Cricket's underrated performers: Dimuth Karunaratne and his second-innings prowess

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  • Terming cricket as a team sport is almost a misnomer, for it remains individualistic at its very core. Once the game begins, it becomes a personal duel between the batsman and the bowler while the fielders act as the supporting cast.

    It is only natural then that the flashy performers with several centuries or wickets to their names are elevated to stardom by the fans. When enough time has passed, it is the Virat Kohlis and Steve Smiths whose names will be etched more deeply in the memories of cricket afficionados.

    On the other hand, there are several players who seem to fly under the radar despite playing their part for the team. They aren’t exactly the flashiest of players, though they end up chipping in with important contributions more often than not.

    In this series, we look at some of these underrated and unheralded men whose contributions deserve more recognition than they currently get. Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne is our player in focus below.

    Dimuth Karunaratne

    Age: 31

    Tests: 66

    Runs: 4524

    Average: 36.78

    Centuries: 9

    Dimuth Karunaratne

    Ever since the retirements of stalwarts such as Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka cricket has been in a constant state of free-fall. Amidst the dramatic decline for the once powerful islanders, Dimuth Karunaratne has still managed to stand tall.

    Since making his Sri Lanka debut in 2012, the left-hander has blossomed into one of the finest opening batsmen in the Test format currently. He didn’t exactly have the best of starts to his Test career, and it was only in 2014 that he finally started to become a consistent performer for Sri Lanka.

    For a while, Karunaratne was shoe-horned as a Test specialist and failed to a make a single ODI appearance between 2015 and 2019. However, his assured displays with the bat in red-ball cricket saw the southpaw recalled to the ODI outfit just ahead of the 2019 World Cup in England.

    Not only was Karunaratne recalled, he was also elevated to the captaincy ahead of the major tournament. It is a responsibility he has also been fulfilling in the Test format for Sri Lanka since February, 2019. Since being reintegrated into the ODI squad, the Colombo-born batsman has showed he has the chops for limited-overs cricket as well. With his battling 58 against New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup, Karunaratne became only the second batsman in history after Ridley Scott to carry his bat in the quadrennial ICC tournament.

    Style

    Dimuth Karunaratne

    A technically solid batsman, Karunaratne is a reliable performer for Sri Lanka at the top of the order. Opening the batting remains on the toughest jobs in cricket, especially against the red-ball in the Test format.

    Yet, Karunaratne has managed to establish a stellar reputation in an era where the batting averages for openers have fallen drastically. A classical old-school batsman, the Sri Lankan is armed with a resolute defence and a good understanding of where his off-stump is.

    Nine tons and 24 half-centuries in 128 Test innings are excellent returns for any opening batsmen in Test cricket. In a Sri Lankan squad short of experience in their ranks, Karunaratne has been one of the rare bright spots. The islanders’ alarming decline has meant that the left-hander’s performances are often ignored, even though he deserves to be counter among the better Test players in the world currently.

    What is notable about Karunaratne’s displays is the fact that five of nine tons have come in the third or fourth innings of a Test match. Given that batting conditions generally deteriorate as the game progresses, Karunaratne’s performances in the second-half of a Test is quite commendable.

    His leadership abilities are an added bonus to his batting, with the opener leading Sri Lanka to a sensational overseas series win over South Africa in his maiden Test captaincy assignment. The 2-0 series clean sweep by Karunaratne’s men saw Sri Lanka become the first Asian side in history to win a Test series on South African soil.

    Defining knocks

    158 and 60 vs South Africa, Galle (2018)

    Dimuth2

    In a match where no other player from either side was able to manage even a half-century, Karunaratne managed to stitch together 218 runs across the two innings.

    Against an impressive bowling attack containing Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada, the Sri Lankan opener was imperious in an unbeaten knock of 158 which helped the hosts post a first-innings total of 287. In the process, he became only the second Sri Lankan player in history after Russell Arnold to carry the bat in a Test innings.

    South Africa were bundled out for just 126 in response before Karunaratne returned to register a half-century in Sri Lanka’s second innings total of 190. His man-of-the-match display earned Sri Lanka a thumping 278-run win over the Proteas, while the likes of Hashim Amla struggled massively on the pitch.

    152 vs New Zealand, Christchurch (2014)

    Dimuth3

    In what ultimately turned out to be a valiant effort in a losing cause, Karunaratne showed his second-innings prowess to bring up his maiden Test ton.

    After being dismissed for a duck by Trent Boult in the first innings, the southpaw made amends spectacularly in a marathon vigil of 363 deliveries. His display gave the visitors some hope of sealing a draw, but they crumbled soon after his dismissal for a 152-run knock.

    While Sri Lanka were thumped by eight wickets in the end, Karunaratne walked away with his head held high after a battling century in testing conditions.

    196 vs Pakistan, Dubai (2017)

    Dimuth Karunaratne

    In what was Sri Lanka’s maiden tryst with day-night Tests, the opener once again showed his class in a superb first-innings effort.

    His defence was unreachable in a 405-ball stay at the crease that put Sri Lanka on the course of a series-clinching victory over Pakistan. Karunaratne was unfortunate to fall just four runs shy of a double-ton ultimately, though his knock helped the visitors post a commanding first-innings total of 482.

    The islanders ended up winning the Test by 68 runs in the end, and in the process became the first visiting team to beat Pakistan in a Test series in their adopted home in the UAE.

    122 vs New Zealand, Galle (2019)

    Dimuth1

    In a low-scoring first Test between the two sides in Galle, Karunaratne’s 122 in the fourth innings proved to be the difference as Sri Lanka notched up a six-wicket win.

    With the hosts chasing a challenging target of 268 runs to win in the final innings, the Sri Lankan skipper made it look all too easy with a match-winning display.

    He forged a 161-run stand with fellow opener Lahiru Thirimanne on his way to bringing up a ninth Test ton. By the time he was finally dismissed for 122, Sri Lanka were just 50 runs away from victory.

    The display also brought up a hat-trick of Test wins as skipper for Karunaratne since taking charge of the outfit.

    186 vs West Indies, Galle (2015)

    Dimuth4

    Sri Lanka started the series against the West Indies with a bang at Galle, with Karunaratne setting the tone for an innings victory.

    Opening the batting alongside Kaushal Silva, Karunaratne slammed an imperious 186 to help Sri Lanka post a daunting first-innings total of 484. His 238-run partnership for the third wicket with skipper Dinesh Chandimal dismantled West Indies’ resistance before spinner Rangana Herath’s heroics with the ball ensured that the hosts would not need to bat again in the Test.

    The 186 remains Karunaratne’s second highest individual Test score.

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