DHAKA, Jan 12 - Sri Lanka's young players have
performed well enough in the tri-series in Bangladesh to
convince skipper Kumar Sangakkara that they are ready to
challenge the senior players for full-time places in the squad.
Several experienced players were rested for the one-day
series in which Sri Lanka face India in Wednesday's final but
Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal, Thishara Perera and Thilan
Tushara all impressed in the side's run of three wins from four
games.
"In the year going forward from here, we hope that many of
these guys will push a permanent place and give everyone a run
for their money," Sangakkara told reporters on Tuesday.
Sangakkara admitted, however, that world record wicket
taker Mutriah Muralitharan's place in the one-day side was
still safe despite his poor run of recent form and the
emergence of off-spinner Randiv.
"I think he is pushing for a permanent place in the one-day
side without a doubt," Sangakkara added,
"(But) Murali is Murali, you know, no one can be compared
with him, so we are just waiting for him to come back in the
side as well.
"It will be exciting to have these two guys playing
together if we can manage that, but Suraj Randiv's performance
has been outstanding in the last two series."
Randiv made his ODI debut in Muralitharan's absence against
India last month and has since claimed nine wickets in eight
matches. He showed his all-round ability with a half-century
amid a batting collapse against India on Saturday.
"We just want him to grow from strength to strength and
make sure he understands what he is doing, how he can get
better and the pressures of international cricket," Sangakkara
said.
(Reporting by Azad Majumder; Editing by John O'Brien; To query
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