Sanath and Mahela make an appearance at Zig Tech Reebok event

September 29, 2010: It was a celebrity event for footwear giant Reebok when Sri Lankan cricketers Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayewardene made an appearance at the launch of their newest shoe ‘ZIG TECH’ at their flagship Maitland Crescent store on Tuesday.

Unveiling the new shoe and trying it on themselves, the cricketers thanked Reebok for their commitment to enhancing the standards of cricket in Sri Lanka by ensuring the team has the exact requirements necessary for peak performance.

Other cricketing Reebok brand ambassadors in the Asian region are M.S. Dhoni, Rahul Dravid and Shoaib Malik.

Sanga’s choice of openers upsets Jayasuriya

Sanath Jayasuriya questioned the wisdom of Kumar Sangakkara making his choice of batting line-up for the World Cup public, saying as skipper, Sangakkara should be more responsible about the statements he made.

''You can have your opinions as an individual, but when you are in a position of responsibility, you must be careful of what you say in public,” the most capped one-day player in the history of the game told Deccan Herald. Sangakkara’s preferred line-up does not include Jayasuriya, the current captain plumping instead for younger guys like Dinesh Chandimal and Jeevan Mendis who are not in the squad for the tri-series under way. “I am not disappointed, it’s just an individual making a statement,” the 41-year-old Jayasuriya reiterated. “Anybody has the freedom to do so, but we must remember that there is a system in place, there are four selectors whose job it is to pick the team. Yes, the captain must have a say, I agree, but at the end of the day, the players must play the game and the administrators must run it. “There are six months between now and the World Cup, anything can happen in that period. For the captain to come out and make his choices clear and public is not in good taste. What are the selectors there for?” Jayasuriya, an elected member of Parliament, questioned. The explosive left-hander hasn’t played for Sri Lanka since the World T20 in the Caribbean, and his last 50-over game for the country was in India last December. “I am still fit, and I have the same enthusiasm as before,” the former skipper went on. “I have been training with the domestic season in mind. I have come up the hard way, taken several knocks along the way and therefore I value playing for Sri Lanka. I feel I still have what it takes to succeed at the international level. “Now that I have retired from Test cricket, I am managing my cricket better, too,” he observed. “Age is just a number, I don’t think it has affected my fitness in any way because I work really hard to stay fit. And I don’t give up. I know that eventually, it’s performances that will count, and that once the provincial tournament starts, I must grab my chances and make runs. I was happy with the runs I made for Worcestershire this season in England, and I am confident I will deliver in the domestic competition too.” Massive stage Only Javed Miandad has played in six World Cups. Jayasuriya and his Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar have been part of five campaigns, with a sixth beckoning. “The World Cup is a massive stage, and I personally feel the future of 50-over cricket is secure,” Jayasuriya pointed out. “It’s a bit disappointing that the fans aren’t flocking the grounds to watch one-day cricket like they used to. Now, it’s all about T20 cricket – the combination of cricket and entertainment. Plus, you get a result in three hours. The administrators must find ways of bringing the crowds back to 50-over cricket.” One of the pioneers of making the most of the first 15 overs, Jayasuriya agreed that the face of the 50-over game had changed. “There aren’t too many destructive openers. Of course, there is Sehwag who is a unique player. There is no doubt he is the most explosive opener now. But with the introduction of the batting Power Play, there is scope to make quick runs in other positions too.”

Sanath’s has been an unbelievable story - Mahela Jayawardene

With 9,120 runs in Tests and 8,702 in ODIs, Mahela Jayawardene is pretty qualified to talk about the two batsmen who’ve recently completed 20 years at the international level — Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya.

He has, in fact, been in the same dressing room with one and competed against the other.

Over breakfast at the Mount View Hotel, on Saturday, Jayawardene (a former national captain) spoke to The Telegraph on the giants. Sanath has, of course, retired from Test cricket.

For the record, Jayawardene has himself been around, at the highest level, for 13 years. In the ongoing IPL, he’s turning out for the Kings XI Punjab, captained by his Sri Lanka successor Kumar Sangakkara.

The following are excerpts

Thoughts on Sachin (36) and Sanath (40): Their records do all the talking... I don’t have to speak about the quality of their achievements, the world knows everything... What stands out is that they’ve been around for 20 years... To sustain the intensity for such a long period is amazing... They’ve been disciplined, they’ve been committed and they’ve been passionate. They’ve shown all the qualities of a champion sportsman.

