Jayasuriya, Mahela at Reebok store launch, New Delhi 2009

Sanath Jayasuriya & Mahela Jayawardene were spotted in New Delhi during Reebok concept store launch on December 26, 2009.

Kotla Pitch had become dangerous - Sanath Jayasuriya

'I took blows on my helmet, shoulder, knuckles... Batting was tough…’ says Sanath Jayasuriya

Calcutta: Sri Lanka’s senior-most pro Sanath Jayasuriya, who completed 20 years as an international cricketer on Saturday, felt that the Kotla pitch had “become dangerous.”

“I had to take guard on the second ball itself and it definitely wasn’t the best wicket to bat on... The bounce was too uncertain... Gradually, it got worse and the surface had become dangerous,” Jayasuriya told The Telegraph, on Sunday evening.

The 40-year-old added: “I took blows on my helmet, shoulder, knuckles... Batting was tough, but I had to stay put... Actually, because of the situation, my job was to just remain there...”

After doing the hard work for 94 minutes, Jayasuriya fell leg before, not to a quick, but to Harbhajan Singh.

He scored 31, the highest. The abandonment came seven overs later.

In an unusual coincidence, of the 22 players for the day, Jayasuriya alone featured in the abandonment in Indore, 12 years ago.

Sure, the Kotla pitch wasn’t fit for play, but the fact still is that today’s batsmen grow up in a somewhat soft environment, with every kind of protective gear available on the shelves. So, the alarm bells probably ring louder the moment the wicket does something out of the ordinary.

It used to be very different when, for example, Brian Close (1976) and Mohinder Amarnath (1983) stood up to the West Indies quicks...

(Source)

Farewell Jayasuriya, Hello Perera!

Sanath Jayasuriya was rightfully given another go in this series. It was however sad to see the great batsman fail once again.

Consistency was never Jayasuriya's forte, his style of play and the risks involved inevitably meant that Jayasuriya would fail more often than not.

There was a time in the Sri Lankan line up when his failures were overlooked. Because of his ability to blow away the opposition and win matches on his performance alone, Sri Lanka could afford the failures. Those days are long gone now and Sanath's role has been taken up by a new generation.

Tillakaratne Dilshan's performances in 2009 as an opener meant there was no room for an inconsistent pinch hitter.

As an ardent fan of the man, even I now see that Jayasuriya's time in the Sri Lankan team is up.

As hard as it is to digest, ODI# 2935 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkota may be the last time we see Sanath Jayasuriya in ODI colours for Sri Lanka.

But as we bid farewell to a legend, the same ODI match has presented us with possibly one of the most hardest hitters Sri Lanka has seen in recent times.

Thissera Perera's whirlwind 37 runs off just 14 balls today appears to have launched the young man's career and guaranteed a place in the team, all in his very first game.

As we bid farewell to one master blaster, another appears to have been born.

( Article on Island Cricket by Hilal Suhaib )

Why pick Sanath and have him sit on the bench ? - Anil Kumble

In his recent column on Hindustan Times, Former Indian captain Anil Kumble expressed his views on Sri Lankan Master Blaster Sanath Jayasuriya being dropped for the 2nd and 3rd One Dayers. Here is the excerpt from his article : 

" A team has also got to help itself and when you leave someone like a Sanath Jayasuriya on the sidelines, you are bound to suffer. It is only in the sub-continent that senior players are treated so. Why pick someone like Sanath and have him sit and watch the game? In any case, my guess is that after the Cuttack show, Sanath will figure in both the remaining games.

Whether I get to see Sanath at the Eden Gardens or not, I sure was sad to see pictures of a less than majestic Eden. It was hard to digest that half the ground was down but stadia in India do need upgrading and I am confident it will be back to its old imposing self soon enough. But whatever the state before the renovations began, my heart will always beat for Eden. "

Dilshan chases photographer and manhandles camera! | Jayasuriya and Dilshan at Kolkata bar

The Calcutta Telegraph web site published this photo of Tillekaratne Dilshan (right) and Sanath Jayasuriya partying at a nightclub late on Tuesday. The caption said that The Telegraph would not have carried this photograph had Dilshan not accosted the photographer and forced him to delete the pictures he had clicked on assignment.

