In a sharp rebuttal, former Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur has expressed his dismay over comments made by Chief Selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe, who last week claimed Arthur was reluctant to include a young Pathum Nissanka on the 2021 tour of the Caribbean.
Arthur flatly denied the allegation, calling it "wide of the mark."
The Right People Know
I am very disappointed with Pramodya’s comments.The right people know exactly how I felt about Pathum. There was never any doubt that he was our future.
Arthur was quick to deflect any personal credit, instead praising Nissanka's own dedication. "I don’t want any credit for Pathum’s success. That belongs entirely to his hard work. I simply gave him an opportunity because the talent was impossible to ignore.”
Scoring Runs for Fun
The former coach recalled that Nissanka’s domestic form made the selection inevitable.
Nissanka was scoring runs for fun and the sheer weight of them made it impossible not to take a look.
Once in the squad, Nissanka sealed his place with sheer professionalism. “His attitude and work ethic were truly remarkable. From that moment, there was no doubt this bloke was going places.”
A Philosophy of Backing Youth
Arthur's approach to nurturing talent is well-documented. Even before Nissanka’s elevation, he had publicly championed young prospects like Nissanka and Charith Asalanka, advocating for emerging players to be given a "long rope." His philosophy was clear: identify the right talent and attitude, and back them unconditionally.
Nissanka: The Proof is in the Performance
Since his controversial debut, Pathum Nissanka's career has been a vindication of faith. He announced himself with a Test hundred on debut in the West Indies, later scored a match-winning century at The Oval, and made history as the first Sri Lankan to hit an ODI double hundred. Recently snapped up by the Delhi Capitals in the IPL auction, he is now ranked third in the world in T20Is and is climbing the ranks in all formats.
Arthur, who left his post to coach Derbyshire in county cricket, leaves behind a legacy of instilling discipline in a transitional team. The current success of players like Nissanka, however, has now become the focal point of a surprising public disagreement with the nation's chief selector.
