Follow UsOn a surface where the first innings total is going to be a deciding factor, Angelo Mathews brought all his experience into play and helped Sri Lanka post a formidable 397. He may have fallen tantalising short of a double ton but was a timely reminder that he is still one of the best Sri Lankan batters at the moment.
On a surface where many hung back against the Bangladesh spinners, eventually getting out bowled or leg-before, Mathews took his guard outside leg. He played the spinners taking a long stride forward to put the balls away and when he went back, while it looked ugly, it was effective.
Angelo Mathews - Shot Zone - 1st Test vs Bangladesh
It was not too long ago that Mathews was involved in a contract tiff with SLC, which had put his international career in jeopardy. Added to that, his injuries became a huge talking point, which also led to the head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe criticise him over his running between the wickets leading to many run-outs, leading him to be dropped from the limited-overs squad.
Any other board may have lost faith in any player, but Mathews remains an integral part as he continues to churn out the runs in any circumstances, including the most difficult of ones.
It was believed that the SLC did not dish out fair remunerations to its players, which was just one-third compared to the players’ wages of other countries. While the highest would draw USD 100,000, the lowest would receive USD 70,000-80,000.
Now you put that against someone like India, the lowest category players earn USD 137,000. Other than Mathews, senior players like Test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal refused to sign initially, but a few a months later, they did put pen to paper, with nothing changing monetarily.
While Mathews was not among the top category cricketers, the important part was Mathews put the murmurs of international retirement to bed and agreed to soldier on: for Sri Lanka.
The journey to becoming the pack's leader
A bridge between the past and the present, Mathews’ role in the team has been different in the last 6-7 years. From playing in shadows of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene to emerge as the leader of the pack, it has been quite the journey for him.
While they were in shambles for in the initial years of the transition, they have had a few individuals who have slowly risen up the ranks and made an impact, thereby easing some of the pressure on Mathews.
The likes of Karunaratne, and Dhananjaya de Silva to name a few have taken their game to a different level, but then there have been disappointments in the form of Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and even Dinesh Chandimal, who have talent in abundance, but are yet to take over the mettle and have not been someone who you could rely on, on a consistent basis.
That’s the assurance Mathews provides in the middle. Calm, composed and calculated, he goes about his business without much fuss. Mathews is clearly the glue that has held the batting together. He may be a ticking time bomb when it comes to his injuries, yet so addictive that Sri Lanka cannot think of an era without him, at least not anytime in the near future.
Incidentally, two of Sri Lanka’s best series wins in the recent past have come without Mathews in the side. The first one being against Pakistan in the UAE in 2017 and also two years later against South Africa in their own backyard. Not many teams have gone there and been able to achieve those incredible feats. While there is talent beyond Mathews, are Sri Lanka doing enough to groom them and give them a longer run?
The fact that they have always turned to Mathews indicates sort of a familiarity feeling associated with him. Having won seven of their last 23 Tests, since 2019, Sri Lanka have been as inconsistent as they have been over the years, but the series against Bangladesh gives them an opportunity to make amends.
Bangladesh at home have been a tough team to beat and it will be a challenge for Sri Lanka without a doubt. However, Mathews has stood tall once again.
Among batters who have scored at least 400 Test runs since 2020, Mathews’ average of 57.87 ranks among the highest (after Sean Williams’ 96.20). What is indeed heartening to see is the fact that Dhananjaya (47.81) is not too far behind and it is this consistency that earned him a top contract with the SLC.
Mathews not bowling has certainly been a blow in Sri Lanka’s quiver. While his short burst spells at least in ODI cricket have been handy, it could take maybe another hamstring injury to end his career. It’s certainly not the end someone of his stature deserves.