The Calcutta Telegraph reported today that Tillekaratne Dilshan became so angry at being photographed in a nightclub that he chased a photographer of The Telegraph, Bishwarup Dutta, from the fifth-floor club down to the street to confront him on Tuesday night.

“How dare you? Don’t you know who I am?” shouted Dilshan, refusing to let go of the photographer until he was sure all the pictures had been deleted. The incident unfolded outside 22 Camac Street.

Dilshan, who is married to a Sri Lankan television actress, threatened to smash the camera before handing it over to a friend to delete the pictures. It was not clear why Dilshan did not want to be photographed.

Dutta, who later salvaged a couple of pictures from the digital memory card, narrates the sequence of events.

A senior colleague and I were winding up an assignment on Park Street around 11.45pm on Tuesday when someone called to say that two Sri Lankan cricketers had just walked into the nightclub Shisha on Camac Street, less than a kilometre away. Our office car hadn’t yet arrived to pick us up, so we hailed a taxi and reached Shisha within 10 minutes.

As we walked in looking for the duo, we saw Dilshan and Jayasuriya sitting with an unidentified woman (picture blurred by The Telegraph as she had no role in the incident) wearing a black dress. They were shouting into each other’s ears in an attempt to be heard above the din.

The lighting being inadequate for photography, I pointed my camera at them with the flash on and clicked, hoping that I would get a couple of shots. The moment Dilshan saw the flashbulb popping, he raised his right hand and said something that I couldn’t hear. 


Jayasuriya then gestured towards me to ask who I was. When I introduced myself, he said: “You should ask for permission before taking pictures. I will walk out if you point that camera at me again.”


I apologised and decided not to disturb them again, but Dilshan accosted me and ordered that I erase all the pictures in front of him, which I did except for one that I had “delete-protected” seconds ago.

Dilshan’s attitude made me change my mind about not taking any more pictures. I had told him that I was as much a fan of his as some of the guests who were fawning on him but he seemed to be overly suspicious of my intentions. Neither he nor Jayasuriya was objecting to the guests taking pictures of them dancing with the woman in black.

It was a little past midnight when I took out my camera again to shoot pictures of the cricketers on the dance floor. In the dim light, I did not realise that Dilshan had moved away from the dance arena and was following my movements. I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder and there he was, glaring at me.

“Didn’t I tell you to leave us alone? Show me the camera,” he shouted.
I immediately showed him that the memory card did not contain any picture of him but he wasn’t convinced. As he walked back to the dance floor, something told me that I should leave or my camera could be damaged. I hurriedly walked out of the club and entered the elevator.

I heard voices behind me even as I pressed the elevator knob to take me to the ground floor. It was Dilshan, followed by a couple of guests he seemed to have befriended. I got out of the elevator and ran towards the street, hoping to find a taxi. There was one standing there but the driver refused to go. I turned around and saw Dilshan running across the street with vehicles dangerously zipping past him. I froze. What if a car were to run him over?

The next thing I knew was Dilshan’s hand on my collar. He didn’t assault me but his demeanour — and that of his non-celebrity friends — made me look like a criminal. “Take his phone number. Check his identity card,” the cricketer ordered, snatching my camera.

The others followed his instructions. I feared for my camera as Dilshan fiddled with the flash. He then passed it to one of his friends, who apparently knew how to erase pictures from a memory card. Satisfied that all evidence had been wiped out, the group left. My only source of support when I was being surrounded by them were the Shisha staff, who had apparently come down to ensure that I wasn’t assaulted. Some police officers were standing there but they preferred to be mere spectators.


