Indian tour: Chief Selector focuses on player management
Chief Cricket selector Sanath Jayasuriya feels that though the forthcoming Indian series came out of the blues and crossed with the ongoing training schedules, they should put this opportunity to optimum use.
Jayasuriya said: “This tour came up all of a sudden. But, we must make the maximum use of it. Yet, at the same time we must manage the players in such a manner that we don’t overuse them. That is why we selected the squad for the first three ODIs only.
“After we play the first three ODIs we may give some of the seniors a break and send in some replacements. For the first part of the tour we have held back players like Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kithruwan Vithanage, Farveez Maharoof and Rangana Herath. At the same time we are watching the progress of Thisara Perera who is carrying an injury which he sustained while playing in the Champions League tournament.
“The main thing here is player management. We have many ODIs in our run-up to the World Cup. So player management is of utmost importance. If some of the players come back after the first three ODIs they will have a break before the England series which begins on November 23.”
Asked about Kumar Sangakkara’s injury and his tweet about the tour, Jayasuriya said, “Sangakkara has a stiff back which he suffered at practices and it will be okay by the time tour begins. Yes, I asked him about the tweet and he explained to me that he included his sentiments in his tweet in a realistic manner and not in a rebellious sense and people have interpreted it in a different sense. However, he is quite into the tour at hand.”
The chief selector also said that during this tour there would be changes made and even the Indians were doing the same.Asked if the Lankans were hoping to keep on switching players in their run-up to the World Cup, Jayasuriya said they were hoping to play a full strength squad against the English team, but added “Even there we have to manage the players in such a manner that when the World cup arrives the Lankan squad would be at full strength and full of match practice”
The unconfirmed tour schedule reads as — Cuttack Nov 2, Ahmadabad Nov 6 Hyderabad, Nov 9, Kolkata Nov 13 and Ranchi Nov 16.
The Lankan touring team for the first three ODIs reads as: Angelo Mathews (Captain), Kusal Janith Perera, T.M Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Ashan Priyanjan, Niroshan Dickwella, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dhammika Prasad, Lahiru Gamage, Chathuranga de Silva, Seekuge Prasanna and Suraj Randiv.
The Indian squad for the first three ODIs is: Virat Kohli (Capt.), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Wriddhiman Saha, R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, M Vijay, Varun Aaron and Akshar Patel.