E-Paper
This Indian team is not at the top for nothing
It’s not a coincidence that the Indian team are at the top of the rankings, or close to it, as they’ve been consistent with the bat and developed a good core of cricketers, Mahela Jayawardene comments.
The tour is not done yet, with the Delhi one-dayer still to be played, but to finish without success in the Tests, and to have conceded the ODI series before the final match was disappointing.
We came with reputations to be made but things did not happen as we hoped. I don’t want to make excuses, but losing several key players to injury did not help us one bit. It’s for this reason that we need to win the last game, as 4-1 will not be an accurate reflection of the way the two teams have been matched. We’ve consistently competed, scoring heavily in different conditions, but the Indians have stayed ahead. Still, as representing Sri Lanka, there is pride at stake and we really want to end on a winning note.
India and Sri Lanka have played quite a bit over the last year, and, as an opponent, it’s clear that the Indian team has made significant advances. It’s not a coincidence that they are at the top of the rankings, or close to it, as they’ve been consistent with the bat and developed a good core of cricketers.
In that sense, there are positives we can take out of this tour, especially the manner in which some young players have developed. We lost Chaminda Vaas last year, and it’s hard to say how long Muttiah Muralitharan will continue. In that light, the manner in which guys like Suranga Lakmal and Suraj Randiv stood up in pressure situations on a tough tour like India is encouraging. It’s one thing to see potential in a player, but it’s only when he performs at the highest level that you get a sense of his temperament. These guys have got a taste of international cricket and are young, so the launch pad is there to have long, successful careers.
As always, touring India and playing in front of big crowds has been a pleasure. We took in some new venues this time and the highlight was Nagpur. The ground is simply fantastic and the facilities for players match the best in the world. What was missing from this tour was some results going our way, but that happens in cricket.
