping their eyes on the price but unfortunately, they are outnumbered by the apologists who also survive and prosper on the left-overs of this rotten process.
We are where we are today not because Mahela Jayawardene and others tried to influence selections but because SLC does not subscribe to a selection ideology. An ideology is a body of principles that guides individuals and groups in their approach to a subject. Does SLC’s selection process subscribe to an ideology that would guide the selectors? No, it does not.
An efficient selection ideology should, at a minimum, cover following ground.
1. The ideology should have an immediate objective – To select the best XI based on current form and balance the two main areas of expertise as per playing conditions; batting, and bowling.
2. It should intimate a short-term objective – To select a core group of players who will form the nucleus of the team for the next five years.
3. It should also intimate a long-term objective – To manage inter-generational transitions that take place when core players transit from the system due to age.
4. The ideology must also include a design for the management of health and fitness of the core group of players through training, maintenance of fitness (physical and mental) and through a policy of player rest and rotation. It is incomprehensible that a team that is chronically beset with injury problems still does not have a policy of rest and rotation. Actually, this failure is irresponsible, negligent, ignorant, and plain dumb.
5. Other key objective-I – To have in place a team of competent team personnel (coaches, technical staff, and medical staff) to manage the needs of players 24/7, year around.
6. Other key objective-II – A holistic selection ideology must ensure the welfare of the players in their care during and in the aftermath of their playing days. Players are not disposable objects.
No amount of constitutional and tournament tinkering will make SLC a better managed, more efficient or responsible organisation without revamping the shambolic selection mechanism.
If we are serious about improving the standard of cricket and building a system that would provide confidence and stability to future generations, let us start by formulating an ideology for selection.