COLOMBO: An impressive debut series against Australia in June last year wherein he picked nine wickets meant left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage was on the plane for a three-match ODI series against India early this year. By then he had already made his Test debut for the country featuring in his lone five-day match against Pakistan in July 2022. The 20-year-old, however, could not replicate his maiden series success against the Men in Blue failing to grab a single wicket during the forgettable tour.
The inconsistency might be a reason for him missing out on a place in Sri Lanka's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 squad initially. Injury threat, however, saw him along with two others joining the squad in Zimbabwe.
While no one was apparently doubting his talent as an all-arounder especially after he led Sri Lanka at the 2022 U-19 World Cup scoring 264 runs and claiming 17 wickets across six games to become the leading wicket-taker of the tournament. But there seems to be concerns about whether he is ready to graduate to the highest level, especially in the 50-over format.
Being a standby, he didn't get a game in the World Cup Qualifier but Wellalage found his way into the national squad for the next big assignment, the 2023 Asia Cup. Playing two Group B matches followed by a Super Four game against Bangladesh, Wellalage claimed four wickets while also contributing with the bat against Afghanistan. But his real test was against India, the opponents against whom he went wicketless a few months ago.
With the pitch being slow and aiding spinners, Wellalage, unlike India where he bowled 10 overs without success, struck off his first delivery to bring Rohit Sharma and Co on the backfoot in their second Super Four match here at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Tuesday.
The visitors were 80 for no loss before Wellalage cleaned up opener Shubman Gill. The flighted delivery saw Gill coming forward only to lose his balance. The ball turned past his outside edge to hit the off stump. The next over he claimed a massive wicket in the form of Virat Kohli, who on Monday slammed fourth consecutive ODI hundreds at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. But on Tuesday, Wellalage cut short his stay at the crease. It was a shorter delivery and Kohli attempted to whip it on the leg side only to hit it straight to the short midwicket fielder.
The biggest scalp for the tweaker came next over when he castled half-centurion Rohit. The ball turned and skidded while keeping low. The India captain went on the back foot to defend it but the ball breached his defence before he could bring his bat down.
Three wickets in the span of 13 deliveries turned the tide in the co-hosts' favour, Wellalage and offie Charith Asalanka bowled in tandem as they shared nine wickets between them to bring curtains on India's innings. KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya became his next two victims as Wellalage picked his maiden first five-for. The impressive figures of 5/40 from his 10 overs meant he has now become the youngest Sri Lankan to claim a five-for in ODIs.
India were eventually bundled out for 213 in 49.1 overs. This was the 14th straight time Sri Lanka has bowled out their opponents in the ODIs. They had won on all 13 previous occasions but that winning streak ended as India defeated them by 41 runs. Only Wellalage (42) and Dhananjaya de Silva (41) showed some resistance as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 172 in 41.3 overs. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah sent back the openers before Mohammed Siraj joined the party. Kuldeep Yadav, who claimed five wickets against Pakistan on Monday, also was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets.
Earlier, Rohit completed 10,000 ODI runs when he reached 23. He is second-fastest to the milestone behind Kohli. He needed 241 innings to reach there while Kohli took 205 innings.
Brief scores: India: 213 all out in 49.1 overs (Rohit Sharma 53; Dunith Wellalage 5/40, Charith Asalanka 4/18) bt Sri Lanka: 172 all out in 41.3 overs (Dunith Wellalage 42 not out; Kuldeep Yadav 4/43).