Jayasuriya to discuss his future with selectors
Sanath Jayasuriya will discuss his future as Sri Lanka captain with selectors once he returns from South Africa
Charlie Austin
20-Mar-2003
Sanath Jayasuriya will discuss his future as Sri Lanka captain with
selectors once he returns from South Africa.
The Sri Lanka team is due back in Colombo on Friday morning having lost
their semi-final clash to Australia by 48 runs on Wednesday.
The three-man selection panel will then sit down over the weekend with
Jayasuriya, asking him whether he wants to step down after four
years in charge.
"We will ask Sanath (Jayasuriya) whether he wants to carry on, or whether he
would prefer to concentrate on his batting," said Guy de Alwis, the chairman
of the selectors.
Despite speculation over a change at the helm, Jayasuriya is unlikely to
suffer the same fate as Pakistan's Waqar Younis and South Africa's Shaun
Pollock, both of whom have already been axed.
However, the 33-year-old may believe the time has come to hand over the
reins to his vice-captain Marvan Atapattu.
Jayasuriya took over the leadership from Arjuna Ranatunga immediately after
the 1999 World Cup in England.
Once the captaincy issue has been resolved then the selectors will finalise
their squad for the Sharjah Cup starting April 1.
Local newspapers had claimed that wicket-keeping discard Romesh
Kaluwitharana and middle order batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan had already been
recalled but this has been dismissed by the chairman of selectors.
"This is pure speculation," said de Alwis. "We cannot pick the side until
the team management returns from South Africa."