On Sanath: He’s one of those unbelievable stories... Sanath emerged from a region (Matara) which hadn’t produced a really big name, came to Colombo and went about proving a point... Nobody before him came from way down south with such ambitions... Sanath established himself at a time our cricket was turning a page, getting away from the traditional way of playing the game... After the 1996 World Cup, thanks to the way Sanath and (Romesh) Kaluwitharana went about the first 15 overs, teams had to change strategy... Sanath didn’t change his game, rather every opposition had to plot differently... He helped us build our identity and didn’t listen to those who wanted him to change his approach... He had the confidence to deliver on his terms.

Sanath’s USP: Fitness, confidence... We aren’t surprised that Sanath has decided to contest the upcoming Parliamentary elections... He has, after all, the aura... This is a new challenge for him and he’s bound to be supremely confident... Sanath believes he can do anything and, who knows, may one day become Sri Lanka’s President! It’s difficult to stop somebody with such self-belief and so much confidence. Sanath has achieved everything in cricket, now he has set himself a different goal...

[In 110 Tests, Sanath finished with 6,973 runs and 14 hundreds; in 444 ODIs, he has 13,428 runs with 28 hundreds.]

On there being much to learn from Sachin and Sanath

Yes... Commitment, discipline and confidence... Both have been tops in commitment, have been most disciplined and have always been supremely confident... They’ve believed in a certain way of doing things and have backed themselves... Those with big dreams need to emulate what I’ve listed. Clearly, you can’t have better role models.

Finally, if he had a son, whether he would make him bat like Sachin or Sanath

(Laughs) No... I’ll tell you why... I believe it’s important to have your own identity. Sure, if I had a son, I’d like him to look up to Sachin and Sanath, but I’d also most definitely like him to be himself... To carve his own identity... If you try copying others, there’s every chance you could lose your way... Draw inspiration, but be yourself... Build on your identity... That, for me, is the only way forward...

(Source)

Trevor Bayliss talks tough on Sanath Jayasuriya's prospects

Trevor Bayliss: 'As Sanath Jayasuriya has himself said on record, he is a spinning allrounder now.'

Trevor Bayliss, the Sri Lanka coach, has said Sanath Jayasuriya is unlikely to be picked as a specialist opener and will have to force his way in as a spinning allrounder if he is to play the 2011 World Cup.

"As Jayasuriya has himself said on record, he is a spinning allrounder now," Bayliss said. "If he keeps performing and putting pressure on others, he can always get in. It's up to him and what pressure he can put on the others in the team."

Jayasuriya didn't make the cut for the tri-nation tournament in Bangladesh, beginning Monday, and in a recent interview to Cricinfo, he said the team management should send a clear message to him about his future.

"The biggest challenge is to play the 2011 World Cup," Jayasuriya said. "Obviously if the team management wants to send me a message they should be clear about that to me, as they have been in the past.

"I am only thinking of five ODIs at a time, and if I can perform in three out those five, I'm right on track for the next World Cup."

The re-emergence of opener Upul Tharanga, it appears, has helped Sri Lanka firm up their plans for the World Cup. "Tharanga has played really well in the last series against India," Bayliss said. "His and Dilshan's opening partnership looks good for the World Cup."

Like Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene too, hasn't been in great form in the ODIs, but Bayliss said it wasn't a big concern to the team as it perhaps was to Mahela himself.

"It's a concern to Mahela and he himself would acknowledge that he has not been scoring much runs in ODIs," Bayliss said. "But he is too good a player to miss out for long. Our top three have been doing well and so perhaps there has not been enough chances for Mahela to score. But, he is not here in this series because of an injury he picked up in India; he might make an appearance some time later on the tour."

(Source)

Jayasuriya, Malinga, Mendis, Kapugedara dropped for Bangla Tri series

End of the Road ?

Jayawardena, Fernando, Muralitharan not considered for the Bangladesh tri series

 The moment of truth has finally arrived for 40-year old Sanath Jayasuriya when Sri Lankan national cricket selectors decided yesterday to drop the legendary all rounder for the forthcoming triangular series in Bangladesh also involving India.

According to sources, the dashing left hander who completed 20 years in international cricket on December 26 has lost his touch since lately and the selectors gave him a final opportunity in the recent series against India using the opener as a middle order batsman but he proved to be a failure.

