Vaibhav Tripathi, Colombo
Just a few hundred metres from the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) stands the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC), where a group of aspiring cricketers were hard at work in the nets under the watchful eye of their coach, Sonal Dulshan Alwalage.
At SSC, meanwhile, one of his students, Sonal Dinusha, was fighting for Sri Lanka in the middle with the bat in hand against India.
Dulshan had a job to do. His eyes were on the young players in front of him, guiding them through their training and ensuring every detail of the session was right. But every few minutes, his attention would briefly drift to the scorecard. He wanted to know how his other student was progressing against India.
He would have loved to be in Galle, watching Sonal’s innings unfold ball by ball. Instead, coaching duties kept him at CCC, leaving him to follow his student’s performance from a distance.
For many, Sonal’s batting in Galle may have been an unexpected sight. It was only his fifth Test match, after all. But for Dulshan, there was little surprise.
“I have been working with him for 13 years now. Sonal is truly a humble, honest and talented player,” Dulshan said in an exclusive interview with RevSportz.
In Galle, he showed his mettle by smashing a hundred and 84 in just his fourth game. And he’s unbeaten on 85 again at the SSC. The sweep shot has been Sonal’s most productive scoring shot in this series. Since his early days, he has mastered the art of playing that shot.
“I am not really surprised by the way he has played in the series so far,” said Dulshan. “Since the surface here favours spinners, and the sweep shot — his signature stroke — is something he has practised extensively since childhood, I have long known that he scores very effectively with it. He spends two to three hours practising the sweep.”
Coming from a humble background, Sonal didn’t have the resources to pursue his dream. He might have given up on it if not for the support he received from Dulshan and other people in his inner circle. In Sonal, coach Dulshan found a young boy with a vision.
“He has been deeply passionate about cricket since childhood. From a young age, he demonstrated the drive and dedication to excel in bowling, fielding and batting. His family background did not provide the financial means to support his pursuit of the sport. However, I, along with other coaches and his friends, provided him with significant support. This was because he possessed a genuine determination to advance in the game of cricket. He had a clear vision from an early age, and he never once deviated from that vision.”
Much like some of the greats of the game, Sonal also started his career as a bowler. He’s more than a decent left-arm spinner, but his batting is his real strength.
“He initially played as a spin bowler during his childhood,” Dulshan said. “Consequently, he was engaged in bowling very effectively from a young age.”
When Sonal earned his maiden national call-up, tears rolled down Dulshan’s cheeks as his 13-year project finally came to fruition.
“Playing for the Sri Lankan team is everyone’s dream. However, he was driven by a goal to represent the team through immense, boundless dedication — working tirelessly while distancing himself from worldly distractions. It was a journey that required 13 years of patience; I view it as a project. When I heard the news that he had been selected for the Sri Lankan team, tears came to my eyes. I felt that my project had succeeded. Words cannot fully describe the sacrifices made to achieve this,” said Dulshan.
Adaptability, game awareness, sound technique and a calm head are what make Sonal the player he is, according to Dulshan.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news
“One of Sonal’s standout qualities is his ability to quickly settle into a match and adapt his batting to the specific situation,” he said. “He does not lose his temper and possesses an excellent ability to listen attentively. In his life, he prioritises the sport above worldly matters. When it comes to batting, he has the ability to adapt to the game with a deep understanding and knowledge.”
It’s premature to ask, but can Sonal be the future captain of Sri Lanka?
“He is already serving as the captain of the CCC Club,” said Dulshan. “He possesses good leadership qualities; however, I believe that, more than focusing on leadership, he needs further training to build the necessary foundation to secure his place in the Sri Lanka team.”
The post Humble Roots, 13 Years With One Coach, Endless Sweeps: The Making of Sonal Dinusha appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
