3 Sri Lankans who deserve an IPL contract after ODI series win vs India ft. Pathum Nissanka
It's a very common saying in the cricketing world that the best way to get an IPL contract is to perform well against India. This has worked for some players so well that IPL franchises have ignored their performances before and after an India game, their team balance and logical data metrics to get them.
It's both a psychological as well as a brand thing. If a a player has caught the eyes of the Indian audience, they become easily marketable apart from giving the owners a belief that he would be the next big thing.
There are three players who'd have done themselves a massive favor regarding this by contributing immensely to Sri Lanka's first ODI series win over India in 27 years. Check the ones we think can earn an IPL contract in the 2024-25 mega auction:
#3 Kusal Mendis
You need to follow Kusal Mendis for a while across formats to know exactly how good a player he is. An acrobatic wicketkeeper, he has all the gears to bat in the white-ball format, thanks to his range of shots and ability to execute them under pressure.
The ODI series was a display of his maturity as he scored 98 runs in three innings. But in the 2023 World Cup in India, he batted with a strike rate of 114 (which is great for ODIs) and looked among the classiest batters in the tournament.
His T20 numbers and a career strike rate of 133 speak for themselves too. But just to write home our point, he scored 72(40) in the Lanka Premier League final before the India series, following up with a breathtaking 105 (54) in the Qualifier 2 just before that.
There are a ton of teams in the IPL whose wicketkeeper batters from SENA countries found it difficult to get going in India in 2024. Mendis would be a clear upgrade on them, if he's seen that way.
Even for sides like the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) who'd need a reliable backup to Phil Salt if Rahmanullah Gurbaz is released, Mendis could be the perfect choice.
#2 Pathum Nissanka
Sri Lanka's best batter for the last few years, Pathum Nissanka, is a delight to watch. In ODIs, he's the highest run-scorer -- his exploits include a double century too -- since his debut in 2021 and he has also played a few good knocks in T20Is as well.
IPL franchises should see him like a diamond only to be polished. He has all the skills and experience to dominate T20 conditions in India and has already shown that he doesn't mind extra pace or turn in the tracks.
At the very least, Nissanka can be a squad player ready to get into the first 11 when needed. At most, he's quite limitless - just needs someone to recognize the obvious talent.
#1 Dunith Wellalage
The IPL has a special love reserved for big-hitters who can bowl a bit. Spin all-rounder Dunith Wellalage, Sri Lanka's best player in the ODI series by some margin, fits perfectly in the IPL mould.
His left-arm spin is feisty and he can bowl in all phases, plus he hits the ball long and still manages to get among the top run-scorers: 108 runs in three innings against India at a strike rate of 104.85 (the second-best in the series).
Wellalage is the only bowler to take two five-wicket hauls against India in ODIs and is a perfect crowd-puller in Sri Lanka. There's no reason why he can't make it in the IPL, especially when a team like the Chennai Super Kings might need reinforcements for that profile in Ravindra Jadeja's past-prime years.