OTD| Former Sri Lankan cricketer Chamara Kapugedera was born in 1987

Former Sri Lankan middle-order batter Chamara Kapugedera is celebrating his 37th birthday today. He is a curious case of talent not translating into performances. Kapugedera represented Sri Lanka in all formats of the game, but he could not cement his place in any of them. His international career lasted for around a decade but he could not deliver performances consistently. 

2006 was a breakthrough year for Chamara Kapugedera as he made his debut in international cricket that year. The talented youngster first made his debut in ODI cricket in January 2006 against Australia at Perth. A few months later, he also broke into the Test squad and got the opportunity to play his maiden Test match against England at the iconic Lord’s in May 2006. On the same tour, he represented Sri Lanka in T20I cricket for the first time. Kapugedera found his place in all formats of the game in a space of six months which was a remarkable achievement for the youngster. 

Consistency conundrum

Kapugedera was seen as a very talented young player who could become a central figure in the Sri Lankan batting unit for a long time. His debut in all formats of the game in such a short span indicated the faith that the team management had in the youngster. But the middle-order batter could not pay back. Kapugedera was given a lot of opportunities in the middle order but at no point in his career he could claim a spot in the batting order with authority.  

The 37-year-old played 8 Test matches, 102 ODIs, and 43 T20Is for Sri Lanka. In Test cricket, he scored 418 runs with an average of 34.83. Whereas, in the 50-over format he amassed 1624 runs at a poor average of 21.09. Chamara Kapugedera would look back at his career with a sense of regret that he could not convert his chances even after having a plethora of talent.