After the recent thrashing against India, mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis needs to work on reading the batsmen's mind to regain his lost spark, believes Sri Lanka's outgoing skipper Mahela Jayawardene.
"India is one of the top sides today and they played very well against us. We have played them a lot in recent times and I think they played Mendis very capably," Jayawardene today said after arriving here for a two-Test series against Pakistan.
"He now has to realise that the surprise element is out and he now has to become a much smarter bowler and come up with new tricks and learn to read the mind of the batsmen. He has got Muralitharan with him who is a very good teacher," he added when asked about Mendis, who came a cropper in the recent ODI series against India which the Lankans lost 1-4.
Jayawardene once again sidestepped queries on who his successor would be when he steps down after the upcoming two-Test series against Pakistan.
"...I think the final decision is with the selectors whom they pick," Jayawardene, who will step down as captain after the two-Test series against Pakistan, said in a news conference in Karachi.
{{/usCountry}}"...I think the final decision is with the selectors whom they pick," Jayawardene, who will step down as captain after the two-Test series against Pakistan, said in a news conference in Karachi.
{{/usCountry}}Jayawardene reiterated that his decision would allow Sri Lanka to be better prepared for the 2011 World Cup in South Asia.