Ex-Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga's comment on the Indian cricket team for the Sri Lanka tour is garnering reactions from the global cricket fraternity.
Notably, Ranatunga had slammed the country’s cricket board for agreeing to host a second-string Indian side, saying that it is nothing short of an ‘insult’.
However, Sri Lankan batting legend Aravinda de Silva dismissed his former captain’s claim, citing that Indian cricket has so much depth that the team selected for the Sri Lanka tour can’t be termed a “second-string” side.
While the Shikhar Dhawan-led young Indian side will be playing a white-ball series in Sri Lanka from July 13, the Virat Kohli-led senior team is gearing up for the five-match Test series on England tour.
“India has got (an) enormous amount of talent going around at the moment and there is no way you call any side a second string,” De Silva said during a virtual group interaction, as quoted by PTI.
“If you look at the current way of handling players, looking at current situation(s) world-wide, there is a rotation (of players) all over the world and these players being in a bubble has become very challenging for some of these youngsters, it is not easy,” he further remarked.
“It is very important to keep their minds occupied, maybe it will come to a stage where rotating some of these players, even some of the officials to that extent, because they are put in some of these bubbles has taken the toll on some of these youngsters and officials.
“So, I guess, this method might be something for the future. Even if you send a second string team or third team string, it is not a third string team, it is a rotational sort of (arrangement),” he added.
“I guess I won’t blame anyone for changing squads and sending different squads on various tours, that I guess is going to be the future,” said 55-year-old, who has played 93 Tests.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket has also reacted to Ranatunga’s remarks by saying: “Out of the 20-member India squad, 14 players have represented India across all formats or in some form and not a second-string team as claimed.”
According to Aravinda de Silva, the current Sri Lankan team needs balance.
“They need to give the balance sorted out in the national team as soon as possible,” he said. “The English tour really showed us where we are at this juncture. It is certainly not a young team. It is quite an experienced team. It is lot to do with the balance of the team, that is where, I felt the combinations we had in those sort of conditions weren’t the best.”
Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka’s senior-most active player, opted out of the upcoming series against India, citing personal reasons, but De Silva wasn’t pleased with his decision.
“It is a pity if he (Angelo Matthews) has decided to quit at this stage, because I see him as a guy who contributed a lot to Sri Lanka cricket,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)
