'Don't risk Malinga in Tests before World Cup' - Jayawardene

Fast bowler Lasith Malinga has become such a precious commodity that Sri Lanka are considering not risking him in any of the upcoming three Tests against West Indies. The spearhead of the Sri Lankan bowling attack in one-dayers along with Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga was left out of the first Test in Galle starting Monday. He may not play in the rest of the series because Sri Lanka intends keeping him injury-free, fit and fresh for the 2011 World Cup which begins next February.

"With the injury he has, it could easily come back," Mahela Jayawardene said. "It's a very rare injury on the knee and him playing three Tests against West Indies would definitely hamper him. I don't think we'll risk playing him in Test cricket just before the World Cup. The selectors [will] probably play him in a few of the one-dayers against West Indies."

Malinga, who bowls with a slinging action, is the third highest wicket-taker in Tests for his country with 101 wickets from 30 Tests. In the last Test series Sri Lanka played at home against India in June, Malinga played in the first and third Test and was rested for the second. He played a stellar role in Sri Lanka's historic 2-1 maiden one-day series victory in Australia this month winning the Man-of-the-Series award for his contribution with the ball as well as the bat.

"We've got enough ammunition now with Dilhara [Fernando] and Dammika [Prasad] who bowled really well in Australia, Thilan Thushara coming back from injury and playing in the three-day game, and [Chanaka] Welegedara as well," Jayawardene said. "Plus, the two young boys, Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep, who bowled really well with the A team. It's a great opportunity for these guys to show what they are capable of."

Jayawardene said that after the World Cup Sri Lanka will have to assess whether they could play Malinga in Test matches depending on his work load. "We'll have to monitor him and Lasith could think why risk bowling a lot and get injured again and be out for a year and a half. It's a career-threatening injury where he might not be able to bowl again. It's a bit too early for us to totally write him off from Test cricket but we have to manage him, that's how I would put it."

The West Indies series is the first that Sri Lanka will be going in without the redoubtable Murali, who retired earlier this year. "I don't think you can replace guys like Murali who's taken 800 Test wickets and [Chaminda] Vaasy 355 wickets. That's going to be a tough one.

"It can be very exciting as well because rather than depending on one of the bowlers now we have to play as a unit of five bowlers who are going to take 20 wickets rather than one of them picking up eight or 12. What we have to realise is that it is quite difficult to replace players just like that but given opportunities and having a lot of faith we've seen in the last year or so it has happened in one-day cricket where all the youngsters have delivered. We have to have the same plan of pacing them in Test cricket as well and give them enough opportunities and encourage them to do things with a free mind."

Jayawardene said that the best thing to happen to Sri Lanka cricket was the advent of young allrounder Angelo Mathews. "If there is an allrounder (we never had a genuine allrounder for a long time) like Angie who could deliver with the bat and the ball for us, it makes a huge difference," said Jayawardene. "The confidence he shows and the way he learns about the game everyday is good for us and for the future of cricket. There are a few other younger boys who are doing very well like Jeevan Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal who's been used as well in the system. If these guys make the rapid progress that Angelo has done, in another four-five years time when the senior boys leave these guys will be quite adequate to take those roles and take Sri Lanka cricket forward which is the most important thing."

Looking at his future, Jayawardene said, "Honestly I haven't thought about it. But this is going to be a very big World Cup for me. I've just kept everything for that. After the World Cup we got two years (with) a lot of Test cricket ahead of us. I just need to refocus and see what my priorities are going to be.

"I am not going to be very selfish. It's going to be what the team requires and how we need to progress. Definitely after the World Cup I need to sit with the selectors and discuss those options of what plans they have, where we need to go and depending on that I'll make my decision."