Chanaka Welegedara, Sri Lanka's 'new' Chaminda Vaas, is eyeing a stint in the IPL already.

By Prateek Srivastava

Chanaka Welegedara was the least sought-after Sri Lankan cricketer a couple of days before the Ahmedabad Test against India. However, his strong performance later in the drawn Test should now change all that.

But to turn it around, the left-armer needed some luck and that came when first-choice Thilan Thushara injured himself out of the series, making way for Welegedara in the team for the first Test.

He made the most (four for 87) of the opportunity in the first innings itself, cutting a swathe through the creme de la creme of the Indian batting, viz., Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

One cannot wish for better wickets, can one? He, however, went wicketless in the second innings though, but by then the wicket had transformed into a batting paradise and the top Indian batsmen batted with common sense, so the rookie Lankan playing his second Test can plead not guilty.

Even his Test debut was eye-catching. Back in December 2007, Welegedara took four England wickets in the rain-hit last Test at Galle. He also toured Australia for the Commonwealth Bank Series early in 2008. However, he did not feature in a single match.

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A few months later he was chosen for the Tests against hosts West Indies but his bench-warming continued. And then turned what he wished the least - a ribcage injury - which left him out of Sri Lankan scheme of things for a while.

"I had a very good start to my career. I lost the way a bit after that though. And then I picked up a ribcage injury and that really did me for. But now I am feeling very good about my bowling and looking forward to the series," the 28-year-old had told Mobile ESPN prior to the Ahmedabad Test.

"I played for Wayamba in the Airtel Champions League T20 recently and that will help me in this series. In India, even Test matches are housefuls and that can put a lot of pressure on a newcomer but having gone through it during the ACLT20, I think now I am in advantage in that respect," he had spoken on how his Champions League experience would stand him in good stead.

Welegedara had also said that he hoped to catch the eye of one of the Indian Premier League franchises. "I am eyeing an Indian Premier League side. This is the tour to make that happen. All I have to do is bowl well."

With the promising start, Welegedara is now certain to play the next two Tests, and if he continues bowling in the same vein, his IPL dreams do not seem far from realization!

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