Kusal Perera, the swashbuckling Sri Lankan opener, has confessed that he shifted from being a right-handed hitter to a left-handed batter to emulate his idol Sanath Jayasuriya.
Perera’s admiration for the Sri Lankan hero is well-known, and his aggressive batting approach is frequently compared to that of Jayasuriya. The 31-year-old is a member of Sri Lanka’s senior squad for the T20 World Cup in 2021.
“In my childhood, I used to play as a right-handed batsman. But, obviously, I liked Sanath Jayasuriya and his batting style. So, I switched my batting style from right-handed to left-handed to bat like Jayasuriya. It was tough (initially) but, at the moment, I am very confident.” He revealed
“At that time, (in the 90s) it was a trend – Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana opening the batting. The whole world was watching the way he (Sanath) was batting. I loved the way he played his cut short, the flick and pull. That’s all in my memory. I am not trying to copy him, but obviously, I like to play like him.” Perera elaborated
T20 World Cup 2021
Perera, who will bat at the top of the order, will be important to Sri Lanka’s chances at the T20 World Cup 2021, according to Sri Lankan icon Mahela Jayawardene. Jayawardene, who has been assisting the Sri Lankan team as a consultant.
“It is a great opportunity for him, batting at the top of the order, and being that difference in the team. A lot of the guys will react to how he goes about things. So yes, there is a little bit of added responsibility and pressure on him. But, good players always enjoy that kind of pressure.” he said
So far, Perera’s T20 World Cup 2021 campaign has been a disappointment. He has only 45 runs at a strike rate of 125 in four matches.
Before being dismissed for a duck against Ireland, the left-hander started his campaign with 11 runs against Namibia. He hit an undefeated 33 against the Netherlands before being dismissed for one against Bangladesh.