Arjuna Ranatunga is the only individual in the history of cricket to have played his country’s first and 100th Test and he led Sri Lanka to the 1996 World Cup title.
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Recently, Arjuna Ranatunga, the former Sri Lanka skipper, had ruffled some feathers when he labelled the India team as a ‘B’ side for the series. His statement was criticised in a lot of ways. Sri Lanka lost the ODI series 1-2 but won the T20I series 2-1. But, that series win was achieved after the coronavirus wave swept through the Indian side. It was a series that confounded many people, with many wondering what were the benefits.
The statement that was made by Ranatunga was sad. But, it does not diminish the contributions that Ranatunga has made for cricket in Sri Lanka. On August 9, 2020, Ranatunga made an unbeaten 28 as Sri Lanka drew the match against South Africa. In his illustrious 18-year career, Ranatunga has made some vital contributions. He was one of the players when Sri Lanka played their first Test in 1982 against England. The left-hander was also one of the few to have played in the country’s 100th Test as well. But, it was his captaincy that had the greatest impact for Sri Lanka.
In the very first Test that Ranatunga played in, he and Ranjan Madugalle became the first players to hit a fifty on debut. In what was a low-scoring Test match, Sri Lanka lost by seven wickets. But, Ranatunga and Sri Lanka had shown the world that they could compete. Ranatunga’s Test career would span 18 years and include four centuries, with his highest score of 135 coming against Pakistan at the P Sara Stadium in 1986.
But, it was his captaincy stint that saw Sri Lanka gain rapid strides as a nation. The culmination of which started around 1996 when the team defied the odds to win the World Cup.
Perhaps, the birth of the Sri Lankan cricketing psyche took place in their torrid tour of Australia in 1995/96. During the Melbourne Boxing Day Test, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka’s ace spinner was no-balled seven times for chucking by umpire Darrell Hair. Muralitharan’s confidence took a big hit, but Arjuna Ranatunga backed him. It was pretty novel as well. A Sinhalese captain backing a Tamil player at a time when the Civil War in Sri Lanka was at a peak.
The unity shown by the Sri Lanka team meant that there was a rage that was fueling their passion. In the ODI series that followed, Ranatunga made one more decision that changed cricket forever. Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana were promoted to open the batting. The main reason was that the aggression by both these players and their ability to clear the infield in the first 15 overs.
The Jayasuriya-Kaluwitharana combination blazed a new chapter in ODI cricket and the duo laid the foundation for success. In the 1996 World Cup, before the tournament, Sri Lanka was rocked by horrendous bomb blasts in Colombo. Australia and West Indies withdrew from their games in Sri Lanka. However, India and Pakistan played a joint match against Sri Lanka to promote unity.
The 1996 World Cup was a symbol of how Ranatunga forged Sri Lanka into a big unit for a win. Some players who could not afford to stay in Colombo were offered to stay in the players’ houses. Aravinda de Silva, in particular, was very charitable. There was a sense of team unity.
Sri Lanka benefited from the withdrawals of Australia and the West Indies. They defeated Zimbabwe, Kenya but their major scalp was India. Jayasuriya’s blitz not only defeated India in a comprehensive manner in New Delhi but he would repeat it again. The left-hander hit 82 off 44 against England in Faisalabad as Sri Lanka reached the semi-final.
Sri Lanka once again put up a disciplined performance at the Eden Gardens to enter the final. In the summit clash, Sri Lanka put up a fabulous performance thanks to Aravinda de Silva’s century. The title was fittingly sealed by Ranatunga who guided Glenn McGrath to the third man fence. The celebrations were typical Ranatunga, quiet and determined.
In 1999, Australia would once again prove to be a flashpoint in the career of Ranatunga. In the match between England and Sri Lanka in Adelaide, Muralitharan was once again no-balled by umpire Ross Emerson. The ‘chucking’ episode would once again dominate the discourse.
Ranatunga decided that he would not stand up for it anymore. He had a discussion with Emerson and he decided to take the team off. The team decided to stay on the boundary and halt play. After tense discussions, play could resume. When Ranatunga was batting, England wicketkeeper Alec Stewart labeled his behavior as ‘disgusting’. In a high-voltage environment, Sri Lanka chased down a total in excess of 300 thanks to Mahela Jayawardene’s century.
Once again, Ranatunga had shown his leadership skills. In his tenure, Sri Lanka had emerged as one of the most aggressive nations not showing any kind of fear. In his captaincy, Sri Lanka had secured victories in England and had achieved success in the sub-continent. New talent and core had been built by the Sri Lanka team all thanks to Ranatunga.
After his retirement, Ranatunga tried his hand at the poisoned chalice of the Sri Lankan cricket administration. That move yielded mixed results. Ranatunga then entered the world of politics and his recent statement tarnished his image slightly. But, Ranatunga’s impact cannot be argued. Sri Lanka is a competitive team in cricket only due to the brilliance of Ranatunga as a player and captain.
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