Jayasuriya’s exclusion may prove costly for Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan all rounder, Sanath Jayasuriya has been dropped from the squad.  He was not one of the twenty players who were offered new central contracts by Sri Lanka Cricket for the upcoming season. Jayasuriya who is now 41 years old, has been playing since 1989 and played an essential role in Sri Lanka winning the 1996 World Cup. Despite Jayasuriya’s public wishes to play until the 2011 World Cup before retiring, he was not amongst the twenty players who were offered contracts, which could be blamed on his recent poor performance.

Jayasuriya held the record for the highest Test score by a Sri Lankan, 340 against India, and the longest partnership in a Test match, with Roshan Mahanama, where they managed 576 runs in 1997. However, almost 10 years later, the records were broken by fellow Sri Lankans, Mahela Jayawardene with partner Kumar Sangakkara.  Jayasuriya also holds the honour of being the first Sri Lankan and the 33^rdcricketer in history to reach the 100 Test mark.

Jayasuriya also has an impressive record in his One Day International career, he holds the fourth highest One Day International score with Viv Richards, and also boasts one of the four highest individual Sri Lankan scores. He is the current holder of the record for the fastest fifty in ODI’s, which he scored just off of 17 balls. He was the record-holder for the fastest century and the world record for most ODI sixes, both of which he lost to Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi.

He became the fourth batsman in the world to score more than 10,000 runs and the second batsman to score more than 12,000 and 13,000 runs in the history of the One Day Internationals. He also holds the third highest number of centuries in One Day Internationals, with an impressive 28 centuries. In addition to that he heads the most international ODI caps, 444, closely followed by Sachin Tendulkar of India.

Jayasuriya made his mark in Twenty20 cricket as well, in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, he impressed by scoring two centuries in the group stages.

His form started declining and he didn’t impress too much in the One Day International series against England after the World Cup, which Sri Lanka lost 3-2. In 2007, he signed for Warwickshire in the Twenty20 Cup, but only a year later he signed with the Mumbai Indians to play in the Indian Premier League. He now plays with Worcestershire Royals in their Twenty20 cup campaign.

Glenn McGrath said, Jayasuriya was in his list of XI toughest batsmen, “it is always a massive compliment to someone to say they changed the game, and his storming innings in the 1996 World Cup changed everyone's thinking about how to start an innings.” Jayasuriya whose trademark shot is a lofted cut over point, can diversify with both cuts and pulls. Sri Lanka Cricket’s decision to leave Jayasuriya out may prove costly, because despite his age and recent poor form, the Sri Lankan star still has a lot to offer.

Leave Jayasuriya out at your peril

Sanath Jayasuriya is the icon of Sri Lankan cricket.

When the swashbuckling left-hander first came on the scene it was clear he would develop into the colossus the rest of the team would be built around. The quick pace with which he scored was thrilling for its technique and grit.

As the years went by the way in which he wielded the willow brought recognition and triumphs at the highest international levels. His team, and it was his team, was something to be reckoned with.

The World Cup win in 1996 will go down in Sri Lanka history and it was Jayasuriya – who rose to global prominence at this time – who led the way with his dashing stands as an opening batsman.

Sri Lankans go crazy whenever the “Matara Mauler” walks into the pitch but there is a fear creeping in that, comparative to the glory days, he is failing to show as much drive as he once did.

There are two things it would appear to be: either age or, as all cricketers go through at some point, an extended bad patch that he must surely turn around in the near future? But the burning question, and one that burns brighter by the day, is whether this Sri Lanka cricketing idol should be overlooked for the 2011 World Cup?

With so many young cricketers either in the team or knocking on the door, the Sri Lanka selectors must start to get clear in their minds just who they will task with bringing back the trophy.

Jayasuriya was always the all-rounder they could depend on. A spin bowler, a remarkable power batsman and a brilliant fielder: this was a men who you would never leave out of a line-up.

