Pathirana praises MS Dhoni and CSK for changing
Pathirana spoke about how CSK helped him get the attention of the selectors and also loved the experience of sharing the dressing room with Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Sri Lanka’s young pacer Mathisha Pathirana opened up about the big role Chennai Super Kings played in his rise in international cricket.
The right-arm pacer caught everyone’s attention for his bowling like the legendary Lasith Malinga during the 2022 Under-19 World Cup. CSK grabbed a big opportunity to sign him as a replacement for the injured Adam Milne in IPL 2022. He got to play just two matches in his first season at CSK, but it helped him get his first international call-up for Sri Lanka.
Became CSK’s strike bowler
Pathirana has become CSK’s strike bowler in the last few seasons, taking 32 wickets in 18 matches. Ahead of the crucial white-ball series against India, Pathirana spoke about how CSK helped him grab the attention of the selectors and the experience of sharing the dressing room with the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
“After the Under-19s, I wasn’t in any team in Sri Lanka. But since my debut for CSK, I got those opportunities and I was selected for the main Sri Lanka team. Playing for CSK is a God’s gift for me. Not many people knew me until I played for CSK. Sharing the dressing room with Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) is very special for youngsters like me, especially those coming from Sri Lanka,” Pathirana said on Sportstar.
Coach Sanath Jayasuriya
Rohit, Kohli, Jadeja big loss for Indian cricket Pathirana has worked hard on his line and length over the last few years, which has helped him become more efficient. In the last season of IPL, he also managed to cross the 150 kmph mark with his sling action, making him more lethal in the death overs.
Talking about the upcoming T20 series against India, the 21-year-old said that it would be a confidence booster if they manage to beat the newly-crowned T20 World Champions.
CSK stepped down from captaincy for the second time in 2024 and handed over the captaincy to Rituraj Gaikwad. There is no clear information about Dhoni’s future yet. The wicketkeeper-batsman will be retained if he decides to play in IPL 2025.
Rituraj is all set to lead the Yellow Army and could be their first choice. The right-handed batsman joined the franchise in 2019 and made his IPL debut in 2020. He won the Orange Cap in IPL 2021, which CSK won.
I think it will be a good challenge. India are coming in with a new coach and some new players; their combination will be a little different. But it will be a good challenge for us as they are the world champions. We have a very good team and a lot of talent and potential. Unfortunately, we didn’t do well in the T20 World Cup. But if we can win this series, it will be a confidence booster for the next three years,” Pathirana said.
Sehwag worked with DC for six years
Sehwag worked with DC for six years. He was released ahead of the IPL 2014 mega-auction. Sehwag played two seasons for Punjab Kings (PBKS) before retiring from the game. He coached the Punjab-based franchise for three years.
Talking about Chennai Super Kings, they did not pick any icon player ahead of the mega-auction and that gave them an edge over other teams before going into the mega-auction. They spent a huge amount of money on Dhoni and he was their full-time captain for over a decade.
Conclusion
Sri Lankan youngster Mathisha Pathirana has praised Indian Premier League (IPL) team CSK for changing his career. Notably, Pathirana will be seen playing for his country in the upcoming white-ball series against India starting July 27. Recently, Pathirana reflected on his young career and revealed how big a role CSK and MS Dhoni played in changing his career.
The 21-year-old made his IPL debut in 2022 and took two wickets in two matches. After his IPL debut, he made his international debut in the same year when he got his T20I cap against Afghanistan. Pathirana performed brilliantly with the ball in the next edition and took 19 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 19.53. He took 13 wickets in six matches at an average of 13 in the 2024 edition.
