Skip to Content. Skip to Navigation.
Advertisement
Cricket

News

Jayawardene not worried

02/09/2012 12:12:24 AM

Mahela Jayawardene is confident Sri Lanka's recent leadership upheaval won't cause any problems within the team and believes they can settle into life under a new coach and captain quickly.

Sri Lanka sacked coach Geoff Marsh just three months into a two-year contract on the eve of their departure to Australia for the Commonwealth Bank Series, with South African Graham Ford already on board as his replacement.

Tillakaratne Dilshan also resigned from the captaincy, with Jayawardene returning to the position he had resigned from earlier in his career.

After Sri Lanka made a losing start under their new regime, falling to India by four wickets in Perth on Wednesday, Jayawardene said the benefits of the changes were already on display.

"We've had quite a few meetings when we arrived in Australia trying cultivate a few things which we want in the team, such as the thinking processes and getting the guys to take more responsibility," he said.

"Even [Wednesday] we felt they've taken quite a bit in as well. We felt that their attitude, their hunger on the field ... was good."

"We executed a lot of our plans and just fell short because we were probably 30 or 40 runs short of our target. We made a good start."

The veteran batsman admitted he had doubted whether returning to the captaincy was the right move.

"The decision for me to take over was a very tough one, the easiest thing for me to do was to say 'no'," Jayawardene said.

"It took me 24 hours to make the call."

"In the situation we're in now I thought I needed to take the responsibility and try to do my best and see what happens."

"I was a bit nervous going into the toss to be honest with you, but after that it was fine once the game started."

Jayawardene, who was dismissed for 23 as Sri Lanka posted a modest 8-233 which India chased down with 20 balls to spare, said he hadn't thought about how long he'd like to remain as captain or when the best time would be to hand over to leader-in-waiting Angelo Mathews.

Sri Lanka next face Australia in Perth on Friday and will be desperate to end a WACA Ground hoodoo, which has seen them win just two of their 16 one-day internationals at the ground, including defeats in their past eight.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

You Might Also Like

Strauss lauds his bats
Strauss lauds his bats
England captain Andrew Strauss praised Alastair Cook and Ian Bell after they saw the hosts to a win over the West Indies in the first Test.
 
 
 
 

Most Read Articles

Melbourne Origin 'an insult'
Melbourne Origin 'an insult'
League
05/23/2012 04:10:01 AM
Angry NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has labelled the decision to stage Origin I in ...
 
 
Carney the ace up NSW's sleeve
League
05/22/2012 09:40:18 PM
 
Hayes still hungry for flag
AFL
05/23/2012 04:32:28 AM
 
Wests Tigers sign forwards pair
League
05/23/2012 03:06:16 AM
 
Drogba confirms Chelsea exit
Football
05/22/2012 06:49:21 PM
 
Tomic progresses in Nice
Tennis
05/22/2012 09:47:16 PM
 
Matthew Kemp calls it quits
Football
05/23/2012 03:24:39 AM
 
Maroons still need Petero power
League
05/22/2012 09:36:12 PM
 
 
 

Fantasy IPL: Best Players

Your Say

Our Say

Clarke douses the doubters
Clarke douses the doubters
Dejan Kalinic
Australia captain Michael Clarke has well and truly silenced the critics who questioned ...more