His failure during the recent one-day series and Twenty20s is of grave concern but should it really matter? Would the responsibility of leading the way at a world tournament not bring out the best of him and the team? On one side of the coin, his retirement from Test cricket did not make a dent in the overall performance of the team. The flip side is that even his biggest critics would admit that when he is not plating well he stil brings out the best in others. This is vital in the short form of the game.


There is no doubt Jayasuriya hasn’t been his usual self in T20s and ODIs for a while.

The slippery slope began when he was demoted from the opener’s slot to play as a middle-order batsman.

It is not just with bat and ball. In a recent T20 againt India, Jayasuriya misjudged a high catch off Virender Sehwag, which cost Sri Lanka dearly. India won by successfully chasing a score of 206.

He has made no significant contribution with the bat in the last few months and has been in and out of the side.

But there is nothing that any retiring sportsman wants more than a decent farewell and it is my opinion that Jayasuriya will be so determined to make that happen he should be given the chance to go to the 2011 World Cup.

Even if he makes 30 with the bat it will be done so rapidly it will lift the side. These emerging cricketers need experienced leaders to help them along and he has done it all.

Some of the class of ‘96, including Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva, faced scorn from fans and the media for their subsequent performance and the same fate shouldn’t befall Jayasuriya

At 40 he is the oldest of the gladiators in the cricketing world and he could solve the selection problems by retiring before the World Cup.

But I’m sure none of his fans would thank him for that and them, and myself, are hoping he will be the anchor of the side from this year and into next.

( Article by Amith Passela - Source)

A view on dropping Sanath Jayasuriya | S.R.Pathiravithana

How the current bunch of national cricket selectors led by Asantha de Mel pumped up enough courage to strike off the name of indestructible Sanath Jayasuriya from the touring party to Bangladesh would remain one of the greatest cricketing mysteries of the twenty first century.

On and off the general news line Jayasuriya was indestructible in its true sense. At the age of 40 years and 187 days up to date the man who was partly responsible for the Lankan’s wresting the 1996 cricket World Cup played in our own backyard after he was given an open ticket for mayhem along with Romesh Kaluwitharana by the then hierarchy that comprised coach Davnell Whatmore, manager Duleep Mendis, captain Arjuna Ranatunga and vice captain Aravinda de Silva forming the nucleus of it.

Along with Jayasuriya another man who is missing his plane ticket is master-of-the-track Muttiah Muralitharan - sidelined with an injured finger.

Mel and co have suddenly woken up from their slumber
In the same tone another missing link will be former skipper Mahela Jayawardena who is also side-lined with a groin injury or whatever it is.

In one way it is rather funny to think of a Sri Lankan cricket combination taking wing for a tournament sans this threesome, but, barring injury or not it was high time that the selectors got into their proper armour and began to think like a proper unit doing their job for what they are paid for.

While discussing the courageous dropping of Jayasuriya another colleague of mine simplified the whole issue. He said “going down the order was his last trial. Anyway with that inept performance I think he dropped himself than the selectors doing it.”

The most intriguing part of this episode is that both Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas were spoken to by the selectors on their stretching years and both cricketers opted to give up Test cricket and continue with the shorter versions of the game.

Ironically Vass’ career stretched only until he captured his 400th ODI wicket, but, weaning Sanath kept on moving from one unprofitable innings to the other.

No doubt Sanath, Murali and Vaas along with Aravinda de Silva are four of the greatest cricketers Sri Lanka has ever produced, and the likes of them may not grace the Lankan turf in a hurry.

Yes, in the past there were performers who took the visiting teams by storm, but, the pressure that the visiting team put on those cricketers who were indulging in a whistle stop game would have never been the same when Vaas was taking his ODI hat-trick or when Aravinda de Silva was plundering the Australian attack in the Cricket World Cup final.

Then one asks as to why Jayasuriya was kept in the side until he could not perform anymore? Today when Sri Lanka is in a crisis no one will ever say why they can’t bring Sanath back. But, I was surprised the other day when an irate fan exasperated “Oh wish they had taken Vaas on this tour at least he had the knack of going one up almost in every innings? But, I felt the selectors had shown mercy on that great left arm medium pacer and gone rather wicked on the great allrounder Sanath Jayasuriya who was demoted to a bowling allrounder from one of the best opening batsmen who reshaped the strategies of ODI cricket for all time. 

