Impressions of our five one day series in India
View(s):It was pathetic to see our team losing the series five nil. The Indians outplayed our lads in all departments. To see some of our players playing 
worse than ordinary schoolboys brought shame on Sri Lanka cricket. The morale of the team will certainly go down very badly. Some might say that we did not play the full team. Once you represent the country you are an international player and therefore, you have to deliver the goods. If not, then there is no point in wearing the national cap.
You have to ask very honestly if the tour was really necessary. Why did we go on that tour? The answer is very simple. Firstly we went there to please the Indian Cricket Board. Secondly our Board wanted money. Such an ulterior motive does not agree with this great gentlemen’s game. The West Indian players decided to call off their Indian Tour and so the Indian Board invited Sri Lanka to play this ODI series. Our Cricket Board jumped at the idea because it needed money very badly. Why? The reason is that the Board Officials had not managed the finances properly. At times they spent money on white elephants. Can a respectable Cricket Board betray their country for money?
Our team was not prepared to play this series either physically or mentally. I would say that the team we took to India to represent our country was a ‘half-baked team.’ Our bowling attack was very poor. The Indian batsmen treated them like ordinary schoolboys. Our bowlers did not know their basics and naturally, they got the thrashing they deserved. Likewise, our fielding was horrible. Some excellent fielders missed relatively easy catches. That showed that our team was unprepared.
As you know, when you play against the Indians in their own den, it is extremely difficult to beat them. They are masters on their own soil. They made use of every opportunity to carry all before them. Our players were made to eat humble pie.Such a situation does not augur well for Sri Lanka Cricket. Our players missed their training period and lost the series too. These things can happen when people are crazy for money and do not plan well for the future.
What happened is now in the past. Let bygones be bygones. Let us look to the future and prepare for the important forthcoming World Cup Tournament in 2015. We will have a very strong outfit. Our players can overcome any hurdle if they are pruned well before the most prestigious Cricket Competition in the world.
I wish good luck to Angelo Matthews and his team.
Rev. Bro. Nimal Gurusingha