India Series Chance for Fringe Players: Sanath Jayasuriya
With star players like Lasith Malinga and Thisara Perera injured, former captain Sanath Jayasuriya feels Sri Lanka can test new players in the five ODI series against India next month.
Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya on Sunday said the upcoming five-match One-Day International (ODI) series against India will help their team in trying out their fringe players before the World Cup. (WICB Apologises After India Tour Abandoned)
"This is an ideal opportunity for some of the bowlers who have been around to grab their chance by performing against a top team like India. These players have been in the system for some time and thrown into the deep end we can see how they cope with the pressures," Jayasuriya was quoted as saying by espncricinfo.com. (Also read: Kumar Sangakkara Questions Sri Lanka's Decision to Schedule India Tour)
Three Sri Lankan seamers -- Lasith Malinga (ankle), Suranga Lakmal (stress fracture) and Thisara Perera (hamstring) -- are yet to attain full fitness.
"Malinga has already begun rehabilitation work and with 16 weeks left for the World Cup, we are hopeful he will be fit. Perera is not training at present," the former Sri Lanka captain said.
Jayasuriya added that time has come for young batsmen like Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella to ensure that the team doesn't rely on veterans like Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
"It is high time these batsmen take the responsibilities and perform without leaving everything to the experienced players. At the moment apart from the players involved in the Sri Lanka A series with the West Indies A, the rest of the players are undergoing physical training. They will need at least 5-6 strenuous batting sessions to be ready for the Indian series," the former left handed batsman said.