(Sunday Musings - Source)

Jayasuriya & Murali - Two precious stones losing their lustre

There is no delicate way of putting this. Two of the finest cricketers of this age, two match-winners, two game-changers, Muthiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya looked in the recent series in India to have come to the end of the road. When such phenomenal performers with property rights over 22 yards of turf begin to look like journeymen two thoughts dominate.

One, gratitude for the many hours of pleasure they have provided with their varied skills, and two, a deep sense of loss. The feeling that the magic might never be seen again, certainly not over a five-day Test match, the real test of the great player.

By pushing him down the order in the one-day series, Sri Lanka were sending a message to Jayasuriya, who at 40 showed he was still good enough for the Twenty20 game but even on the placid wickets in India struggled in the one-day international. That he was not asked to open, and even kept on the bench are hints enough. Jayasuriya had retired from cricket three years ago, but returned when he was asked to by the country’s sports minister.

He is a game-changer, bringing to the international arena the cockiness that superior alley batsmen bring to their calling when boys. A quick eye, strong forearms and a big heart made up for the shortcomings in technique. Yet that technique was good enough for a triple century in Tests. Fast bowlers got used to the idea of seeing their best deliveries being picked out from the audience at cover point or fine leg. It began in the 1996 World Cup when Jayasuriya, born in Motera, outside Colombo the traditional nursery, brought to the game the unaffected, free flowing approach only those outside the pale of the coaching manual can bring to their efforts.

That he was able to continue this unorthodox approach through all forms of the game, at all times and through all the political upheavals that are a part of cricket in the region is a measure of the uniqueness of the man.

His teammate Muralitharan is just eight wickets short of 800 in Tests, and sentiment might see him play long enough to achieve that remarkable landmark. His impact on Sri Lankan cricket has been enormous, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is the single most important player from that Island ever to have played the game. The statistics alone are mind-boggling. He has played a role in 53 of Sri Lanka’s 60 Test wins, with 430 wickets at an average of 16. Forty of his 66 five-wicket hauls have come in those games.

If batsmen could not decipher the rotations of his wrist they could not be blamed – it took teams of scientists to work out that he propelled the ball legitimately without recourse to a bent arm. The International Cricket Council, forced to go deep into the vexed question of chucking came up with a definition that implied Muralitharan was a genius for being able to do what he could. If the definition of genius is, equally, the capacity for taking infinite pains, then Muralitharan qualified on that count too. A mild-mannered, gentle soul, he was barracked mercilessly in Australia and condemned by ex-players around the world. Yet his strength of character withstood the attacks that might have felled a lesser man.

The doosra, which he mastered, was one of the two technical advances in bowling in the latter half of the last century (the other being the reverse swing). Muralitharan expanded the possibilities in the art of spin bowling, adding to our enjoyment of a craft that is one of the game’s most intriguing. A dropped catch deprived him of a ten-in-an-innings feat, and occasionally a batting failure rendered his own bowling efforts futile but he remained the old faithful, inspiring a nation both by the intricacies of his bowling and the toil he put in to retain his place as one of the greatest bowlers of all time.

He said after the India tour that his body is no longer able to take the five-day game, although he would like to continue in the shorter version (he has 512 ODI wickets). The decline has been noticeable in the last two years. Since 2007, he has taken 73 wickets in 15 Tests, but 39 of them were against Bangladesh in five. He was 37 this year, and the enormous workload over so many years was already beginning to take its toll.

(Article by Suresh Menon - 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. "

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)

Constructive Dismissal of Sanath Jayasuriya by Sangakkara ?

(December 23, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) 

In countries where there is law, constructive dismissal is illegal and can be contested at a court of law or an industrial tribunal. Even if a person resigns a post he/she can still sue the employers on constructive dismissal if he/she believes that the resignation was unavoidable under undue pressure, harassment, discrimination or subtle construction of it. In this light, let us see whether Sangakkara is constructing Sanath Jayasuriya’s dismissal.

