Cardiff: Sri Lanka’s one-day team is going through something of a transitional period, as they usher in youngsters while keeping experienced superstar pair Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara as an inspiration.
The man behind the changes is none other than national hero Sanath Jayasuriya, who took over as chief selector two months ago.
“I am happy my youngsters are doing well,” Jayasuriya told Gulf News.
This legendary all-rounder and former Sri Lanka captain personally supervises the team’s training. “One has to always hope for the best,” he said when I wished him luck. He has help from former Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas, who is the bowling coach and is working hard with the side.
Skipper Angelo Mathews feels that the team he has for the Champions Trophy is a mixture of youth and experience, admitting that the team is going through a transitional phase. “It is a transition period for us where the seniors are also in, but we are trying to inject some new blood into the system. But I think we’ve got to do it carefully because we can’t just bring in all youngsters,” said Mathews.
“We can’t play all 11 youngsters and try and win games. We need to have that balance, the correct balance with the seniors and the juniors, because when we brought them into the system there were seniors as well and they helped us to go through all the challenges, all the nervous and anxious moments. We need that comfort from the seniors in the team.”
Mathews feels that Sri Lanka have to reach a stage where they don’t depend too much on Sangakkara and Jayawardene.
“They are the backbone of the batting line-up and we have also got Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is a very senior guy, and we’ve got a few youngsters in Dinesh Chandimal and [Lahiru] Thirimanne who can take the bowling apart. But we are not depending on certain people in the team because all seven are good batters.”
Mathews has only one important advice to his youngsters. “Whoever gets set on that day has to continue for a long score and try and get the team to a good total.”
