by Rex Clementine
Going in the footsteps of India, Sri Lanka’s cricket selectors agreed to look to the future and axed veteran Sanath Jayasuriya from the One-Day squad to the West Indies. While dropping Jayasuriya, the selectors also rested off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, but trouble is brewing within the team.
Jayasuriya had struggled for runs since the ICC Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean last year and his form was really patchy during the just concluded tri-nation Commonwealth Bank Series where his highest score was 34.
A move to drop the veteran was mooted before Sri Lanka’s clash against India in Hobart during the CB Series, but the team management decided to persist with the opener and when the selectors met on Monday, the decision was taken to drop Jayasuriya.
The move was requested by captain Mahela Jayawardene. He was backed by coach Trevor Bayliss, with one selector supporting the request.
Ironically, it was Jayasuriya who had backed Jayawardene to the hilt when the present captain was going through a real bad run during the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2003. As captain, Jayasuriya was pasted for not being willing to drop Jayawardene and it was so ironical that it was the present captain and not the selectors who called for the ex-captain’s blood.
During the selection meeting, Jayawardene was asked about other aging players in the side and why he didn’t want new players to be tried out for their places and it was forced upon him to leave out Muralitharan from the One-Day series.
The selection meeting was a lively one with arguments and counter arguments and it got so interesting that one selector had even suggested that even if Jayasuriya returns to form, he shouldn’t be considered for selection. However, that argument was soon killed.
Although the selectors on most counts agreed with Jayawardene when the side was picked for the CB Series, this time around, some of his requests were did not meet with approval as with the case of the additional fast bowler.
There seems to exist a clear difference of opinion between Jayawardene and the selectors. Jayawardene’s decision’s at times have been baffling, like in the case of Upul Tharanga. The left-handed opener was dropped after just one failure during the CB Series and wasn’t even considered and when the captain met the media on Monday, he explained that he was concerned about Tharanga’s confidence.
But a day later, Tharanga is named in the one-day squad without showing any form in the Premier League tournament.
On previous instances too, Jayawardene has had issues with senior players in the team. He played a key role in the ouster of his predecessor Marvan Atapattu during the World Cup and when Atapattu hit out during the Brisbane Test last year, Jayawardene slowly washed his hands and passed the buck on to the selectors for Atapattu’s continuous omission during the World Cup.
In the very next Test in Hobart, he left out veteran Chaminda Vaas, who was set to play his 100th Test match, leaving a bitter taste in the mouth of the affected player.
In October last year, Jayawardene became the first Sri Lankan captain to lose an ODI series to England and in Australia managed to win just two of the eight games and there are already calls to expedite the promotion of Kumar Sangakkara as at least the ODI captain.
The selectors are unlikely to split the captaincy, but unpleasantness among team members will not help him make any progress.
The selectors, meanwhile, named uncapped Mahela Udawatta in the ODI side at the expense of Jayasuriya and also brought in Jehan Mubarak, who could play the dual role of opening the innings and batting in the middle order.
Ajantha Mendis, a slow right arm medium pace bowler, who plays for Army SC, is the surprise selection in the squad. Kaushalya Weeraratne, the Ragama CC all-rounder is making a comeback to the National side after a lapse of several years.
Thilina Kandamby and Dammika Prasad are the standbys.
Sri Lanka ODI Squad:
Mahela Jayawardene (Capt), Kumar Sangakkara (V. Capt), Upul Tharanga, Mahela Udawatte, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, T.M.Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Kaushal Weeraratne, Ishara Amarasinghe, Malinga Bandara, Ajantha Mendis, Jehan Mubarak, Nuwan Kulasekera and Thilina Thushara Mirando.
Standbys:
T. Kandambi and D. Prasad
Going in the footsteps of India, Sri Lanka’s cricket selectors agreed to look to the future and axed veteran Sanath Jayasuriya from the One-Day squad to the West Indies. While dropping Jayasuriya, the selectors also rested off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, but trouble is brewing within the team.
Jayasuriya had struggled for runs since the ICC Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean last year and his form was really patchy during the just concluded tri-nation Commonwealth Bank Series where his highest score was 34.
A move to drop the veteran was mooted before Sri Lanka’s clash against India in Hobart during the CB Series, but the team management decided to persist with the opener and when the selectors met on Monday, the decision was taken to drop Jayasuriya.
The move was requested by captain Mahela Jayawardene. He was backed by coach Trevor Bayliss, with one selector supporting the request.
Ironically, it was Jayasuriya who had backed Jayawardene to the hilt when the present captain was going through a real bad run during the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2003. As captain, Jayasuriya was pasted for not being willing to drop Jayawardene and it was so ironical that it was the present captain and not the selectors who called for the ex-captain’s blood.
During the selection meeting, Jayawardene was asked about other aging players in the side and why he didn’t want new players to be tried out for their places and it was forced upon him to leave out Muralitharan from the One-Day series.
The selection meeting was a lively one with arguments and counter arguments and it got so interesting that one selector had even suggested that even if Jayasuriya returns to form, he shouldn’t be considered for selection. However, that argument was soon killed.
Although the selectors on most counts agreed with Jayawardene when the side was picked for the CB Series, this time around, some of his requests were did not meet with approval as with the case of the additional fast bowler.
There seems to exist a clear difference of opinion between Jayawardene and the selectors. Jayawardene’s decision’s at times have been baffling, like in the case of Upul Tharanga. The left-handed opener was dropped after just one failure during the CB Series and wasn’t even considered and when the captain met the media on Monday, he explained that he was concerned about Tharanga’s confidence.
But a day later, Tharanga is named in the one-day squad without showing any form in the Premier League tournament.
On previous instances too, Jayawardene has had issues with senior players in the team. He played a key role in the ouster of his predecessor Marvan Atapattu during the World Cup and when Atapattu hit out during the Brisbane Test last year, Jayawardene slowly washed his hands and passed the buck on to the selectors for Atapattu’s continuous omission during the World Cup.
In the very next Test in Hobart, he left out veteran Chaminda Vaas, who was set to play his 100th Test match, leaving a bitter taste in the mouth of the affected player.
In October last year, Jayawardene became the first Sri Lankan captain to lose an ODI series to England and in Australia managed to win just two of the eight games and there are already calls to expedite the promotion of Kumar Sangakkara as at least the ODI captain.
The selectors are unlikely to split the captaincy, but unpleasantness among team members will not help him make any progress.
The selectors, meanwhile, named uncapped Mahela Udawatta in the ODI side at the expense of Jayasuriya and also brought in Jehan Mubarak, who could play the dual role of opening the innings and batting in the middle order.
Ajantha Mendis, a slow right arm medium pace bowler, who plays for Army SC, is the surprise selection in the squad. Kaushalya Weeraratne, the Ragama CC all-rounder is making a comeback to the National side after a lapse of several years.
Thilina Kandamby and Dammika Prasad are the standbys.
Sri Lanka ODI Squad:
Mahela Jayawardene (Capt), Kumar Sangakkara (V. Capt), Upul Tharanga, Mahela Udawatte, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, T.M.Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Kaushal Weeraratne, Ishara Amarasinghe, Malinga Bandara, Ajantha Mendis, Jehan Mubarak, Nuwan Kulasekera and Thilina Thushara Mirando.
Standbys:
T. Kandambi and D. Prasad
Last edited:
