I almost moved to Australia when I was not selected – Roshen | Page 1885 | Daily News

I almost moved to Australia when I was not selected – Roshen

DELHI: Test debutant Roshen Silva spoke about the time when he almost threw in the towel and moved to Australia

when he got so frustrated at not being picked to play for Sri Lanka.

The 29-year-old right-hander from Ragama had been consistently knocking on the door for selection with his outstanding form in the domestic competition scoring over 6500 runs in 104 first-class matches with 18 centuries. He was a member of the Test squads for the recent home series against India as well as the one played in the UAE against Pakistan.

“I was so frustrated at not being selected that financially I wanted to move on and go to Australia and play some league cricket. But representing Sri Lanka was always my dream. I had few offers from clubs as well but thought that I needed to play for Sri Lanka and that kept me going,” said Silva after playing a match-saving knock of 74 not out to earn Sri Lanka an honourable draw against India in the third Test played at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium here on Wednesday.

“When I was with the ‘A’ team, Avishka Gunawardene (‘A’ team coach) gave me encouragement to go on. India is the world’s number one ranked team and I wanted to do something special. No one expects to score a duck on debut. In the first innings I had no clue to what happened as I faced only three balls. Since I had been waiting for this opportunity for years, I badly wanted to do well. We wanted to do something special. We actually wanted to win. I wanted to bat for as long as I can. All four Indian bowlers are quality bowlers. When you stay at the wicket for some time, you realize which that pitches will turn and which one will not turn. That helped me,” he said.

“It was huge pressure. I thought not to think of it as an international game but to take it like a club match. I was keen to get my first ten runs and had a few targets and that came in handy. Thilan (Samaraweera batting coach) told me it was bad luck when I got out for a duck in the first innings. He said Test cricket is like that and reminded me that I had come here through hard work. He wanted me to believe in my ability. When I came for tea, he told me if I can score about 65 or 75 and save the game, I would have secured my place. I was determined to finish it off.”

The series that turned his and Dhananjaya de Silva’s fortunes was in Sri Lanka ‘A’s tour to West Indies early this year.

“No one saw that West Indies series. But that was a massive challenge. It was as tough as India. Dhananjaya was superb in that series. First match we were beaten. There were two pacies who were bowling at 145kmph and one guy was bowling at 140kmph. There were two good spinners as well. The challenge there was huge. You can’t simply explain,” said Silva. I think the three knocks that I played in West Indies helped me to get a spot here,” said Silva. “The coaching staff I am sure would have said how well we played. Avishka and Charith (Senanayake) our manager saw our effort. I know how much Dhananjaya will be happy. I am over the moon for him.”

Silva recalled that during the drinks break with 30 minutes of play left for the day Niroshan Dickwella his partner came and asked him whether he was going for his hundred.

“I told him look here, saving the Test match is of paramount importance. You never know. Going for personal milestones, if you lose a wicket, that’s it. This is a funny game. This is a very clever Indian team. I told him to forget about the hundred, we will close shop here,” said Silva.

“Dickwella is a positive guy. His idea was that scoring a maiden hundred that too in India was a huge effort. We had to score 117 runs in 50 minutes. He was ready to go for it. But I told him that drawing a game in India is as good as winning one. Dickwella wants to change a game always. I can’t play like him. I can’t play scoops, I can’t play flicks. When he does that, the other team goes on the back foot. That is important,” he said.


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