This discourse, which is based on an article that appeared on The Indian Express on 21 Dec 09, is not meant to insist that Sri Lanka keeps playing Sanath for ever. There will be a time, maybe not far ahead, when Sanath has to hang his boots. Yet someone has to show Sangakkara and those others in his calibre that the public are no fools to be deceived by hypocritical and insincere comments like the following .

“Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara admitted on Sunday that dropping out-of-form Sanath Jayasuriya was a tough call but added that he had to take the decision keeping the right combination in mind.

“Sometimes you’ve got to accept it whether it’s fair or unfair,” Sangakkara said, ahead of the third one-dayer. “As a captain, whether it’s a senior player or a new player (you are dropping), it doesn’t matter. It’s the team combination that matters. The captain can be direct, or can be subtle. At the end of the day, how you take it shows your character.”

This is nothing but empty garbage if he can’t prove the point. The point should be that, irrespective of the past achievements, it is fair to select the team on merits they have gained on this tour.

Sanath was called in to play in the two Twenty20 games and five ODIs. He played three games before he was dropped. He scored 26 in 20 deliveries in the first Twenty20 followed by taking 2 wickets for 19 runs. His victims were Dhoni (in-form skipper) out for 9 and YK Pathan (the hard hitter) out for 0. His two wickets for 19 turned the game and SL won it. At the second Twenty20 Sanath scored 31 in 21 deliveries. The person who turned the first game in Sri Lanka’s favour with the ball was not given the ball at all. Adding insult to injury, he was sent far down the batting order in the first ODI. Needless to say he failed in that match and indeed his failure can certainly be attributed to the mental torture emanated from being aware of the plot that Sangakkara was hatching and the unfair treatment that Jayasuriya received. Who would dismiss the idea that Sanath’s failure at the third game was constructed?

A simple comparison of Sanath and Mahela, another stalwart of SL cricket, further disgraces Sanga’s comment. Mahela scored 9, 12, and 3 respectively in the three games averaging 8 whereas Sanath averaged 20.67 even after being disadvantaged by the captain’s decision to send him down the order. Why was Mahela not treated in the same manner? Indeed, Mahela was brought into the comparison not with the intension of devaluing his contribution to Sri Lanka cricket, but there is no other current player worth comparing with Sanath.

The media recently reported that Sanath rejected a request by Namal Rajapaksha to take part in Mahinda Rajapaksha’s election campaign and Sanath was subsequently threatened by Namal of his cricketing career. If this item of news is true, I wonder whether Sangakkara has got a word in his ear by the infamous family. Sangakkara’s comments have inescapable characteristics of a disgraceful politician other than a quality sportsman. If he is responding to political pressure and bringing the game into disrepute, I would like to remind him of Marvan Atapattu, who had no hesitation to call a Muppet a Muppet.

“It’s always a tough decision when it comes to dropping guys like Sanath who is a legend. But then one has to think about the country and look forward. It’s the right combination that matters, and that is most important.”

This comment cannot be defined in any other way other than buttering. Sanath is a legend, and there are no two ways about it. His incomparable achievements are in black and white and the world of cricket acknowledges that it was the Sanath and Kalu combination that changed the one-day game altogether. He became a legend not only with the bat and ball but also with his gentlemanly manners and dignified character. Sangakkara has a long way to go to become a legend. It will be an uphill task if he believes that he can achieve that by masquerading.

By Helasingha Bandara - SriLankaGaurdian

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

For team's sake, Jayasuriya finds himself in dugout | DROP ZONE

There was a sense of disbelief around the ground when the Mumbai Indians team-list was announced on Friday. No one could believe their ears — Sanath Jayasuriya had been dropped.

Welcome to the cruel world of the Indian Premier League, where reputations don’t always count. It doesn’t matter if you’re a superstar; if you’re not in form or not falling into the scheme of things, dugout is the only place where you can be on match day.