(Source)

I would any day play Jayasuriya in my team - Saurav Ganguly

‘I never picked or dropped players after one match’
- Sourav says he would play Jayasuriya


Calcutta: Sourav Ganguly, who really needs no introduction, spoke to 'The Telegraph' at his Behala residence on Wednesday afternoon.


Q : Sri Lanka, it appears, can’t handle the real pressure situations...


Saurav : They need to rethink... It’s a top-heavy line-up, with the lower middle-order very weak... Left to me, I’d pick Sanath Jayasuriya... Even if he isn’t to open, he could bat at No.3... Plus, he bowls and is still agile on the field. I don’t know why he’s not getting picked... In my view, in this team, only Dilshan is a better ODI player than Sanath..

(Source)

Sanath, Dilshan breach security cover, go partying at Kolkata | Manager denies reports

Sri Lankan cricketers, including senior batsman Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillakaratne Dilshan, gave the local police some anxious moments when they went for a night-out in the city without security cover yesterday.

According to sources, some members of the visiting team went partying at a bar at Camac Street putting local police in a tizzy.

The cricketers left the hotel at around 11:00 pm.

While some of the Sri Lankan team members returned early, Jayasuriya and Dilshan came back around 2:00 am, the sources said.

"Many of them went out but returned soon. Only the duo of Dilshan and Jayasuriya returned quite late. If somebody goes out of security, what can we do? They are all responsible cricketers," local manager of the team Samir Dasgupta said.

Sri Lankan team management, however, denied that the duo returned late and said they did not go for anyparty or fun.

"There was no concern as the cricketers had informed the management and police before stepping out. Notall cricketers went out, just a few of them had gone and returned in about an hour," Lankan manager BrendonKuruppu told PTI.

"There were policemen, hotel and security staff escorting them and they did not go for partying. And on top ofthat it was a day off for them," Kuruppu added.

Also on Tuesday, Dilshan went to the house of his Delhi Daredevils teammate Manoj Tiwari.
Incidentally, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Dilshan did not turn up for Wednesday's optionalpractice session.

Following the terror attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan earlier this year, security has always been aconcern.

(Source)

Jayasuriya likely to play Kolkata One-dayer

Sanath Jayasuriya during a practice session prior to the 4th ODI match against India at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday

After being dropped in the last two matches, veteran Sanath Jayasuriya may return to the Sri Lankan playing XI in the do-or-die fourth One-dayer against India at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

In the absence of in-from all-rounder Angleo Mathews, Sri Lanka struggled in Cuttack in the third One-dayer and the visitors might be forced to bring in the once explosive opening batsman.

The team management gave a lot of focus on the 40-year-old left-hander in the practice session on Wednesday and he spent a considerable amount of time batting at the nets.

Team coach Trevor Bayliss was, however, non-committal when asked whether a Sachin (Tendulkar) vs Sanath Jayasuriya battle is on the cards on Thursday.

"There is always a chance. But, we have not finalised the team yet. In the last two games, we wanted to play with two genuine spinners. Unfortunately, that meant Sanath missing the spot there," he said.

"The pitch seems to be a very good batting wicket, promising plenty of runs," Bayliss said.

Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and in-form Tillakaratne Dilshan did not attend the optional practice on Wednesday.

With Dilshan effectively doing the job Jayasuriya had been doing earlier -- giving Sri Lanka an explosive start, the latter could be used in the middle order once again after the first ODI at Rajkot.

But Jayasuriya, it seemed, is yet to relish the role of a middle-order batsman.

Jayasuriya has some good memories at the Eden with the left-hander scoring a breezy 63 not out before rain washed out the match against India that the stadium hosted last on February 8, 2007.

And not to mention his 1996 World Cup semifinal outing when he foxed the Indian batsmen with his left-arm spin taking three for 12 to reduce the home team to 120/8 before unruly crowd behaviour handed Sri Lanka the match and final berth.

(Source)

Future tense for Sanath Jayasuriya ?

