Bhanuka Rajapaksa key for Jayasuriya’s brand of cricket

Middle order batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa is set to return to Sri Lanka T20 side after 20 months which could potentially be a significant part of the brand of cricket Sri Lanka is hoping to play under new coach Sanath Jayasuriya.

Rajapaksa though had a very good start to his career struggled to maintain the consistency which saw him losing the spot in the national team, but the former Royal College left-hander kept scoring runs in franchise-based cricket all over the world which paved the way for him to return to the national side.

The Sri Lanka middle-order has not been able to deliver the performances expected of them in the shortest format with aging Angelo Mathews and out-of-form Dasun Shanaka have not been able to make big impact.

Rajapaksa could slot in at any position from number five to seven with top order expects to remain same with the likes of Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka.

One of the most standout features of Rajapaksa’s game is his ability to clear the rope with him probably being the cleanest striker of the ball since Thisara Perera.

During his time in the IPL playing for Punjab Kings, he was utilised as a top order batter to take advantage of the powerplay, but this looks unlikely within the national setup with Kusal Perera and Kamindu Mendis most likely to grab the number three spot.

However, moving forward under the new coach Jayasuriya, it’s clear that Sri Lanka are likely to play aggressive cricket and instead of having the likes of Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva at 5-7, the presence of Rajapaksa could be more beneficial especially against the likes of the West Indies in the upcoming series.

The West Indies will be without some of their top players such as Nichols Pooran, Andre Russel, Akeal Hosein and Shimron Hetmyer, but still they have announced a very strong squad led by Rovman Powell which is why this could be a great platform for Sri Lanka to start their preparation for the next World Cup.

Shamar Joseph who became an overnight sensation during the West Indies’ tour to Australia a few months ago when he bowled them to a very famous win, is set to lead the attack alongside senior campaigner Alzari Joseph.

The Sri Lanka top order will be tested with their pace especially when they face the new ball.