Colombo: When a captain admits with some surprise that the first time he learns about a team he is to lead in an international series is from newspaper reports it makes you wonder.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was nonplussed by the team that appeared in Colombo newspapers on Wednesday as it was not the side he had discussed with the selectors.
In fact, there seemed to be a couple of changes to what had been discussed with Asantha de Mel and his committee and one of them could be the absence of all-rounder Faveez Maharoof, one of the puzzling features that was released late Tuesday afternoon.
"I need to get some clarification of the team from the selectors," Jayawardene said at a media conference to launch the five-match Idea Cup limited overs series shortly after the Indian team arrived at the beach front hotel.
Jayawardene expressed his surprise at the naming of the squad when asked a couple of questions about the batting order. The normally cool, calm captain raised his eyebrows that suggested some names are in the 15-man squad that were not initially discussed.
With three opening batsmen or four, should Sri Lanka again opt to open with Kumar Sangakkara who filled the role in the Asia Cup? With the Champions Trophy looming in Pakistan, a settled squad is needed.
If the captain starts making comments about the team, which on the island has to be approved by Gamini Lokuge, the Minister of Sports, it begs the question of what games are the selectors playing with this series.
It also suggests that the lines of communication between the captain and the selectors are either fudged at some level or seriously disrupted.
As it is, with Maharoof out of the side, the 'six batsmen and five bowlers' gameplan of Asia Cup is disrupted.
It means the bits and pieces bowlers are called on and the match by match selection policy has to change, hence Jayawardene's bemusement at reading the squad in the papers on Wednesday morning.
Jayawardene and coach Trevor Bayliss were in deep conference with Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka Cricket's CEO and the team manager Charith Senanayake, immediately after the conference.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was nonplussed by the team that appeared in Colombo newspapers on Wednesday as it was not the side he had discussed with the selectors.
In fact, there seemed to be a couple of changes to what had been discussed with Asantha de Mel and his committee and one of them could be the absence of all-rounder Faveez Maharoof, one of the puzzling features that was released late Tuesday afternoon.
"I need to get some clarification of the team from the selectors," Jayawardene said at a media conference to launch the five-match Idea Cup limited overs series shortly after the Indian team arrived at the beach front hotel.
Jayawardene expressed his surprise at the naming of the squad when asked a couple of questions about the batting order. The normally cool, calm captain raised his eyebrows that suggested some names are in the 15-man squad that were not initially discussed.
With three opening batsmen or four, should Sri Lanka again opt to open with Kumar Sangakkara who filled the role in the Asia Cup? With the Champions Trophy looming in Pakistan, a settled squad is needed.
If the captain starts making comments about the team, which on the island has to be approved by Gamini Lokuge, the Minister of Sports, it begs the question of what games are the selectors playing with this series.
It also suggests that the lines of communication between the captain and the selectors are either fudged at some level or seriously disrupted.
As it is, with Maharoof out of the side, the 'six batsmen and five bowlers' gameplan of Asia Cup is disrupted.
It means the bits and pieces bowlers are called on and the match by match selection policy has to change, hence Jayawardene's bemusement at reading the squad in the papers on Wednesday morning.
Jayawardene and coach Trevor Bayliss were in deep conference with Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka Cricket's CEO and the team manager Charith Senanayake, immediately after the conference.
