Jayasuriya: Charisma Wasted?
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14 Thursday 5th February, 2009 Jayasuriya:Jayasuriya: CharismaCharisma wasted?wasted? s the country is engaged 118 ODIs since Jan., ’98, he saw in an unprecedented war, the country winning in 66 disarray due to lack of funds, Adays before its 61st matches, losing in only 47 and the story was expected to make Independence Day celebrations, before leaving captaincy in Apr., shockwaves in these days of Sanath Teran Jayasuriya, 39, 2003, saw Sri Lanka feature in a awesome commercialism where scored his 28th One-day Int’l World Cup semi-final the same players happily appearing in ads century last Saturday (Jan. 28). year in South Africa. creating doubts over their own That was against India in Most of all, his incredible 340 credibility. Dambulla. He first played for Sri scored against India in ’97 and “When I was given the task of Lanka in 1989. Those who were his innumerable number of coaching a junior side (Under-11 born that year are probably 19+ knocks as a blistering opening and 13) by the then Principal of now. Still, when the man, named bat down the years have made my school St. Servatius,’ the late ‘Matara Mauler’ in the press, Sana the most exciting yet lov- G. A. Galappaththi, I identified whacks one over the fence, like able cricketer of a generation. this promising batsman… It was what he did that day against Beyond the play-field, his mar- my norm to be always well dis- Pragyan Ojha, crowds love to riage, his kids and even his hob- ciplined and be mentally shout ‘Come on Sana, come on!’ bies became news headlines of a tough at any situa- With his unorthodox approach celebrity. All these features have tion. That was how to batting, his phenomenal attributed to only one thing. I carried my record for the country and, most Jayasuriya is THE most charis- school to the top significantly, his great influence matic cricketer of his genera- most division at on the masses as a cricketer for tion. But still, there is a prob- junior level and two decades have made Sanath a lem. produced play- personality apart. One who ers like Sanath came from St. Servatius’ College, What is Charisma? and Ruchira Matara, almost 100 miles away Palliyaguru. Between a charisma and a school in need of funds to run its cricket team. Sanath Jayasuriya and his first cricket coach, at St. Servatius’ from Colombo, ‘Sana’ is proba- The term ‘charisma’ is often “... In fact, College’s Lionel Wagasinghe, on right. (Pic by Dimuthu Premaratne/Files) bly the most charismatic sports- considered one that cannot be we don’t have man of our times. But what real- defined easily. It has an origin not accessible to the ordinary per- catholic family at Seeduwa to end in common man’s discourse. funds now at our school to pay ly lies ahead for a cricketer with from the Greek word ‘kharisma’ son, but are regarded as divine in later become the son-in-law of One of his confidantes, for our cricket coaches. We have such captivating aura? meaning ‘gift’ or ‘divine favour,’ origin or as exemplary, and on two of Sri Lanka’s Prime Amarasiri Jayasinghe, set fire to to go after our Colombo old boys Jayasuriya is the first real referring to a rare characteris- the basis of them the individual Ministers, after reaching the his own body and committed sui- to beg for money every month,” ‘super star’ of local cricket. He tics found in certain human per- concerned is treated as a leader.” pinnacle of stardom in local cin- cide on the day Vijaya’s funeral Wagasinghe, who still helps his became a ‘star’ of a subconti- sonalities. Such traits include ema. was held in Feb., ’88. Coming out school’s cricket voluntarily, told nent, especially after his pinch- extreme charm and a certain Vijaya and Charisma A strong advocate of human- of his starry life and the aristo- The Island. hitting cameo in the victorious ‘magnetic’ quality of personality istic politics, Vijaya, months cratic family links, Vijaya mixed Matara and his alma-mater 1996 World Cup campaign. His with innate, sophisticated per- In 1888, at the height of the before his brutal assassination, with the common man. He was there may be waiting for the call well illustrated unorthodox bat- sonal persuasiveness. 