TROUBLED TIMES : Sanath Jayasuriya is attended to by a doctor in Cuttack on Sunday

Cuttack: The last time Sri Lanka faced India in an ODI at the Barabati Stadium here was on December 28, 1990. Nineteen years on, cricket may have undergone a sea-change, but two characters remain constant: Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar. 

Both featured in that game which Lanka won by 36 runs, and are still part of the two squads — ready to do battle with rivals some of who are half their age. There is a difference in status, though. 

While the 40-year-old Jayasuriya cut a forlorn figure sitting quietly on one side, not even getting a bat, 36-year-old Sachin was the first to get a knock with the bat at nets in the afternoon.
Sachin is still an important member of Team India and will open the batting. Jayasuriya, dropped in the Nagpur ODI, may not get back his berth in the XI. 

Is it the end of the road for one of Lankan cricket’s longest-serving and most efficient soldiers? Was that the message Kumar Sangakkara and the team were trying to convey to the senior citizen? 

“It’s always tough to drop a senior player like Sanath. But whatever decisions are taken are in the best interests of the team. We have to get the combination right. I also believe its important to communicate something like this directly,” said the Lankan skipper. 

Is there any chance of Jayasuriya being in the XI on Monday? “Every player in the squad has a chanced to be there,” he said a trifle curtly. Jayasuriya’s runs have dried up, his utility as a bowler has diminished as well. He took a decision to retire from Tests two years ago, saying that he was still good enough to play the two shorter formats. 

The time may have come for the Matara Marauder to review that decision.

Out of form, out of favour - Sanath Jayasuriya fights on

Earlier, watching Sanath Jayasuriya pad up sent shivers down rival teams. On Sunday, the eve of the third one-dayer at the Barabati Stadium, it was surprising to see the veteran, in full gear, heading for the spot where the Sri Lanka reserves were training.

Jayasuriya’s face showed few signs of emotion, but the resolve to fight out the bad patch was unmistakable.

“It’s always tough to drop a player like Sanath, he is a legend. But at the end of the day, you want to have the best side and that’s the way to go forward. You look at the conditions and combination and it was tough to fit him in the last match. Every player knows how it works, whether it’s Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan), Sanath or anyone else. It’s a question of getting the combination right,” skipper Kumar Sangakkara said at the press conference.

Having changed the concept of batting when then skipper Arjuna Ranatunga promoted him from the middle order to open the innings with wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana, the 40-year-old now appears to be out of the scheme of things, despite the side losing Angelo Mathews to injury.

Tillakaratne Dilshan’s superb display as opener had opted the think-tank to push Jayasuriya to the middle-order in Rajkot. He was dropped in Nagpur and on Sunday there were few signs that he would play on Monday.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a senior or a junior. Whether you take it well or badly, it only goes to show what your real character is.

All our guys accept the fact that you’ve got to perform to stay and sometimes the combinations don’t allow certain players. They are great players and they take it well because we have direct communication when it comes to that,” Sangakkara said.

With 442 one-dayers to his name, Jayasuriya is a match short of becoming the only cricketer to have played at 100 venues, ahead of Rahul Dravid (96) and Sachin Tendulkar (94).


(Source)

It’s tough to drop a legend like Sanath Jayasuriya - Sangakkara

End of Happy days? - Sangakkara explains rationale behind Jayasuriya’s omission for the 2nd ODI vs India

Kumar Sangakkara admitted that it hadn’t been easy to leave out veteran Sanath Jayasuriya for the Nagpur one-dayer, but added that he was forced to make that move by circumstances.

“It’s always tough to drop a player like Sanath Jayasuriya the legend,” said the Lankan skipper. “But at the end of the day, you want to have the best side and that’s the way to go forward.

“You look at the conditions and the combination, and it was tough to fit him in the last match. Every player knows it’s the same, whether it’s Murali, Sanath or anyone else,” he reasoned on the eve of Monday’s third game here.

