We need Chandimal to settle in at number 4: Jayawardene – Cricket News Update
Identifying http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397 has stressed the need for the 22-year-old to fit into the position and identify his role in time for the 2015 World Cup.
Speaking in reference to the team’s most recent ODI, played against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 at Hambantota, the skipper claimed that while he had been tempted to come in to bat at number 4, he realised the importance of looking at the “bigger picture”.
“The whole structure going forward for the next World Cup is to make sure that guys like Angelo [Mathews] and Chandimal bat in certain positions,” he explained. “We need Chandi to bat at four and identify his role. He did that well for us in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 ...
I felt he is confident where he is right now and [we will] try and keep him where he is.”
Jayawardene relinquished his usual number 4 position following the 2011 World Cup after which Chandimal became a regular fixture in the side. Counted among Sri Lanka’s most promising young batsmen, the right-hander has been batting at number 4 since, a position
where the skipper hopes he will become permanently fixed.
After making his international debut in 2010, the 22-year-old has gone on to play a total of 41 ODIs, during which he has scored 1200 runs. Highlights of his career include an unbeaten 105 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 at Lord’s in July 2011, and he was also Sri Lanka’s
third highest scorer in the Commonwealth Bank series played in Australia during February this year, one point behind http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KC-Sangakkara-c1779.
Countering the frequent criticism regarding the Lankan team’s dependence on the batting trio of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TM-Dilshan-c2691, Sangakkara, and Jayawardene himself, the skipper pointed out that when they had been looking to gain a foothold in the team, they had begun
by playing as support for the more senior batsmen. He explained that this was exactly what youngsters like Chandimal and Mathews were expected to do now, in order to build a strong side for the upcoming World Cup.
“We have two-and-a-half years for the next World Cup. We don't know whether guys like Kumar, Dilshan and I will be around by that time ... We need to plan accordingly,” Jayawardene insisted.
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