The former Sri Lankan skipper who was much talked about in recent times for appearing in political TV advertisements for the forthcoming Presidential election retired from test cricket last year but plays ODI and T20 for Sri Lanka. Selectors have also axed out of form batsman Chamara Kapugedara, paceman Lasith Malinga and spinner Ajantha Mendis. Selectors have felt that Malinga has lost his focus while Mendis has been dropped for poor bowling form as well as for below par fielding.

Former skipper Mahela Jayawardene, world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan and paceman Dilhara Fernando have not been considered for selection due to injuries. Chamara Silva returns to add experience to the middle order along with opener Mahela Udawatte while promising left hander Lahiru Thirimanne has been given a break.

All rounder Angelo Mathews has been picked subject to fitness.

Probable Sri Lanka squad: 


Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sagakkara (captain), Thilina Kandamby, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Kulasekara, Malinga Bandara, Thisara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Thilan Thushara, Chanaka Welagedara and Mahela Udawatte.


(Source)


(Official announcement on SLC page)

I'd like to play for another six months - Sanath Jayasuriya | Interview Part II

Jayasuriya on his immediate goals, the captains and coaches he's played under, his favourite opposition and his best innings

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi
December 27, 2009

"One important thing that has played a big role in my success is hand-eye coordination. If the ball is in my zone, I will always go after it"

Moving on to the 1996 World Cup - can you talk about the knock against India in Delhi?

The Delhi match was unique. When India got 275, we never expected to win. But once Kalu [Romesh Kaluwitharana] and I went after the new ball, India didn't know what was going on. My 79 came off 76 balls. It was one of the best things in that tournament, when we chased that target easily. The highlight for me was getting a lot of runs against [Manoj] Prabhakar. We made 50 in the first four overs and most of the runs I made against Prabhakar. He was one of the most difficult bowlers I faced early in my career because of the swing he could get. But on that day I felt really nice and I didn't want to stop.

What about the 82 against England in the quarter-final? 

That was a must-win match. In the team meeting I raised a concern about never having faced [Phil] DeFreitas, and said I might find it difficult. Arjuna just said, "Don't worry about the names, just go out and hit."

Which are your best innings in Tests and ODIs? 

In ODIs, the 189 in Sharjah against India remains the best. The next best was the 152 at Headingley, where we were chasing 322, which we got to in less than 40 overs. In Test cricket, the 213 [at The Oval in 1998] will always remain at the top, followed closely by the 148 against South Africa in Galle in 2000, where I nearly got a hundred in one session.

Interesting that you do not mention the 340 in the 1997 Test series against India. After that knock Sachin Tendulkar said, "I have not seen Don Bradman bat, but I have seen Sanath Jayasuriya. I have not seen a better batsman in my cricketing career…" 

I do rate that innings very highly because I was under a lot of pressure as an opening batsman. I do remember the appreciation from Tendulkar. He is legend.

What is it about Tendulkar that stands out for you? 

He is very calm, cool, and a pleasant character. It is an unbelievable experience to play alongside him in the IPL for the Mumbai Indians. His only message to me always has been "Keep enjoying and playing your game."

The one ability I would like from Tendulkar is the way he treats every player in the team the same. He understands there is no one special as that will hurt the other players. That and his calm demeanour.

Murali is another individual who has been around as long as you. What is it that makes him special?
He is a very hardworking guy, despite having gone through a rougher time than any other cricketer in this world. The outsiders always had a different attitude towards him but he took everything in his stride and became the world's No.1 bowler. His whole-hearted attitude is amazing.

What I have always admired about Murali is how he is always willing to support new young players: he points out to them how hard it is to be an international cricketer and how difficult it is to be in that position for a long period. He loves to share his insights.

Where would you place him in Sri Lankan's cricket history? 

Murali without doubt occupies an important place in our country's history. But Arjuna and Aravinda worked hard to bring him to the important position he is in today in world cricket.

Tell us a bit about Aravinda. 

I rate Aravinda as the best batsman ever produced by Sri Lanka. If he wanted, he could get a hundred anytime he wished, in any match, against any opposition. Not everyone can do that. In no time he could race to a half-century - that was the beauty of Aravinda.

He was very useful in my early cricketing life and I am glad I met him, Arjuna [Ranatunga], [Roshan] Mahanama, Asanka Gurusinha and Hashan [Tillakaratne] - these five were the main pillars of Sri Lanka's World Cup success in 1996.

Who are the batsmen you have enjoyed watching? 