Admitting that it was difficult to convey the message to anyone who was going to be dropped, the left-hander pointed out that the key to dealing with such issues was direct communication with the players concerned. 

“It doesn’t matter whether he is a senior or a junior, you obviously have to tell him. But it has to be direct, and in a subtle way sometimes, depending upon how at ease that person is with himself. Whether you take it well or take it badly does go on to show what your real character is. 

“All our guys accept the fact that you’ve got to perform to stay and sometimes the combinations don’t allow certain players to play,” he explained.

Angelo Mathews became the latest player after Muttiah Muralitharan and Dilhara Fernando to return home with injury, further reducing their bowling fire-power, but Sangakkara said he would look at it as a chance for other guys to step up to the plate. 

“I look at it as the opportunity for the new guys to come here and show what they can do. I know you can say it’s a depleted attack, but I look at it in a different way. 

“It’s great for these guys to get an opportunity against a tough opposition in tough conditions. You can then see what their character is and how they are going to shape up in future. These guys are fresh and hungry to perform, hopefully they will perform well,” he noted.

Source

Difficult to slot Sanath Jayasuriya in the playing XI - Sangakkara

Sangakkara was  clear, that in the present scheme of things, it would be very difficult to slot Sanath Jayasuriya in the playing XI. Jayasuriya was pushed down the order to No. 4 in the opening match in Rajkot and sat out the following ODI. "Jayasuriya is a legend but the combination we played in Nagpur, it was hard to fit him in," Sangakkara said. "Sometimes, the combinations do not allow certain players, even some great players, to get in the side. They all take it very well. We look for direct and honest communication. It's no different to anyone.

"As a player, you've got to accept decisions that are sometimes fair or sometimes unfairly done. But at the end of the day all decisions are made for the interest of the side. Be it any kind of player, senior or new to the side, it does not matter. If you have something to tell them, you have got to tell them. It has to be direct and sometimes it has to be subtle, depending on individual character.

"At the end of the day whether you take it in the right spirit or take it badly, it will show your real character. But all our guys accept the fact that you got to perform to stay in the side." 


Source

Is it the end of Sanath Jayasuriya ?

Uncertain Number :Jayasuriya gets the boot in the second ODI. Time is fast running out for the Matara marauder

Sanath Jayasuriya is just a week away from completing 20 years in one-day international cricket. The hard-hitting left-hander had made his debut against Australia at Melbourne way back in 1989, which is some achievement. 

That said, there are questions being raised if the marauder from Matara will continue his ballistic journey any further. More so after the treatment the 40-year-old is getting from the current Sri Lankan brains trust.

The veteran was dropped from the team that took on the India in the second ODI at Nagpur yesterday. Age surely isn’t on Jayasuriya’s side — the man, who along with his opening partner Romesh Kaluwitharana, changed the way teams approached the first 15 over in mid-1990’s. He keeps getting these nasty reminders that he’s outlived his welcome each time he has a bad game. 

Jayasuriya has already quit Test cricket and insists on playing the shorter version of the game. The former skipper has always maintained that it is the form which should matter and not the age. He proved that correct after thrashing a 21-ball 39 as an opener is the second Twenty20 game in Mohali.

However, in the first ODI at Rajkot he was shunted down the batting order and could only manage five as the Sri Lankan’s chased 414. 

They had cruised to 316-2 in 36 overs and the team had backed Jayasuriya to dig deep into his 441 match experience. It wasn’t to be and as a consequence he was benched in favour of a rookie bits and pieces player Suraj Randiv.

Questions on Jayasuriya’s role in the Sri Lankan set-up had been asked of captain Kumar Sangakkara ever since he landed in India. He was clear that the veteran will have to fight for his place in ODI and his future will depend on the runs he gets. 

The Islanders have trained their eye on the 2011 World Cup and Jayasuriya’s comeback depends on how his replacements in the team do. 

