AB Mathew
Sanath Jayasuriya, one of the best all-rounders and players the world has ever seen. Explosive batting, spinning left-arm off-spin. A player who made his name in modern cricket. The genius who showed the world how to hit and score runs in 10 overs with field restrictions in ODI cricket.
But despite all this, for me, Jayasurya is our rival. Opponent without mercy! Because in 2005, before the start of the tri-nation Indian Oil Cup held in Sri Lanka, there was an occasion of mocking India in an interview given to the Indian Express newspaper. When asked what it feels like to come back to play free from injury
The newspaperman who asked questions following saying ‘We play India in the opening match’ laughed with contempt. Underneath that sneer and sneer is the fact that his prey is India and he has played a lot of innings once morest India to prove it.
In the 1996 World Cup group match, Jayasuriya defeated India, who advanced on Sachin’s century. In the 1997 Asia Cup final, Jayasuriya got off to a brilliant start as India chased down their target of 240 in 36 overs. In the 2008 Asia Cup final, he scored 125 runs to give victory to a devastated Lanka. In the 2000 Sharjah Cup final, he scored 189 runs and broke India’s backbone. Jayasurya was always like that. He would have defeated India single-handedly. His highest score in Tests was 340 once morest India. He has turned many of India’s matches either with the bat or with the ball back to the Lankan side. He has captained India in some tri-series and won the cup.
But in 2002 Champions Trophy final, 2002 Natwest Trophy, 2008 and 2009 ODI series won by India in Lanka, 2009 compaq cup final and 2005 odi series won by India 6-1 in India, these are comforting circumstances. Even though Sachin Sehwag was there to put a check on India when things were going like this, Jayasuriya sat below him. But when the king Virat Kohli emerged, what Jayasuriya was for India, Kohli became Sri Lanka’s nightmare.
From his maiden ODI century in Kolkata to his impressive 35 runs in the 2011 World Cup final, his storming 86-ball 133 at Hobart in 2012, his century in the 2012 Asia Cup to knock out Lanka, the one-day series that India officially won in Sri Lanka in 2012 and 2017, and two centuries in 2017 and 2015 in Sri Lanka. There has been no other batsman in recent times who has chased Lanka so well with series-winning centuries and then a century and a double century in the Test series in India. Yesterday he scored his 9th odi century once morest Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram and added another record. Also holds the record for the most centuries scored by a single player in ODIs once morest one team.
Rohit’s two ODI double centuries (264 & 208) once morest Sri Lanka, Dhoni’s highest ODI score by a keeper (183*) and Dhoni’s (91 runs) in the World Cup final were the biggest blow to Sri Lanka, but one Virat Kohli’s blow once morest them was too much to bear. to say
Then as said, we had to come Kohli to check Jayasuriya. Perhaps my animosity towards Jayasurya made me write this. Let the readers judge!
Credit: Malayali Cricket Zone
