‘I can still bowl 24 balls but I can’t run 2km’: Malinga

Lasith Malinga contemplating his future as an international cricketer

• Veteran fast bowler says he is not going to retire

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka’s most celebrated white ball fast bowler Lasith Malinga has said that he is staying at home because he cannot complete the 2 km run fitness test which has become mandatory to be eligible for national cricket selection, but he can still bowl 24 balls and bowl for two hours without an issue.

“It’s not about the T20 World Cup, I’m not going to retire. I can still bowl 24 balls,” Malinga said while participating as a guest in internationally renowned cricket commentator Russel Arnold’s ‘Chilling with Russel’ YouTube Talk Show on Saturday and, at the same time hinting about his cricket future.

“I am not able to complete the 2 km and run that’s why I’m staying at home. I can however bowl for about 2 hours without any issue. I can bowl 24 straight balls, I can even bowl 200 balls, but because of the 2 km fitness test, I’m staying at home because I know I can’t complete it,” Malinga said, commenting on the new fitness standards set by Sri Lanka Cricket and implying that he is still capable of performing at T20 level for his country.

The 37-year-old fast bowler has not played for his country since 6 March 2020 other than making one appearance for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings in the RetroLive final in Mumbai in May this year.

Recently Malinga was spoken to by chief selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe and told what was required of him if he is to be considered for selection for the Sri Lanka team.    

Malinga has been quite vocal about SLC’s new fitness policies which he has termed as “ill-timed” in his own YouTube channel.

The new regulation was introduced by SLC prior to the Sri Lanka tour of West Indies series in February and requires players to complete a 2 km run in 8 minutes and 35 seconds, which several key players have been unable to meet prior to recent matches. 

Malinga, a former T20I captain believes that the physical fitness regulation allowed players no time to prepare, especially as it was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and stated that the players should be allowed time for preparation and also be informed in due time.  

“All physical training activities were stopped with the COVID-19 pandemic. Players did have an opportunity to train at their homes at least to a certain extent. At a certain point, without any warning, players were asked to take this fitness test of a 2 km run. It was also used as a benchmark for selection,” Malinga said.

“There is nothing wrong with it. But, I feel the players and coaches should be informed before they are required to take a test like this. It is more appropriate if they were educated on it before the rule was introduced,” he said.

“In 2004 when I first came into the Sri Lanka team there was a fitness test called Beep. Over a period of time we got used to it and we underwent the tests. After that they brought in another one called Yo-Yo that test also we got familiar with. Now they have bought in this 2 km run. When it was introduced one of the shortcomings that I noticed is due to the outbreak of the coronavirus all activities had come to a standstill, no matches as well as no practices. 

“The players had the opportunity to train on their own. Now suddenly without any pre-announcement they have introduced this 2 km run. The players have been in quarantine and staying at home most of the time and suddenly for them to undertake this run is not fair,” Malinga continued.

“Due to the two major injuries that I suffered during my career I have been advised not to waste my energy on fitness tests but to use it to bowl as much as possible and develop my fitness according to what is required for the game. This is not an excuse to avoid going through a fitness test but because of my injuries I was advised to do it. My responsibilities to play in an ODI, T20I or a Test match is how fit should I be? I must understand that especially as a fast bowler,” explained Malinga.

“What I have learnt is that to bowl consistently at one spot you need to practice at least for about 6 months. As a bowler you must learn to bowl a good length, must learn to bowl a yorker, must learn to bowl a slow ball. Bowling each of those deliveries you must learn how to change your lines, you have to get used to bowling to a right-hand batsman and a left-hand batsman. 

“To bowl to them it is important that you have bowling fitness more than the normal fitness that you undergo. The way you can strengthen your bowling muscles is by bowling. Then you get into a routine. What I believe is as a bowler I must know what skills I have to develop to finish a match. That, the coach or the trainer or anyone cannot tell how much bowling you require to perfect your deliveries,” he said.