For now the man who’s taken his place is Upul Tharanga. Mahela Jayawardene revealed the team’s thinking behind the decision. “To be fair to Tharanga, he has been very consistent with the bat. Now Dilshan is doing Jayasuriya’s job. You need one guys who is a bit steady and the other going all guns blazing. You don’t want to be 10-2 after five overs. You need a bit of stability when someone is going the way Dilshan is going I don’t know if that’s a permanent decision but for this series its going to be Upul and Dilshan will be opening the opening the innings.” 

It is believed Jayasuriya has lost some of the support with the selectors too. They want him to win one in three games and take on the role of an all-rounder. They though know that he has a great record in sub-continent and will find this aspect tough to ignore when the look to plan fro 2011 World Cup co-hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. 

As for Jayasuriya and what he thinks about the whole debate he has just one thing to say: “When critics have nothing to say, they come start talking about my age,” he had told us during the IPL in South Africa.

Source

Replacing Sanath brings its own kind of pressure - Upul Tharanga

Despite figuring in 82 one-day international matches, Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga hasn’t quite managed to cement his place in the national team. So when the selectors decided that he should replace Sanath Jayasuriya at the top of the Lankan batting line-up for the first ODI against India, the 24-year-old left-hander considered it a brand new beginning. In an interview with The Indian Express, Tharanga talked about why this series is important for him. Excerpts:

How huge is the responsibility to replace Jayasuriya as an opener?

It’s huge. I’m taking the place of a player who has a number of records against his name. It will be tough. There will be pressure. But having Dilshan at the other end, I can hope to play my natural game.

How important is this series for you?

I’m looking forward to this series because I’ve got a chance after many months. I have a decent record in India, I have scored two hundreds in the Champions Trophy, but that’s history now. I have to start afresh, and scoring against a good side always helps.

Did you speak to Jayasuriya before coming here?

I spoke to every senior player in the side — Sangakkara, Mahela (Jayawardene), Muralitharan, and Sanath. We discussed what should be done on this tour, and Jayasuriya told me how I should go after the bowlers and pace my innings. I’ll remember that.

You had a good England tour and then the Champions Trophy in 2006, but after that your performance went down. What happened?

After the World Cup, I didn’t play well and was dropped for eight months. I was picked for the Pakistan series, but after that I didn’t get a place in the side again. I thought my career would be over if I don’t perform. There is a lot of competition back home. But I told myself I have the capability, and that it was a matter of time before I returned. I knew there were domestic cricket and A tours, so if I kept performing, I would get a chance.

Source

[VIDEO] Sanath Jayasuriya 31 of 21 balls vs India 2009 | 2nd T20

Sanath Jayasuriya 31 of 21 balls vs India 2009 | 2nd T20
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Uploaded by . - Sanath Jayasuriya Blogspot

Scorecard

Sanath playing at No. 6 is a good move - Roshan Abeysinghe

What will be interesting is the new role Sanath Jayasuriya will be playing in the ODI’s.

Given the responsibility to bat with the lower order at no 6 Jayasuriya may come in when the mandatory ball change takes place and with the batting power play also available. I am sure it is bound to be a good move on the part of the Sri Lankan think tank as Jayasuriya loves the harder ball and field restrictions to open his broad shoulders besides taking on a tiring bowling line up.

Whilst the rest of the side look settled, as I emphasized in my last column, it is time that Thilina Kandamby be brought into the playing XI. With Dilshan and Tharanga down to open and Sangakkara and Jayawardane batting at 3 and 4 and Jayasuriya at 6, one wonders what the final choice would be. It is obviously a tussle between Thilan Samaraweera and Kandamby and the choice would be any body’s guess though young Kandamby will naturally make a very strong case for him.

Source

Bowling of Jayasuriya, Mathews made the difference - Sangakkara

The new format and a fresh set of faces, including veteran Sanath Jayasuriya , definitely helped Sri Lanka clinch the first Twenty20 International against India by 29 runs, said the visiting team skipper Kumar Sangakkara.

