Misfiring Sri Lankan IPL stars to be recalled home

4 May 2013 04:55 am Views - 14926

A concerned Sri Lanka will call back their off-colour stars from the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament to take part in a local preparation tournament for next month’s International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy, national chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya said yesterday.

“Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) must make an immediate official request to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to discuss with the IPL franchises and get those franchises to release the Sri Lankan players who they might feel won’t be picked for the remainder of this IPL season. It is obviously the best option for the out-of form players is to play some tough, competitive cricket in a quality preparation tournament rather than warming the benches in India. We are confident that the BCCI and IPL franchises will also see the logic, because they can’t benefit from keeping the players in their squads just to make the numbers,” Jayasuriya told “Daily Mirror”.

Jayasuriya said the selectors have already communicated their idea to the SLC officially and it is up to the SLC to negotiate with BCCI and IPL franchises to get the players released. He said that he was aware that SLC officials have already taken steps to make an attempt to get the players back.

IPL franchises yesterday released New Zealand players Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor for national duty and Jayasuriya pointed it out as a positive sign.

None of the 10 Sri Lanka stars in the current IPL have shown even a semblance of the class that has taken Sri Lanka to an unprecedented number one ranking in T20 world cricket and this has caused serious concern among national selectors who on Thursday named the Sri Lanka squad for the Champions Trophy tournament in England which is scheduled for June 6-23 with all Test playing nations, except Zimbabwe, taking part.

Cricket legend Jayasuriya said that he is increasingly worried about the pathetic form shown by Sri Lanka senior players in the IPL but expressed hope that the stars would regain touch in time ahead of the crucial Champions Trophy tournament that begins next month in England.

“It is true T20 is a different format from the limited overs cricket which would be played at the Champions Trophy. But we can get a decent indication of the kind of form our boys are in through their performance in the IPL,” Jayasuriya added.

The Triangular practice tournament, which is a laudable, unprecedented move by the current selectors will be played in Kandy ahead of the Champions Trophy and the Sri Lanka A team’s tour to the West Indies.

Sri Lanka Rest team, SLC Combined Team and Sri Lanka A Team will play this triangular practice limited overs tournament from May 10 to 20 at Pallekele. Both day matches and day/night matches have been scheduled while Kandy has been chosen as the venue with the hope of getting players acclimatized to different conditions.

The team called “Sri Lanka Rest” will be the virtual national team, Sri Lanka A will be made up of players selected for the West Indies tour while the SLC Combined team will comprise of other promising young players.

None of the Sri Lankan batsmen or bowlers have managed to provide stand-out performances during the current IPL which started on April 3 and is scheduled to go on till May 26.

Angelo Mathews who captained Pune Worriers had give up his captaincy as he was not assured of his place in the team after a string of failures while Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Kumar Sangakkara also had to drop himself from the side. Delhi Daredevils captain Mahela Jayawardene has been more fortunate, but his erratic form too has still caused problems for his side.

Except for Thisara Perera who has made some useful all round contributions to the Sunrisers team and below-par Mumbai Indians pace spearhead Lasith Malinga, the other Sri Lankans have made it to the playing XI only on and off and have not been able to grab a permanent spot in their teams.(Channaka de Silva)