"Should never have gone to a Super Over" - Sanath Jayasuriya on IND vs SL 3rd T20I
Sri Lanka's interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya recently rued the third T20I against India in Pallekele going to the Super Over on July 30. The former Sri Lanka opening batter said that it's disappointing to give away wickets to part-time bowlers like Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav.
The home side were cruising at one stage in the third T20I being at 110-1 in pursuit of 138 for victory. Even with nine runs required off the last two overs, Sri Lanka were favorites, but it progressed to a Super Over. They managed only a couple of runs in the Super Over and India won comfortably to seal a 3-0 sweep.
At a presser ahead of the first ODI on July 2, Jayasuriya stated that coaches can only do so much and doing things on the field is up to the players. He also lamented Kusal Perera's failure to finish off things. As quoted by Cricbuzz, Jayasuriya said:
"The third game should never have gone to a Super Over. As coaches, you can tell stuff but handling pressure is for those out in the middle. We are aware that part-time bowlers. had got those crucial wickets. It is disappointing.
"Kusal Perera from the middle had made a gesture to send a right-hander in. His intentions of letting us know that a right-hander was needed is correct. We were prepared for the routine batting line-up. But when the set batter sends a message you need to listen to that. I would have been happier had Kusal Perera finished it off."
Sri Lanka were in positions of power even in the first two T20Is but failed to capitalise as India turned the screws. While the top-order batters fired, the former World T20 champions' middle order struggled big time.
"We are taking the responsibility, you can't go away from that" - Sanath Jayasuriya
The 55-year-old declared that the support staff is entirely behind the players and remembered his own struggles during his playing career. Jayasuriya added via the aforementioned source:
"It's disappointing as a coach, but we have to take the criticism as well, as a coach, as a support staff, as a team. We are taking the responsibility, you can't go away from that.
"As long as they realise that, and make sure that, we'll have to keep giving them the confidence and support I had to go through this (phase) in my time as a cricketer, every cricketer has to go through this. When criticism comes, you have to take it."
Sri Lanka have sustained two more injuries ahead of the ODI series, with Dilshan Madushanka and Matheesha Pathirana ruled out.