"It was a new format and there were fresh faces who are One-day specialists in the team who were ready to stand up and be counted," said Sangakkara who played a stellar knock of 78 to power the tourists to 215 for 5.

In reply, India were halted at 186 for nine by the determined Lankan bowlers and some excellent fielding.

Sangakkara said the wicket of Gautam Gambhir was obviously the key point in the contest when the Indian left-hander was going great guns.

"The wicket of (Virender) Sehwag after they started well was a bonus. Then we got the wicket of Gambhir. At that stage they needed one boundary an over. Sanath and Mathews bowled in the right areas and that made the difference," he said.

But, the Lankan captain was not too happy with the way the team allowed matters to drift after reducing the hosts to a sorry-reading 129 for 7 in the 14th over.

"What we need to do is not to relax. In the last four overs we allowed things to drift. We need to be more ruthless," he said.

He was referring to the stand of 38 runs between Ashish Nehra and debutant Ashok Dinda which helped India come far closer to the target than what appeared at one stage.

Nehra used the long handle in making 22 in 13 balls before he was run out while Dinda made 19 before Tillakaratne Dilshan got his wicket.

Source

Even at 40, no shortage of spark for Jayasuriya

He walked on to the field with the same enthusiasm he’s had for almost 20 years. His feet still thumped the ground with the same intensity when he ran. As Sri Lanka were warming up for the first T20 international against India, Sanath Jayasuriya proved to be as sprightly as any of his team mates, some of whom are almost half his age. At 40, an age when the fittest of cricketers have the ‘former’ prefix attached to their names, and are visible on match days for commentary assignments, the former Lankan skipper is still out to prove that the youngest format of the game is not reserved only for the young.

When Jayasuriya stepped out to open the batting on Thursday, the body was not quite in sync with the mind as short and wide balls flew past his bat rather than towards the boundary. He survived a chance and then smashed five boundaries off an Ashish Nehra over, celebrating the last two glances to the fine-leg fence with the delight of a debutant.

The end did come soon after, for 26 off 20 balls, when he glided debutant Ashoke Dinda straight to third-man, but he had shown flashes of what he is capable of and given his team the blazing start they needed. “Sanath is still a potent match-winner and we’re backing him to the hilt,” captain Kumar Sangakkara had said prior to the match. But, highlighting his legendary player’s lowering percentage of success, he had added: “Sanath will certainly be opening in T20s, but he’ll have to compete with Upul Tharanga during the one-dayers.”

Jayasuriya’s fortunes have taken a bit of a dip over the last few months and a number of experts in Sri Lanka have questioned his selection for a while, but he is so dangerous on his day that the selectors and the skipper are in a constant dilemma. “He is still one of our best limited-overs bowlers and is very quick on the field, that adds to his value,” Sangakkara said. On Wednesday, he picked up two for 19 in four overs to go with his quickfire 26.

“Sanath has faced so many challenges and pressures in his career and we know that he has the mental capacity to handle any situation.”

Source

A Test of Character for Sanath Jayasuriya

As far as I recollect, I remember just one name which means Cricket to me from childhood. Being an Indian by birth, it's obvious cricket is one sport we all Indians die for and I was not an exception for it. During my early days as a 10 year old as every Indian does, I supported India and Kapil Dev was my hero.Then came 1996 Wills World Cup and I got bowled by this Legend named Sanath Teran Jayasuriya.

It’s took some time, like a few dog years to unleash Sanath Jayasuriya on to cricket as a hitter, but the wait was worth. Sanath and Kalu unleashed terror during 96 WC thereby revamping the nature of the game, a strategy which every team follows now. He has entertained millions of cricket fans with his powerful hitting . You dont need to have a look at records to substantiate the fact that Sanath Jayasuriya has been the match winner for Sri Lanka for over a decade now.