When my cricket career started, Viv Richards was on his way out of the game but he was still a delight and I loved watching him. Then came Aravinda, Brian Lara, Tendulkar, and now there is Virender Sehwag. All these have different methods to their art.

What is the difference in cricket in the 1990s and in this decade? 

The game now is different. There is more technology, and the way players approach the game is different. The bowlers have a better grasp of the batsman's weaknesses and strengths, and the batsman is more aware about where the bowler is going to pitch. In one way it is more difficult now. But also, you cannot say that as a batsman I had an advantage in the 1990s.

Who were the most difficult bowlers to face? 

Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne - each one of them was a difficult bowler. You can't find those bowlers now.

Recently asked who he would fancy taking on between Warne and Murali, Tendulkar said he would like to sit in the dressing room and watch them. What about you? 

It is a difficult question and you cannot force me to pick one. But I would pick Murali in my team because he has a lot of variety and can bowl a lot of overs.

Earlier you said that technically you don't rate yourself highly, but that you trust your aggressive instincts. Can you explain your method of attack? 

It came naturally. I was always an attacking cricketer. I never practised anything specific, but when I became an opener I needed to adjust my technique a little as I had to play straighter. One important thing that has played a big role in my success is hand-eye coordination. If the ball is in my zone, I will always go after it - I might get out, but I might also get runs. Out of 10 attempts I might get eight shots to the boundary while getting out once or twice.

I did not pick on specific bowlers. I would chase every bowler. If you want to succeed you need to take those risks.

How do you switch on and off in the middle? 

I rarely switch off when I am batting or bowling. I always focus on what I'm doing. I only switch off during the over breaks.

Paul Farbrace, the former Sri Lankan assistant coach, once said that in the game against Bangladesh at the 2007 World Twenty20 in South Africa, the first ball you faced, you hit in the air and were caught. You came back to the dressing room and said, "Sorry, coach."
As an opening batsman, I had to get some runs. People had expectations from me. So I had to apologise. I do attach a lot of meaning and importance to my wicket, because if I had batted for longer, things would have been different. But having got out in the first over I had put pressure on my team. That's why, as I said earlier, I will always go for my shots and sometimes I might not pull it off.

What have been the most difficult times in your career? 

There have been quite a few. But of late, when I was dropped just before the 2007 World Cup and then before the first IPL, I felt hurt. I scored a hundred and many runs in that IPL and one of the government ministers pitched in and convinced the selectors that I needed to be in the side. So I came back during the Asia Cup in Pakistan. I made two centuries and a couple of half-centuries and felt good once again.

"Arjuna always fought for the players and looked after them, and that is why the players always liked him"

What about captaincy? Were you ready for it when it came? 

Frankly, I had no idea. I had returned from the 1999 World Cup in England without any runs [82 in five games]. Four or five days after our return, Sidath Wettimuny, who had become the chairman of the selectors, called me at 11 in the night to inform me I'd been appointed captain. I was shocked. There were many other senior players who could have easily been appointed ahead of me. But Wettimuny said the seniors would support me. The main reason given was they wanted to groom me for the future, and since I was playing well I was ready for the job.

My biggest challenge was handling the senior players - Arjuna, Aravinda, Mahanama, Hashan. In fact, Mahanama might have expected to become captain, but he took it in his stride.

The selectors wanted Arjuna and Aravinda to only play Test cricket, as they wanted to reinvigorate the ODI side, focusing on agility and athleticism in our fielding. So the emphasis was on youth. But when our middle order was not up to the mark, I suggested to the selectors that Aravinda be brought back if he could become fitter, which he did, and it worked for a while.

I did my job for four years and then stepped down after Sri Lanka had reached the 2003 World Cup semi-finals. I enjoyed my stint. I didn't have an easy time as a batsman when I was captain, but I steadily started to get runs, and Sri Lanka started winning consistently. After the tour of Sharjah in 2003 I decided on my own to step down. I thought somebody else needed to take over.

Today you are in a position similar to the one your seniors were, where your position in the side is not secure. How do you deal with the challenge? 

I am always happy. I know as long as I'm fit, I'm pro-active in the field and can hold catches, I'm still a contender. I am going through a lean patch with the bat for the moment, but I am not worried. I know my form will be back soon. Meanwhile I am fine-tuning in other areas, which will keep me busy as well as prepared.

Which teams have you enjoyed playing against? 

