Sri Lanka's next frontline spinner?

[Harishan]

Given that Murali will be retiring from international cricket within the next few years who do you think will become Sri Lanka's next frontline spinner?

Rangana Herath - 31 years old
Ajantha Mendis - 24 years old
Suraj Randiv - 24 years old

Ajantha Mendis would be the obvious choice at the moment but his test career seems to have gone more downhill then up in the last 12 months but he still holds a very impressive ODI record and he certainly has a lot of potential . Rangana Herath was probably Sri Lanka's best spinner in the test series against India while Mendis and Murali both struggled and was SL's leading wicket-taker in the series. Suraj Randiv also seems like another good prospect, and he is still quite young.

 

[aussie1st]

Herath would be the go, hes the best performing spinner atm and hes in the prime for a spinner so there is no reason why he can't be the number 1 spinner. Mendis seems to have been worked out, by India anyway and I'm guessing other teams bar Australia will do likewise. He will have to work on some things but hes easily the best emerging spinner.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

I'd go for Herath.

 

[BKB1991]

Herath for me too. Mendis has been well read recently

 

[drainpipe32]

Herath looks pretty good. Lefties are always harder to read, plus he's been really consistent.

Mendis has to expand his armoury now.

 

[rocky_g]

Mendis is yet to play against Australia, South Africa and England in test cricket right? Only Indian and Pakistani players have picked him recently. So wait until he play against non-asian teams in test cricket.

 

[mdoggie]

Hearath is the only one that has impressed so far. Mendis is either woefully off form or is easier to read then some thought. But Mendis and Randiv are young so they have time to mature as most spinner do. Spinners take longer to mature then other bowlers so in a few years, I wouldn't be suprised if one of theose two dominates world cricket.

 

[TumTum]

Well nobody will be able to replicate the success Murali had with his offies.
Hearth IMO would be the front line spinner for a while.

The problem with Mendis was people concentrated on his "bowling style" rather than the actual balls he bowled. (Which might I add can be replicated in most backyard cricket games)

 

[angryangy]

Depends what you mean by "frontline". Rangana Herath took 4 five wicket hauls in 2009. Personally, I'd say he's already doing the work of a front line spinner; he is a bowler who plays in the team's best side, even with the first choice spinner available and of course, he does damage. In fact, Swann is the only slow bowler to take more Test wickets this year.

If you mean who is the next Murali, the answer is no one.

 

[pcfan123]

Sanath :laugh, in all fairness, he is a damn good spinner. Herath for sure until the WC2011

 

[drainpipe32]

^he's too young, tbh :laugh

 

[chiranjitpathak]

I think suraj randiv and ajantha mendis will be the frontline spinners for sri lanka in the comming years . i don't see herath being good as his age is on the higher side.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

herath will play tests for the most part I think. Mendis will the be the second unless Randiv starts outplaying him a lot in ODIs.

their pace bowling is a bit of a mess right now though, that's the area I find interesting. Weledegra, Kulasekara, Prasad, Thushara, Perera, Malinga, Lakmal all simmering on the scene but none really shining for any length of time (except perera and lakmal who've just started playing)

 

[Cricketman]

Randiv was good in the last game.

I still feel Mendis will dominate outside Asia and at home. You can't rate him on performances against India/Pakistan, even Warne and Murali struggled against them.

 

[shravi]

Randiv was good in the last game.

I still feel Mendis will dominate outside Asia and at home. You can't rate him on performances against India/Pakistan, even Warne and Murali struggled against them.

The thing is, Mendis has nothing to him but mystery. Warne and Murali weren't mysterious and even if they were, they were still just as good even after the mystery had been decoded. Mendis' mystery has been worked out and now he's nothing but a pretty average bowler.