Ironically, today he finds himself in a do or die position. He hasn't come up with a big one matching upto to his standards after the match winning knock at the Asia Cup finals 2008. His form has declined and its time for Sanath to prove a point that he still has that capability in him to keep going at this age of 40. With so many youngsters knocking for a place in Sri Lankan squad, Sanath Jayasuriya's wish to wear Sri Lankan Jersey for the 2011 World Cup looks bleak.

Recently when the squad for the Tour of India was announced, members of the national selection committee, together with skipper Kumar Sangakkara, said  that they didn’t believe the 40-year-old has a future as an opener.

"What we expect from Sanath is that he should win one in three games for Sri Lanka, which he was doing in the past," Ashantha de Mel, Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors, said. "But now that has reduced and we are a little concerned about it. In the Champions Trophy in South Africa his performance was below par .That's the reason why we have gone in with the option of playing him as an allrounder."

Looking at his future as an international cricketer in serious doubt, veteran Sanath Jayasuriya vowed not to give in, saying his international cricket career is far from over. Even though he has always excelled as an opener, he has to adjust himself to play down the order as per team requirements. Something which I believe isn't best suited for Sanath. Would be foolishness on the part of team management to play this champion batsman down the order.

This series against India provides Sanath with an opportunity, maybe a final one.Not sure he will be opening with Dilshan or play down the order as an allrounder.

Captain Kumar Sangakkara shows faith in him ,

"He has been very successful against India as an opener and against all oppositions too. But right now he has a different role to play for us in the side, which will make him currently a performing and match-winning player. Whether he will bat at the top or in the middle order, can be considered," 

"Our responsibility towards the team and towards Sanath is to make sure that when he plays he becomes a match-winner and get the best out of him. He's willing to make that change. It is an exciting time to play a new role" .

Let's wish that this Master Blaster from Matara finds his rhythm and fire once again against his favorite opponents India. We wish him the very best. Sanath, you may not play for Sri lanka if you fail this time, but don’t we all know, that there isn’t and won't be anyone good enough to fill your shoes. 

- Sujan rao (article written for Island Cricket )

Jayasuriya and Malinga join SL squad, but India equipped

 

It would be tough for the Sri Lankan camp to get off to a flyer in the first twenty20 match which is scheduled to play at Nagpur. They were thrashed by the Indians who are presently the number1 team in Tests.

India will be running high with confidence after the mammoth victory and would be looking forward to pack up the visitors in the same manner. But the format is different and it's unpredictable. Pitch won’t be of that matter, as at one point the aggression and speed takes over.

The team may score heavily or may loose quick wickets in regular intervals. The one who dominates the game will certainly outplay the other. The Indian players are stars in their own IPL teams but couldn't put a good show when they played together.Out of nine twenty20 matches that India has played since 2008 they have lost six and have managed to win just three. The last time India won was the stunning innings by Pathan brothers against Sri Lanka. India missed out Sehwag in England but Viru is back and is  in his best.

The Sri Lankan side was at their best in the last twenty20 World Cup and was unbeatable till the final. They have been playing well with a strong batting line up and with Murali and Mendis doing the magic; the opponents had to surrender with no option left. The destructive Sanath Jayasuriya will join the attacking Dilshan and that is the major threat to India.

Latish Malinga, who is fast, quick and brilliant with Yorkers, will be the X factor for the indignant Lankans.India will be a bit relaxed as Murali won't be available, but will watch out for Mendis who proves dangerous. India will play in the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Yousuf Pathan who have been the match winners. India has left out Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan and will be playing with Nehra, Sreesanth and Ojha. Sri Lanka will try to overlook the test defeat and will start on an optimistic note and India will look forward to carry on the momentum.

Teams Probable

India : 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Pragyan Ojha, 9 Sreesanth, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Ashish Nehra.

Sri Lanka : 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Chamara Kapugedera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Kaushalya Weeraratne, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Ajantha Mendis, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Chanaka Welegedara.

Source