Muralitharan, Vaas to skip India tour

[King]

Muralitharan, Vaas to skip India tour COLOMBO, JAN 17 (PTI) Sri Lanka today decided to rest strike bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan for the upcoming one-day cricket series against India in view of the World Cup in March-April. Left-arm paceman Nuwan Zoysa and Nuwan Kulasekera, a right-arm medium pacer, were brought into the 15-member squad as their replacements. The squad has two leg spinners in Malinga Bandara and Upul Chandana. Russel Arnold was picked ahead of Chamara Kapugedera, who was named a standby. The four-match ODI series would be played at Pune (Feb 8), Rajkot (Feb 11), Goa (Feb 14) and Visakhapatnam (Feb 17). Squad: Mahela Jayawardena (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Marvan Atapattu, Russel Arnold, T Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Malinga Bandara, Upul Chandana, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Fernando and Nuwan Kulasekera.

[King]

Re: Muralitharan, Vaas to skip India tour I just don't understand this resting business. This is the last chance to prepare prior world cup and the two stalwarts gets rested. Infact only 2 test matches were played in NZ and about 4 ODIs. It will be nearly a month break since the last game was played by Sri Lanka. Moreover it's only 4 ODIs and not a full tour either. I simply don't understand this resting business. If a month's rest is not good enough then I don't quite know what is. :shrug:

[audioman]

Re: Muralitharan, Vaas to skip India tour Maybe they have a niggle. Sarwan is not touring either. The WI view is that cricket in India is hardly any notable preparation for the WC, so why strain yourself for a meaningless series.

[yoda]

Re: Muralitharan, Vaas to skip India tour

I just don't understand this resting business. This is the last chance to prepare prior world cup and the two stalwarts gets rested. Infact only 2 test matches were played in NZ and about 4 ODIs. It will be nearly a month break since the last game was played by Sri Lanka. Moreover it's only 4 ODIs and not a full tour either. I simply don't understand this resting business. If a month's rest is not good enough then I don't quite know what is. :shrug:

wouldn't blame them. their team is reasonably well set unlike ours.

[dhruvdeepak]

Re: Muralitharan, Vaas to skip India tour both have slight injuries i think. anyways its a good opportunity to test out some guys who have been away for a while: chandana and zoysa. murali and vaas will anyway come back and fit in seamlessly. for India, we dont get to play our guys against possibly the best exponents of WI conditions, which is a pity. there would not be a sterner test.

[King]

Re: Muralitharan, Vaas to skip India tour I don't think so Yoda. Sri Lanka didn't even qualify for the semi finals in the ICC champions trophy. They just drew 2-2 against NZ in ODI series. Moreover Indian and Sri Lankan pitches and conditions would be the closet to the West Indies type. I don't reckon the 4 ODIs they played in NZ conditions can be termed good match practice prior world cup. Also if they lose against India badly (don't reckon that will happen given India's current ODI form), psychologically that will be a setback prior world cup.