Jayasuriya’s is not a case in isolation. Team Hyderabad had no qualms in dropping VVS Laxman for a couple of games, while Team Delhi are playing Dutchman Dirk Nannes and Amit Mishra ahead of superstars Glen Mc-Grath and Daniel Vettori game after game.

Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar didn’t try to
hide the fact that Jayasuriya had actually been dropped. “It wasn’t easy but those are the calls that you’ve got to take from time to time. Shaun (Pollock) and me went up to him and said that he had to sit out this game and he accepted that,’’ Tendulkar explained.

The general feeling is that Mumbai Indians have only three match-winning batsmen and Jayasuriya is one of them. Tendulkar differed. “The bowlers have played a role in us winning the three games... And we felt, Luke (Ronchi) was the man in form,’’ was Tendulkar’s candid response.

It is precisely the same with Team Delhi, who are not playing McGrath and Vettori while Paul Collingwood has gone back without a game. “Are there any more interviews to give? Because that’s the only thing I have been doing since I have come here... I have no place to play,’’ McGrath reportedly told a Delhi official.

It’s understood that he, like Vettori, is a touch disappointed, but there’s little he can do but take it in his stride. “We know they’re great players, but at the end of the day it’s the winning momentum that matters and nothing else,’’ Delhi skipper Gautam Gambhir said. He makes it clear that the ultimate aim is to make the semifinals and for that they always have to look for the right combination instead of the right names.

“Getting the combination right is of paramount importance and I think that the players who are at their best are playing,’’ Gambhir pointed out.

The Team Delhi stand-in skipper didn’t seem too apologetic about his team’s decision, but Hyderabad captain Adam Gilchrist was when he had to ask VVS Laxman to sit out. “It was extremely difficult for me to go and tell VVS that he was not playing the game. But there was no other alternative,’’ said Gilchrist, who has had the opportunity of watching from behind the stumps those fantastic knocks that VVS played against Australia.

The Aussie ‘keeper, like the others, feel these greats sitting out may well have to play important roles in the games to come. It’s to be seen whether, after warming the benches for so long, they can come out and deliver straight away. If they get a chance that is!

Dropping Sanath Jayasuriya was foolish | MI Blunder

It was absolutely shocking when MI announced a squad dropping Sanath Jayasuriya from the playing XI against a formidable Delhi Dare Devils team.

The opening pair of Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar had only added 48 for the first wicket in their last four matches. The pitch ed encouraging for batting, and with the short boundaries, and then came this news which put me into total disbelief - "Sanath Jayasuriya was dropped".

Well this is what Sachin had to say on Dropping Sanath - "Well I know it is tough. But sometimes you have to take certain calls. For both me and Shaun, it was not a easy call. We know Sanath and he took it sportingly. It was a tough call for us and Luke was picked ahead of him. "

And what did his replacement Luke Ronchi do? God out for a golden duck. Not to blame him though.Mohd. Ashraful would've been a better choice than him. Sanath cant win the games for M all the time. Its the middle order and tail enders who have to step up, except Duminy, and Bravo no on seems like they've played cricket before.Others need to step up and not rely only on openers. Players aren't stepping up. They need to win the next game to even have a chance in the semis.

Jayasuriya who was responsible for Mumbai Indians success last year with both bat and ball and even this year with 2 back to back 50's and some crucial wickets whenever he gets the chance to bowl has been dropped from the side for which he dedicated so much.

This is so impossible to believe Jayasuriya, who is the best limited overs player in the modern era has been dropped from the side in such an important fixture and taking his place in this all important match is a rookie from australia called luke ronchi I mean a huge round of applause for Sachin Tendulkar for swapping Jayasuriya with a rookie in this all important match.

As captain, Tendulkar had let his team down big time. First the decision to drop Jayasuriya for Ronchi, to promote the in-form Duminy as opener and then to bowl the crucial 16th over - all had failed and no wonder Mumbai had gone down so easily.

It will be nice learning lesson for MI, specially Tendulkar so next time when he made a list of playing 11 he'll remember the fact that its Jayasuriya who holds the key to their success.

- Opinions expressed by Sanath community members on Orkut.com