India and Australia are highly rated teams and I have always wanted to score against these two. One innings against Australia I forgot to mention was 114 in 2006 in an ODI at the SCG. I had landed in Sydney the previous day and was coming back from injury. The flight was about 20 hours, but I went straight in and played my game. When you play the Aussies they are always tough, and when you score against them it always feels good.

What is your fitness routine?

In addition to the schedule given by the trainer, I do some extra work in physical training, weights, and then the rehab [from injury]. That has helped me stay fit for such a long time. That and the fact that I have always tried to be the best in whatever I do.

You are supposed to be highly superstitious. What are your must-dos? 

I touch a spot on my helmet and both my pads before every ball. And after hitting a four or a six I have a habit of going to the middle of the pitch and tapping it. These are just habits I picked up as a youngster.

Does being religious help you? 

I've followed the Buddhist philosophy for long. But I have also gone to Hindu temples, and churches. Each time I pray I just ask for happiness, and to become a mentally stronger person. In recent years I have started meditating a lot and that helps me keep cool when I make my decisions.

During the 2007 World Cup final you did not hit a six in your knock of 63. Was that a conscious decision? 

I wanted to win that final. Oh, how I dearly wanted that second World Cup medal. Unfortunately Adam Gilchrist spoilt my occasion with his breathtaking innings. As for not hitting the sixes, the Aussie bowlers probably didn't bowl balls I could have taken advantage of. But I must take this occasion to thank Tom Moody and Trevor Penney, the coaches then, who put in a lot of effort to help Sri Lanka.

How did your coaches help you personally? 

Dav made us the professional as I've already mentioned.

Bruce Yardley helped me, and the other spinners, with his tactics.

Just like Dav, Tom always gave personal attention to every player. He would push a youngster to the limit and make him train harder. Most youngsters performed when Tom was there.

Personally, I have always felt really nice whenever the coach speaks to me. It doesn't matter if I have played 400 or 500 matches, I'm still susceptible to mistakes. It is always about getting the little things right and it helps you if the coach can point them out. Tom did that. Farbrace did that. Whatmore was the first.


You have played under various captains. Could you highlight what each one stood for or helped you with?

Arjuna always fought for the players and looked after them, and that is why the players always liked him. Marvan [Atapattu] was straightforward in getting the message to the players and I respected him for that. If he backed a player, he would back him 100%. During his captaincy years I went through a very hard period as a batsman and there was a lot of media pressure to drop me, but he stuck to me and I can never forget that. I rated Mahela [Jayawardene] very highly as a captain too.

You recently said "I just can't think of a life without cricket". 

What I meant was cricket is my life. If I did not play cricket, my life would be empty. Even if I leave the game tomorrow, I'm happy because I did my part. I sacrificed many things, trained really hard, practised really hard, to come this position. But I know I can't carry on forever. That is why I left Test cricket, and the same would hold for the rest of my cricket. I'm not saying I'm going to play another few more years, but I would like to play for the next six or eight months. I will play hard and then would like to leave.

What's the biggest challenge for you now? 

The biggest is to play the 2011 World Cup. Before that, the first challenge is to come out of this lean phase with the bat. I know Sri Lanka are likely to play about 30 ODIs before the World Cup, but I am not thinking that far. I am only thinking of five ODIs at a time, and if I can perform in three out those five, I'm right on track for the next World Cup. I am trying. Obviously if the team management wants to send me a message they should be clear about that to me, as they have been in the past.


(Source)

Sanath makes batting easy - Mahela Jayawardene

"In ODIs and Tests alike, Jayasuriya deflated bowling attacks, taking pressure off his team-mates"

Mahela Jayawardene
December 26, 2009

Blazing away at The Oval in 1998, in the days before it was accepted for openers to attack

My oldest memory of Sanath Jayasuriya is of the time he was asked to open in Tests, and he scored a century, in Adelaide. Later that year, he had the whole nation glued to the cricket during the 1996 World Cup.

Immediately he was one of the big stars, up there with Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga, but to us, youngsters in their formative years, Sanath was much more. Here was a man from a humble background, from down south, perhaps the first "outstation" player to make it big, changing the way cricket was to be played - not only in Sri Lanka but the world. It said to every youngster growing up in Sri Lanka at the time that he too could achieve anything. Apart from Sanath, Muttiah Muralitharan was the other big player to come from outside the main cricket centres, but it took Murali time to become a hero for the country. Sanath's appeal and impact were immediate.

