Wikipedia

Asanka Gurusinha

Deshabandu Asanka Pradeep Gurusinha (Sinhala: අසංක ප්‍රදීප් ගුරුසිංහ, [asaŋkə prədiːp gurusiŋɦə]; born 16 September 1966) is a Sri Lankan Australian former international cricketer[1] who had an 11-year international career, playing 41 Tests and 147 One Day Internationals for Sri Lanka. He was a key member for 1996 Cricket World Cup winning team for Sri Lanka, who is a specialist batsman helped to win the final with 65 in a partnership of 125 with the final's Man of the Match, Aravinda de Silva.

Deshabandu
Asanka Gurusinha
අසංක ගුරුසිංහ
Personal information
Full name
Asanka Pradeep Gurusinha
Born (1966-09-16) 16 September 1966 (age 58)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 32)7 November 1985 v Pakistan
Last Test18 September 1996 v Zimbabwe
ODI debut (cap 42)3 November 1985 v Pakistan
Last ODI8 November 1996 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
Nondescripts Cricket Club
Head coaching information
YearsTeam
2020–2022Nigeria
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 41 147 124 173
Runs scored 2,452 3,902 7,169 4,365
Batting average 38.92 28.27 43.71 26.77
100s/50s 7/8 2/22 20/32 2/23
Top score 143 117* 162 117*
Balls bowled 234 264 5,142 2,035
Wickets 20 26 107 39
Bowling average 34.04 52.07 21.47 42.97
5 wickets in innings 0 0 1 0
10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0
Best bowling 4/68 2/25 5/54 3/36
Catches/stumpings 33/– 49/– 89/– 56/–
Medal record
Men's Cricket
Representing  Sri Lanka
ICC Cricket World Cup
Winner 1996 India-Pakistan-Sri Lanka
Source: Cricinfo, 25 February 2015

He was educated at Isipathana College, Colombo & Nalanda College Colombo and had been residing in Melbourne, Australia.[2][3] He was formerly the manager of the Sri Lanka national cricket team and a member of the selection committee.[4][5] In December 2020, he was appointed as head coach of Nigeria national cricket team.[6] In 2022 he was announced as the senior coach of Victorian Premier Cricket club Essendon.[7]

International career

edit

Early career

edit

Gurusinha was called up at 19 as a wicket-keeper, a role he took in a further two ODIs and one Test. He gradually established himself as a No. 3 batsman, playing 33 Tests and 109 ODIs in that position, and was described by Simon Wilde of Cricinfo as "the rock on which Sri Lankan batting was founded". He was also known for his big stature and wide stance when batting.

Late career

edit

Gurusinha was one of the main pillars of Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup winning batting line up. His application at the crisis situations to drag the team scorecard was a major highlight for those who watched the World Series tournament back in 1996.

Gurusinha was the 32nd Sri Lankan Test cap, making his debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 1985/86.[8] He was also a useful part-time bowler, with Michael Atherton, Sunil Gavaskar, Dean Jones, Steve Waugh and Inzamam-ul-Haq among his 20 Test wickets.[9]

He was the first Sri Lankan to score a Test century at Seddon Park.

Coaching career

edit

He is a Level 3 certified Cricket Coach, and was also the Consultant Regional Cricket Coach for Cricket Australia.[10] Gurusinha was appointed as the Manager for the National Cricket Team of Sri Lanka in 2017.[11] However, with consecutive defeats to India in all formats, Gurusinha along with the selection committee resigned from their positions on 29 August 2017.[12] The resignation did not last for a week, where on 19 September 2017, Gurusinha was re-appointed as the selector, along with three new selectors - Graeme Labrooy, Jeryl Woutersz, Gamini Wickremasinghe, and Sajith Fernando.[13]

In December 2020, he was appointed as head coach of Nigeria national cricket team.[6] He resigned in April 2022.[14]

International centuries

edit

Key

edit
Key Meaning
* Remained not out
Lost The match was lost by Sri Lanka.
Won The match was won by Sri Lanka.
Draw The match was drawn.

Test centuries

edit
Test centuries of Asanka Gurusinha
No. Score Against City Ground Date Result Ref
[1] 116*   Pakistan Colombo, Sri Lanka P Sara Oval Stadium 22 March 1986 Draw [15]
[2] 119   New Zealand Hamilton, New Zealand Seddon Park 22 February 1991 Draw [16]
[3] 102   New Zealand Hamilton, New Zealand Seddon Park 22 February 1991 Draw
[4] 137   Australia Colombo, Sri Lanka Sinhalese Sports Club Ground 17 August 1992 Lost [17]
[5] 128   Zimbabwe Harare, Zimbabwe Harare Sports Club 11 October 1994 Draw [18]
[6] 127   New Zealand Dunedin, New Zealand Carisbrook Stadium 18 March 1995 Draw [19]
[7] 143   Australia Melbourne, Australia Melbourne Cricket Ground 26 December 1995 Lost [20]

ODI centuries

edit
ODI centuries of Asanka Gurusinha
No. Score Against City Ground Date Result Ref
[1] 117*   New Zealand Sharjah, UAE Sharjah Cricket Stadium 18 April 1994 Lost [21]
[2] 108   New Zealand Auckland Eden Park 1 April 1995 Won [22]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Brydon Coverdale meets former Sri Lanka cricketers who now live in Melbourne".
  2. ^ "Sri Lanka Cricket on right direction under Sumathipala: Schoolboy Cricketer title made me believe in myself - Gurusinha". 8 April 2017.
  3. ^ "'Gura' Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of 1985 starred in Lanka's World Cup triumph in 1996".
  4. ^ "Asanka Gurusinha appointed Manager of national cricket team". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Asanka Gurusinha appointed SL manager". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Asanka Gurusinha appointed head coach of Nigeria". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Cricket Victoria Weekend Preview October 22–23". Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Cricinfo - Career averages - 2nd Test: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Colombo (SSC), Sep 18-21, 1996"., from Cricinfo, retrieved 26 August 2006
  9. ^ "Statsguru - AP Gurusinha - Tests - batters dismissed". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  10. ^ "'Gura' appointed Cricket Manager – Lankatruth". Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  11. ^ "FP | Asanka Gurusinha appointed as Cricket Manager - FrontPage". 28 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Sri Lanka selectors resign after defeats to India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Gurusinha reappointed selector after resigning". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  14. ^ "Asanka Gurusinha resigns as Nigeria cricket head coach".
  15. ^ "Full Scorecard of Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 3rd Test 1985/86 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Full Scorecard of New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test 1990/91 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Full Scorecard of Australia vs Sri Lanka 1st Test 1992 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Full Scorecard of Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe 1st Test 1994/95 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Full Scorecard of Sri Lanka vs New Zealand 2nd Test 1994/95 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  20. ^ "Full Scorecard of Australia vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test 1995/96 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Full Scorecard of New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 6th Match 1993/94 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Full Scorecard of Sri Lanka vs New Zealand 3rd ODI 1994/95 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
edit


   

This biographical article related to Sri Lankan cricket is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asanka_Gurusinha&oldid=1253393689"