The choice of Chief Cricket Selector

The former Sri Lankan fast bowler Pramodya Wickramesinghe, who had a disastrous tenure as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee during his previous stint, has been reappointed to the influential post by the Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage in an alarming move. Strangely, his appointment has been ratified by Sri Lanka Cricket - the governing body of the island’s most popular sport – led by Shammi Silva whose administration President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described as corrupt to the core when he was an Opposition MP.

Pramodya, for most part of his career, played for the Sri Lankan team under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga. He was boarded at Ranatunga’s mother’s home in Maradana when he came to Colombo from Matara and also played for SSC together with the former Sri Lankan skipper. Pramodya was a firm favourite of Ranatunga and despite his poor performance as a player was chosen for the team continuously as he was in the good books of the latter. He was preferred by the then captain and the selectors and as a result many deserving and talented fast bowlers like Eric Upasantha, Mario Villavarayan, and Wendell Labrooy missed out the opportunity to play international cricket in that era.

Pramodya played 40 test matches and 36 of them were from 1991 to 1999, which coincided with the captaincy of Ranatunga. After the former MP lost his captaincy in 1999, his close associate was featured in only 4 test matches. Even in ODI cricket, his selection to the team was primarily due to the influence of Ranatunga. Though the below-par former fast bowler played 134 ODI encounters, after Ranatunga had been stripped from captaincy in 1999, the non-deserving player only took part in 11 fifty-over international encounters. The former SSC cum Sri Lankan fast bowler captured only 109 ODI wickets though he played 134 ODI encounters.

His performance in test cricket was equally dreadful if not more. Having played 40 games in the longest version of the game, he could only capture 85 wickets at a very poor and appalling strike rate of 85.41 while his bowling average was an abysmal 41.87. People say he was a member of the world cup-winning side in 1996. But what was his contribution to the 1996 victory? He bowled 27 overs during that world cup and conceded 141 runs at an economy rate of 5.88 without picking up a single wicket. According to most analysts, a player with such a dismal and poor record of performance could not have represented the Sri Lankan team had he not enjoyed an unprecedented level of favouritism and benefaction. Would a person, who got the opportunity to feature in international cricket due to favouritism, pick players based on meritocracy as a selector is a common question of late.

His previous stint as Chairman of the Selection Committee from 2021 to 2023 was one of the worst periods for the most popular sport in the island, especially in terms of 50-over cricket. Because of his irrational, foolhardy, and impulsive choices and decisions, for the first time after having become a full ICC member in 1982, the national side had to play in a qualifying competition to gain entry into the biggest competition of the sport 2 years ago. His tenure was marked by indecisiveness, inconsistency and chaos.

Once Pramodya’s tenure ended, he was replaced by Upul Tharanga. Last year, Pramodya joined hands with the NPP having previously supported both the UNP and SLFP. His reappointment to the coveted post defies any logic, and it can be deduced the move by the Government was motivated by Pramodya’s affiliation to the ruling political party.

Will Sri Lanka feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup with Pramodya heading the Selection Committee? Why did Shammi Silva and Co, endorse the appointment of an individual who does not come across as an intelligent thinker and clever tactician? However, will Pramodya prove his critics wrong? Only time will tell.