'A bit like a diesel engine' - Sri Lanka coach highlights Asitha Fernando's high-workload success

Sri Lanka's fast bowler Asitha Fernando, born July 31, 1997, has established himself as a key member of the Test attack with 80 wickets in 24 Test matches. The 28-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler brings considerable skill to Sri Lanka's bowling unit, particularly when given extended opportunities to bowl.

Sri Lanka coach Ryan van Niekerk has offered insight into what makes Fernando such a valuable asset to the team. Van Niekerk explained the bowler's approach and the conditions under which he performs at his peak, drawing a distinctive comparison to illustrate Fernando's characteristics.

"I think Asitha, I like to tease him in the team space... he's a bit like a diesel engine. The more he goes, the better he gets and the longer he goes." Niekerk said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

"From his point of view, it's actually putting in the time of bowling a lot. He's got an incredible skill set and amazing accuracy when he bowls. If we can get him bowling for long periods of time, that's the key to his success that I've seen in my time with him," he added.

Fernando's recent history underscores the importance of consistent bowling workload in his development. During Sri Lanka's West Indies tour, the fast bowler faced a specific challenge as he worked his way back into full rhythm after a knee injury. Van Niekerk outlined the circumstances Fernando encountered during that series and the impact on his preparation.

"In the West Indies, he had come off a knee injury. He was sitting in a space where he hadn't bowled a lot, and Test cricket requires a big build-up. He had a one-day series which had two rained-off games, so he wasn't able to get a lot of those overs in," Niekerk said.

Following the West Indies series, Fernando demonstrated the benefits of sustained bowling action. Van Niekerk highlighted how Fernando's performances improved as he accumulated more overs across consecutive Test matches. The coach also discussed the broader context of Sri Lanka's bowling management and the role of captain Dhananjaya de Silva in supporting the fast bowling unit.

"Since that West Indies series, he had a huge spell in that first Test and that second Test as well. The more he's bowled, the better he gets. From our point of view, it's just managing his loads as well as possible and making sure that he gets enough bowling time in. Dhananjaya has played 70 Tests. He's incredibly experienced," Niekerk said.

"He's seen a lot of these conditions before in different parts of the world. In home conditions, he understands how to manage the bowling group. And in general, from experience, he's had less seamers to work with most of the time. And the spinners have done their job," he added.

Van Niekerk further elaborated on de Silva's captaincy approach and his ability to extract maximum performance from the fast bowlers. The coach drew a parallel to illustrate the quality of de Silva's bowling management and his understanding of when and how to deploy his seamers effectively.

"So, I think he's managed the seamers incredibly well. He's got a good relationship with them. You know, good captains know where to get the best out of their seamers at the right time and how to actually fire them up for spells. Graeme Smith comes to mind with Dale Steyn and how to manage them and get the best out of them at different times," Niekerk said.