2nd Janatha Vimukthi had been chosen the uncontested an outcast of the aritocratic of the charisma of Sanath. The ting virtually changed the way German sociologist Max Peramuna (JVP) insurrection, Presidential candidate from a Horagolla Walawwa. He died on alma-mater means ‘Nourishing the role of batsmanship was Weber (1864-1920) defined renowned film critic, the late strong leftist alliance which the road after being shot on his Mother’ in Latin. Mothers won’t looked at before him. ‘charismatic authority’ to be one Cyril B. Perera wrote his famous included communist stalwarts in face. He created, after his pass- ask for any help. Still they would After being named the of three forms of authority, the article on the slain film star- the caliber of Dr. Colvin R. de ing away, a gaping hole in the always wish for the best of their Wisden Cricketer of the Year in other two being traditional or cum-politician Vijaya Silva, Peter Keuneman and common man’s psyche here. Can sons and daughters. It’s usually ’97 –a rare salutation from the feudal authority and legal or Kumaratunga ‘Vijaya Bernard Soysa. Perera’s conclu- any one relate his charisma with considered that the duty of the authorities for his strange yet rational authority. According to Kumaratunga: Kerismave sion in his famous article was that of Sanath Jayasuriya? sons and daughters is to look influential batting, he captained Weber, charisma is “... a certain Bheejaya Kotenada?’ (Where lays that this charisma came in after their mothers at the time of Sri Lanka for 18 Test wins in 38 quality of an individual person- the seeds of the charisma of Vijaya’s way due to the well Lionel Wagasinghe need. The great southerners in matches between Sep., ’99 and ality, by virtue of which s/he is Kumaratunga?) received roles he played in near- this island are known to have Nov., 2002 while losing in only “set apart” from ordinary people There Sibira,as Perera was ly a hundred of popular films When Lionel Wagasinghe of such great human qualities. 12. Once, in the year 2001, he and treated as endowed with very much known, argued that while portraying the life of the St. Servatius’, the well-known Sanath Jayasuriya, ‘Matara captained his team to nine supernatural, superhuman, or at Vijaya, who rose magnanimous- ordinary. first cricket coach of Mauler,’ the cricketing charisma straight Test wins. least specifically exceptional pow- ly from his ordinary beginnings Vijaya’s charisma was so big Jayasuriya, revealed this week of our times, should be knowing As captain of Sri Lanka in ers or qualities. These as such are from an underprivileged that after death, he rose as a leg- that his school’s cricket was in this fact better than us. Ponting, Clarke share Allan Border medal icky Ponting and Michael Clarke, the two senior men Rwho must nurse the Australian cricket team back to health, were named joint winners of the Allan Border Medal in the first tie of the award’s 10-year his- tory. While the two leaders upstaged the favourite, Mitchell Johnson, to claim the main award on a subdued night for Australian cricket, it was the crowning of batting prodigy Phillip Hughes as the young player of the year that was arguably of more significance given his potential importance to the future of the game in this coun- try during a difficult period of generational change. The Australian captain and his deputy shared the main award with 41 votes each, while Clarke edged out Ponting as Test player of the year and Nathan Bracken, the left-armer still hoping to broaden his appeal beyond that of a limited-overs specialist, was named one-day international player Michael Clarke of the year. Ponting, who has now been is writing us off, but I know deep votes clear of Johnson and Simon voted his country’s outstanding down in my heart that we are not Katich. player on four occasions but has very far away at all, and I think Johnson was fancied by his been under immense pressure our results would even prove that teammates after carrying an inex- recently after series losses to over the last couple of months.” perienced pace attack in recent South Africa and India, was Clarke won the medal for a sec- months and confessed to some rewarded for a combined tally of ond time, earning three votes for sleepless nights thinking about 1283 runs in 24 Tests and one-day his rousing century at the SCG in the award when he arrived with internationals during the voting the consolation victory over South girlfriend Jessica Bratich. period. Africa. Hughes, 20, received a big “This is an amazing shock to Under a complicated voting boost in his bid to replace me. I have been sitting back at the system, votes are allocated by Matthew Hayden as Australia’s table all night waiting for ‘Pup’ or players, media and umpires, and opening batsman for the impend- Mitch to get up here and accept Tests carry more weight than one- ing tour of South Africa when he the award,” Ponting said. dayers (Twenty20 is not included). was named the Bradman Young “As we all know it has been an Ponting and Clarke finished Cricketer of the Year.