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Sri Lanka great and interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya urged patience with his side as the island nation prepares for the ODI component of their ongoing white-ball series against India.
Sri Lanka were beaten 3-0 by the reigning ICC Men's T20 World Cup champions during the recent three-match T20I series and have been battling injuries to a host of key players ahead of the opening ODI contest in Colombo on Friday. Binura Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara are all sidelined due to injury and several members of the team have been struck down by the flu in the lead-up to the ODI series with India. But Jayasuriya will not be using the absence of key players as an excuse during the next three matches and wants to see the rest of the squad step up and perform well against India. "I'm interim coach and I've only got these two series, but that's not how I think. When I was playing, and even now, I hate to lose. The players who are around now know that too. When I talk to them, I tell them that fans in this country love the game, and a lot of us, including me, have brought cricket into this country to a certain place," Jayasuriya said as quoted by ICC. "I've spoken about that a lot individually with players and as a team. In terms of facilities and practice, I've tried to do as much as I can. What I want is to create a good environment so they can be mentally in the right place and can play with confidence," the former opener added. The pressure will be on Charith Asalanka to perform against India, with Sri Lanka's new white-ball captain managing just 14 runs from three innings during the recently completed T20I series. The left-hander also struggled to make much of an impression during the recent T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies with 71 runs from three innings, but Jayasuriya is backing the 27-year-old to shine in the longer 50-over format. "Charith Asalanka is one of our best players in this (ODI) format, and we need to remember that. But when you get the captaincy, there is some pressure. I've been there too. You have got to give them a little time in that position," the former left-hand batter said. "There are ten more players in the side and 16 in the squad. We all have to get together and give him the confidence too. At any moment, the captain could click. Charith Asalanka is someone who works really hard. He's very professional and communicates well," the southpaw concluded. (ANI)
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