Mahela admits pressure to quit after World Cup
Sri Lanka cricket team captain Mahela Jayawardene required a lot of time and words and was at pains to admit that he and Kumar Sangakkara had to resign as captain and vice captain after the 2011 world cup due to pressure from outside.
He was vague at times but admitted that he could not openly say the truth about what really happened.
“Sometimes we probably won’t be able to express ourselves the way we want to or on various other occasions. So in that way yes. Then, we can’t choose the way we want to. So those could be reasons that we did” said a Jayawardene uncharacteristically struggling for correct words when asked whether there was any truth in the statement made by the then Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss to the media that Jayawardene and Sangakkara resigned due to outside pressure.
“Pressure can be anything. The decision we took when both of us stepped down was mostly cricket decisions and facts. Knowing that where we were at our cricketing career and what we need to improve ourselves plus to give more oppor tunities to younger leaders” he said.
“Yes. Invariably in Sri Lanka there was a lot of pressure. There was outside pressure and lot of other pressures. There was a lot of fiction. People writing about a lot of things. We only had a few oppor tunities to explain ourselves. We firmly believe that we have to be very transparent in our decision making. Everyone should know why we make cer tain decisions. And what kind of thinking goes behind those decisions. It’s a fact everybody needs to know all these. If people know the reasons they will know why we are making that kind of decisions” explained Jayawardene.
Jayawardene said he has agreed to take the captaincy for just one year while the ousted skipper Tillekaratne Dilshan said he only resigned as he felt it was the right thing to do but made it clear that he was open to be re-appointed and felt sad when he was not picked.
“It is natural to be sad as a human being. But I am happy that an experienced player like Mahela got the captaincy. Mahela said it is for just one year. But I think he should be there for at least two years. I cannot see anyone else to captain the side within another two years. As seniors we have to train one or two youngsters” said Dilshan.
Both Jayawardene and Dilshan were at a loss to explain why Dilshan’s term as captain was not extended but both were also careful not to reveal what they think about it.
“Dilshan said he resigned. Beyond that if the selection committee took some decision you should ask the selection committee why they took that decision. I can control things which I can. I don’t try to control things beyond that” Jayawardene said when he was asked for his opinion.
However Jayawardene defended his decision to take over the mantle saying it was accepted in the best interest of the team.
“We have to look at the situation of the team. This is not a good moment to hand over the captaincy to a youngster. This won’t be a long term. Maximum one year. I am 35 years. If I cannot contribute to the team as a player, then I have no intention of staying on as a captain” declared Jayawardene.
The new skipper admitted that his form as a batsman needs improvement.
“If you say I was a failure in tests, I accept it. I was not among the runs. There is some faults in my technique. I am going to correct them. It is something any player would do. But In ODIS, the last two years were the best years of the 14 years I have played” said Jayawardene.
He also pointed out that the change in the batting line-up by promoting young Dinesh Chandimal to number four as having an impact on his form but said captaincy will have no adverse effect on his batting. “I am batting now at number five and it is a new challenge for me. When I was captain previously, I never got the two (batting and captaincy) mixed up. So I think I can do it again in this little time.
By Channaka De Silva
Here we go … we should not blame the players … they have a life to live. We live in a very dangerous country where no one can reveal the truth …. because next day they will abducted by a white van
In most sports if you are not doing well consistently, you need to step down. Cricket is no exception. Then someone can ask what do you mean by consistently. This is an issue the selectors and players have to agree with. The same rule of consistency should not be applied to senior players and younger players. For example, for batting department, the consistency for senior players mean they need to have a certain batting average over a certain period of time of the immediate past (say last two years).
Look what happened to Samaraweera. They dropped him for failing to well in the Australian tour. I think it is not uncommon to have the senior players to have lull period. The selectors should have look into immediate past before they drop him for the Pakistan and SA tours. Mahela may be going through a similar experience.
Until the selectors and players agree on some kind of rule for meauring performance there will be a lot of finger pointing. Our cricketers have brought a lot of pride and success to SL cricket. We need to treat them with dignity and respect. We need to salute and wish them well.