Dilshan says surprised by Captain job

By Cassandra Mascarenhas

Newly-appointed Skipper of the Sri Lanka team T.M. Dilshan expressed his surprise and happiness at being chosen to captain the Sri Lankan side for the upcoming tour of England when he returned to Sri Lanka yesterday from his stint at the IPL in order to assist the selectors in finalising the team that will play for the test series.

“I am very proud that I have been given this opportunity and although I wasn’t expecting it, I am very happy and am looking to take the team forward,” said Dilshan at the press conference held at the Sri Lanka Cricket Board yesterday.

“We have been the most consistent team as we always made it to the World Cup finals in the past eight years and so we are looking to keep that momentum. I’m looking forward to the England tour and I will use the ideas of the two former cricket captains who will be playing as well.”

He went on to thank everybody who had helped him from the start to get to this position.

Chief of Selectors Duleep Mendis further assured that the Cricket Board had complete faith and confidence in Dilshan to lead the team and would continue to assist him in every way possible.

When questioned about whether Dilshan had been appointed for the long term or was merely an interim captain, Mendis stated that it was too early to say and that the decision would depend on the newly-appointed Captain’s performance and ability in leading the team.

“We are unfortunately not in a position to appoint a vice captain with so many cricketers injured at the moment and there will be no vice captain appointed for this tour. If in case something happens to Dilshan, forcing him to leave the field during the course of the tour, Kumar Sangakkara will take over and captain the team,” confirmed Mendis.

Dilshan, who will be returning to India shortly to resume his IPL duties, will return to Sri Lanka once again on 5 May with the rest of the team in order to take part in the England tour. He added that the team as a whole respected the decisions taken by the Cricket Board and would willingly return to play for the country once they were released from their posts in the IPL.

Dilshan last stood in as captain for a tri-nations series in Zimbabwe last year, but he was at the centre of allegations of misbehaviour and ill-discipline, none proven, and was removed as vice-captain without explanation, according to press reports. It was also revealed that fast bowler Lasith Malinga would not be playing for Sri Lanka in the upcoming tour due to injuries he has sustained. He however continues to play in the IPL and Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket Nishantha Ranatunga admitted that although it was an awkward situation, the Cricket Board would continue to wait and see what Malinga would do before taking any action against him. “England has been playing good test cricket and conditions are tough in England, but we have an experienced team and with our game plan and capabilities, we will give them a good game. We have given a lot of cricketers a chance in this tour and I’m sure they will rise to the challenge and gain from the experience,” said the Skipper.

Sri Lanka National Squad for the Tour of England 2011

T.M. Dilshan (Captain)

Taranga Paranavithana

Lahiru Thirimanna

Kumar Sangakkara

Mahela Jayawardene

Thilan Samaraweera

Dinesh Chandimal

Prasanna Jayawardena

Tissara Perera

Suraj Randiv

Ajantha Mendis

Rangana Herath

Dilhara Fernando

Chanaka Welagedara

Suranga Lakmal

Nuwan Pradeep

Sri Lanka rejects BCCI request on IPL players

In what could strain the relations between the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket, the Lankan government and SLC have decided to stick to their decision of calling back national cricketer, playing in the IPL, by May 5.

Early this month they had ordered the players to return to the country to prepare for the upcoming England tour.  Though no meeting took place between the BCCI and SLC but Indian officials did speak to their Lankan counterparts on the matter and requested them to let their players play in the Twe nty20 event at-least till May 15.  But Sports Minister Mahindanada Aluthgamage and the Cricket Board (SLC) have decided to ignore the Indian request.

A Sri Lankan Cricket source said that Aluthgamage, Sri Lanka Cricket and the national selection committee had lengthy deliberations on Tuesday on the matter. (Indian Express)