Gurusinha banking on Mendis to be Sri Lanka’s Kohli
GALLE: Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup hero, Asanka Gurusinha has seen some great batting lineups in his playing career. He himself was part of one of the most dazzling batting units in history, opening in Arjuna Ranatunga’s team that included the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva.
He sure knows when he sees class. And even though he is in the opposite camp as manager of the Sri Lanka side, Gurusinha has no qualms admitting that his team’s bowlers have their tasks cut out against India.
“It (India) is a very strong and experienced batting line-up. It is not going to be easy for any side, not just Sri Lanka, so you have to come with really good plans and then execute in the middle, which is the most important thing. If you come up with plans but don’t execute it, then it is not going to help. My team (Sri Lanka) is ready,” Gurusinha told Hindustan Times on the sidelines of his team’s practice session.
“They (India) are all aggressive players and they have played enough cricket to adjust to any conditions and it is our job to outthink them and that’s what we will focus on,” said Gurusinha, the former left-handed batsman who had scored a crucial half-century in the final of the 1996 World Cup to set up Sri Lanka’s successful chase.
He is banking on Kusal Mendis to develop into Sri Lanka’s Virat Kohli. “Virat is one of the greatest players in the world and has proven it by consistently scoring.
“But my personal favourite is Kusal Mendis. He is lot like Virat, in terms of preparations and all that. I am hoping one day he will get to that level.”
The 22-year-old Mendis has emerged as the future of the Sri Lankan batting, playing some sparkling innings under pressure.