Sri Lanka's World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga has once again made headlines with his trademark bluntness, this time directing his criticism at the impact of Twenty20 cricket on the technical foundations of modern batting.
A Familiar Voice, A Strong Warning
With the India-Sri Lanka Test series in August drawing closer, Ranatunga has used the occasion to voice concerns that many cricket purists have quietly held for years. The former captain, who led Sri Lanka to their historic 1996 World Cup triumph, has never been shy about speaking his mind — and this latest intervention is no exception.
Ranatunga squarely blamed the explosion of T20 cricket for what he sees as a troubling erosion of proper batting technique among today's players. In his view, the demands of the shortest format of the game have encouraged batters to prioritise power and aggression over the disciplined, technically sound approach that Test cricket requires.
The T20 Effect on Test Cricket
The concern raised by Ranatunga reflects a broader debate within the cricketing world. As franchise-based T20 tournaments have multiplied across the globe, young cricketers increasingly find themselves rewarded for an attacking, high-risk style of play that does not always translate effectively to the longer format.
- T20 cricket encourages batters to play across the line and rely on improvised shots.
- The patience and concentration required for Test innings are rarely developed in short-format environments.
- Young players drawn to lucrative franchise cricket may spend less time honing the technical skills demanded by five-day cricket.
Stakes High Ahead of India Test Series
Ranatunga's remarks carry particular weight given the upcoming Test series against India, one of the most demanding challenges in international cricket. Sri Lanka's batting lineup will need to demonstrate the kind of resilience and technical discipline that the legend believes is increasingly rare in the modern game.
Ranatunga has never been one to soften his words, and his message ahead of this series is clear — Sri Lanka's batters must rediscover the fundamentals if they are to compete at the highest level.
Whether the current generation of Sri Lankan cricketers will heed the warnings of one of the island's greatest captains remains to be seen. But with a tough Test assignment on the horizon, the timing of Ranatunga's message could not be more pointed.
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Arjuna is 100% correct. nobody plays a proper forward defensive anymore.
but he himself was never a stylish batsman no? bit rich coming from him.