Meet Sri Lanka’s Jeffrey Vandersay: The Man Who Castled India

The Sri Lanka cricket team has for long been known to produce mystery spinners who could turn any game on its head. The latest in line of such talent is Jeffrey Vandersay, whose six-wicket haul snatched a victory from India’s clutches during the second ODI of the recently concluded bilateral series.

The date was August 4, Sunday, when a fired-up Sri Lankan side had a chance to save a series defeat against the big guns of India following a dramatic draw in the first ODI. The venue was the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the hosts had put up a paltry score of 240 runs before getting all wrapped up in 42.2 overs.

While the outcome seemed evident, Indian spinners’ ease at stopping, gripping and turning the ball did hint at a bowling-friendly track. In fact, if not for Kamindu Mendis and Dunith Wellalage’s pivotal contributions down the order, the hosts would have plummeted faster after getting reduced to 150/6.

With Rohit Sharma leading the line and Virat Kohli coming fresh from a break following India’s T20 World Cup winning campaign, the total was hardly competitive and the visitors were pegged by all pundits for a domineering win. 

Image Credits: Sameera Peiris/Getty Images

Rohit Sharma, however, didn’t get fazed by the contrasting conditions as he cruised to a terrific start with five boundaries and four sixes to place India in a great position. When Vandersay dismissed Sharma in the 14th over, India was safe at 97/1 and that was the exact breakthrough that the Wattala-lad needed.

Vandersay tames the entire Indian batting order

India still had a settled Shubman Gill, Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, KL Rahul and Washington Sundar to bat with 147 runs needed in almost 36 overs. Sri Lanka needed nothing less than magic to survive this batting order and Vandersday came as a blessing.

India lost five more wickets in the next 50 runs and Vandersay took all of them - Shubman Gill (35), Shivam Dube (0), Virat Kohli (14), Shreyas Iyer (7), and KL Rahul (0). The visitors were reduced to 147/6 by the 24th, with Vandersay demolishing India’s entire batting order. 

Vandersay’s figures of 6/33 in 10 overs is the fifth-best bowling performance by any bowler in an India vs Sri Lanka ODI clash. The Man of the Match performance also placed him among elite bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Angelo Matthews, and Akila Dananjaya, all of whom have taken six or more scalps against India in an ODI match.

Jeffrey Vandersay: ODI Performance (Bowling)

Interestingly, Vandersay wasn’t even a part of the original Sri Lanka squad for the ODI series and was only given a chance after Wanindu Hasaranga’s hamstring injury. Though he had already made his ODI debut back in 2015 in a T20I against Pakistan, his stint was limited to just 14 T20Is and 24 ODIs.

While he didn’t get much success in the shortest format, taking only seven wickets, it is in ODIs that Vandersay rules the roost. He has 35 wickets in 24 games with one four-wicket and another five-wicket haul already.    

"There was a lot of pressure coming into the side. I was coming off a layoff. I had to do something,” Vandersay said post-match.

“No doubt Wanindu Hasaranga is our No. 1 spinner, but I got to understand the atmosphere of the team and selections and team balance,” he added.

Vandersay hadn’t been a part of the national team since February 7, 2022, until August 4, 2024, a day that changed his life forever. He followed the second ODI heroics with two more wickets in the third ODI as Sri Lanka won the series 2-0.

Though Vandersay hasn’t been included in the starting eleven of the ongoing Test series between England and Sri Lanka, the spinner is very likely to be included soon. Sri Lanka play white ball cricket in December 2024 and the management is unlikely to show restraint on one of their best bowling talents.