Sports
Sangakkara Defends Selectors' Independence Amid Dickwella Controversy
Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has stated that the selection of wicket-keeper batter Niroshan Dickwella for the recently concluded two-Test series against India was made independently by the selection committee led by Kapila Wijegunawardene.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, 31 August, during his first interaction with local media since joining Sri Lanka Cricket's Transformation Committee, the 48-year-old emphasized that the selection committee operates as a fully independent body.
"The selection committee is entirely an independent body," Sangakkara said at the monthly media briefing held at Sri Lanka Cricket. "However, anyone has the right to question the selections made by the selection committee. We too as administrators can form our own personal opinion on selections. It is the same with both the media and the spectators."
Sangakkara maintained that selectors must be allowed to carry out their duties without undue interference from any quarter. He noted that selectors are required, as a matter of policy, to maintain regular communication with national team head coach Gary Kirsten, along with captains and head coaches across all teams under their purview, ensuring alignment on team vision and strategy.
When asked why the selection committee, formed in May, had yet to address the domestic media despite public debate over recent selections, Sangakkara said the selectors would meet the press soon, once Sri Lanka's squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of England are announced later this month. He added that media briefings ahead of tours provide a useful platform to address selection-related concerns, though such sessions may not always be practical.
Eran Wickramaratne, Chairman of the Transformation Committee and a former Member of Parliament, echoed Sangakkara's remarks, stating firmly that neither the subject minister nor any member of his committee should influence selection decisions. He recalled a past incident in which a minister intervened at Bandaranaike International Airport to prevent a player from boarding a flight for an overseas tour.
Wickramaratne also disclosed that he had recently received phone calls regarding certain selection decisions, telling callers that such matters were beyond his influence. "This is such a country where such things have taken place, and I must emphasise that all selections will now be totally independent," he said.
He added that while the public has every right to hold opinions on selections, a clear distinction must be maintained between offering critique and attempting to influence outcomes.
Both Sangakkara and Wickramaratne were also questioned about potential conflicts of interest within the current selection committee, with some members reportedly having ties to private coaching academies. Sangakkara said that any concerns brought to the committee's attention would be thoroughly investigated, adding that selectors themselves bear responsibility for disclosing any such affiliations. Both officials affirmed their willingness to examine any issues raised by the media without hesitation.