The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Sri Lankan team arrives for ODIs

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Saturday, Feb 03, 2007
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Sri Lankan team arrives for ODIs

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan's absence from the Sri Lankan team for the four-match series against India has created opportunities for other players to take responsibility, said coach Tom Moody.

"Many players have stepped up the mark in the last 14 months. This series is very important for us as it would help us in the build-up towards the World Cup.

"India is a very tough opponent at home. Whether Vaas and Murali are there in the squad or not, it doesn't make any difference to our focus,'' he added.

The team manager Michael Tissera said Vaas and Muralitharan had played a lot of matches and had been rested because the World Cup was going to be an important event.

Like India's coach Greg Chappell, Moody also stressed the aspect of process in developing a team. "We are constantly following a process and reviewing it. The Sri Lankan team has grown immensely over the last so many months. The process would continue. There's a lot of talent in Sri Lanka and when the right environment is created the team thrives and blossoms.''

Moody said that the 1-6 defeat in India some months ago was irrelevant now.

When asked if the quality of pitches, said to have declined in the West Indies over a long period of time, would turn out to be advantageous for the Asian teams, skipper Mahela Jayawardene said: "It's a funny thing. The ICC Champions Trophy was played in India and none of the Asian teams made it to the final.

"It's got nothing to do with the wicket. We have to get used to the conditions and hit form.''

Jayawardene said that it was important to pick players in form for the competition in the Caribbean and in the course of the 10-day training session at home, members of the squad for the India tour played in the domestic tournament. He was particularly happy with the pace attack.Only four players have survived the team that beat India in the 1996 World Cup semifinal at the Eden Gardens. "We like the atmosphere at the Eden Gardens and are happy to start the series there,'' Jayawardene said.

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