My first memory of Sanath as a team-mate is my debut, the famous Test where he scored 340 against India. When I first met him as a team-mate, I found him to be a very simple person. The remarkable thing - and the biggest lesson for others - about him was that he hadn't changed at all in the years till then. He was still the same person, his game was still the same. It told me, as a youngster, that I was in the team because I had something, because I had been doing something right. Normally youngsters, when they come to Test level, try to change things, but here Sanath was. He had made slight technical changes here and there, but the core of his cricket had remained the same.

In the dressing room Sanath is no Murali. Then again, not many are. He is quiet and simple, but whenever there is a contribution or a point to be made, he makes sure he does it, and in the right spirit.

As a captain, and as a senior player, he has always been aggressive, and he has wanted to see aggression in his team. He does get angry at times - he would as a captain too - but he doesn't go wild. You could see it in his eyes, though, and like any leader he was never short of a harsh word or two when it was needed.

Before heading to Australia in 2005-06, we had a team-bonding session down south, which is his part of the world. We had a lot of water activity lined up, which he loved. It involved banana boats, and he warned us it could be dangerous. We took the warning lightly and went about it. There was an accident and one of the guys fell on Sanath's shoulder, dislocating it. He was out for the first half of the tour and was really disappointed, but he took it in the right spirit. And his comeback innings was a match-winning century.

When he is playing one of those special innings and you are padded up to go in next, you have to keep reminding yourself that you are not Sanath and that you can't just go out there and do the same. The only bigger joy than watching him bat is to bat with him. When you are batting with him, you see that the bowling side is spending all its energy focussing on him, which ends up taking all the attention off you. You can quietly slip in, keep taking singles, keep doing your job, and let Sanath do the rest. Batting doesn't come much easier.

While Sanath is given due credit for his revolutionising ODI batting, scoring at eight or nine an over, his Test batting often didn't get as much credit. I have seen him score 96 in the first session against South Africa in Galle - against a decent attack featuring Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Jacques Kallis, Paul Adams and Lance Klusener. Such innings deflated bowling attacks. They took out all the venom, and made it easy for the batsmen coming in. That sort of batting was not common in Tests when he started playing in that fashion, but it came to be recognised slowly.

My favourite innings of Sanath's - there are so many in one-dayers - was played in a Test, at The Oval in 1998, in the same match in which Murali took 16 wickets. England had already scored 445 in the first innings. Teams would have been pleased to have drawn that match after that, but Sanath's 213 at a strike-rate of 75-plus stunned England and gave us enough time to bowl them out again.

I am not surprised at all that Sanath has survived 20 years in top-level cricket. He was one of the first professional cricketers from the country. Before 1996 we had a lot of talented players, but we had no fitness routines, nobody to tell us what was the right way to go about things. But with Dav Whatmore and Alex Kountouris coming, we developed a professional approach. And Sanath was among the first ones to catch up with it. He is still as hungry as the next youngster; his eye may have slowed a bit, but he makes up for it with his work ethic and fitness. At times, even at 40, he can be faster than some of the youngsters in the field.

Outside of cricket, Sanath is a busy man. He has many friends: he has not let go of them as he has gone along. He is a big star and everybody wants to know him and wants to be associated with him, but like with his cricket, the core of the man has remained the same.

(Source)

Jayasuriya , Arjuna Ranatunga & co add Lankan Flavour in SPG centenary match

On Sunday morning former India skipper Ajit Wadekar was at Shivaji Park. He had an eye on the sky. Shivaji Park Gymkhana (SPG) were playing Parsee Gymkhana and Wadekar was hoping that the rain stays away.

Twenty two Test players in all, including Vijay Manjrekar, Subash Gupte, Ramakant Desai, Bapu Nadkarni, Wadekar and Praveen Amre have represented Shivaji Park

As part of the centenary celebrations, Wadekar is banking on old and trusted friends. During the early 1970s, Wadekar's State Bank of India (SBI) team used to tour Sri Lanka. This was before the Island Nation received Test status.

The SBI tours were aimed at helping the Lankans improve their standard of cricket and at the same time it allowed Indian players to adapt to different conditions.

A celebrity match, as a part of the centenary celebrations, will be held at the SPG shortly after Ganesh Chaturthion August 23. 

"Arjuna Ranatunga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya are among the Sri Lankan players who have confirmed their participation. Invitations have also being extended to Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli among others," Wadekar told.

"These Sri Lankan players can't say no to me. Sri Lanka is like a second home for me. I have a bond with them that stretches back to many years. It'll be a great game of cricket." 

Source : DNA India