India and Sri Lankan Cricket Boards hope to resolve IPL row

India’s and Sri Lanka’s cricket boards are aiming to resolve the row of participation of Sri Lankan players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the Sport Ministry in consultation with the cricket board decided to call back its players from India.

According to reports emanating from the two countries there is a resolution being drafted, this was confirmed by the Chairman of the IPL Commission, Chirayu Amin. He stated that a common ground is being found for the resolutions of all issues with the hope that the two boards would work together for the wider interest of the game in both countries.

The IPL supremo told Indian media that efforts were underway in this regard, and the needful was being done. "The BCCI top brass is in touch with SLC and they will resolve the issue", Amin told the Times of India. "It is an issue between SLC and its players, who are playing in IPL four. We are expecting that the issue will get solved by next week".

The Sport Ministry in Sri Lanka asked the players taking part in the cash rich league to report for training at the start of next month. The training camp is being established to help the team prepare for the tour of England set to start at the end of next month.

The national team is due to depart for England on May 10 where they will play three Tests, five ODIs and one Twenty20. The tour is of great importance for the Islanders, who are keen on reaching the top three in both ODIs and Test match format, additionally the tour is a real challenge for them considering the fact that they have not won a single Test series at the home of cricket.  

The call to bring players home has been made to make the players work on the challenges of playing with the red ball compared to the white ones that are used in limited overs cricket, something that the players have been exposed to regularly in the last few months.

Mendis, who is the Chairman of the selectors, stated that the players needed to concentrate on getting used to the change of playing with white balls rather than red.

Meanwhile, the greatest spin bowler of all time off spinner, Muttiah Muralitharan, who is playing for Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the IPL, has slammed the board's decision. The recently retired champion stated that the decision by the Board defies logic as players needed to play more in the league and guide their respective franchises towards the business end of the tournament.

"I think the board [SLC] has given them permission till May 20", Murali told a TV channel. "I don't know what happened suddenly. The players were told to come on May 5. It is the fault of SLC because they signed the NOC [No Objection certificate] till May 20 so if they change it to May 5 it is wrong. Players will get demoralized, because if they go back on May 5, they play half of the IPL and they are going to miss a lot [of it]”.

He felt that the players would be returning home half hearted and that might backfire for the team as they head out to England for what can be a real gruelling series against a vastly improved team.

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SRI LANKA NEEDS LONG-TERM CAPTAIN CLAIMS KUMAR SANGAKKARA

Outgoing captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team, Kumar Sangakkara, hopes that the national cricket board appoints a long term successor in his place.

The stylish left-handed batsman admired the world over for his skills and mannerisms on and off the field thinks that the Islanders need someone, who can take the team to the next World Cup, and, ideally should have the backing of the cricket administrators of the game as he learns the nuances of leadership at the international level.

Sangakkara has two candidates in mind, one is the flamboyant opening batsman, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and, the other one is all-rounder Angelo Mathews.

Dilshan has had phenomenal success at the highest level in the last three years, or, so, he was the leading run getter in the World Cup amassing a tally of more than 500 runs.

On the other hand, Mathews is regarded as one of the brightest talents in the country, he is yet to fulfill his potential as a top class all-rounder but at the age of 23 he has time on his side.

Sangakkara thinks that one of the two should be backed for the longer haul, especially in the case of Dilshan, who does not have many years of cricket left in him and would need to work hard on his fitness if he has to be in the reckoning for the next 50 overs World Cup.

"You have to look long term. Not just what is good for now. If you want to go for Dilshan, give him the confidence for a long term", Sangakkara told ESPNcricinfo. "Don't give the captaincy to Dilshan and say, 'You are just going to be captain for a year and half.' It's not going to be good for him, for he is going to think, 'My days are numbered anyway. And so it won't be good for the team”.

Sangakkara did not choose any one of the two. However, he is of the opinion that Dilshan has that Midas touch, which makes him a real asset to the team, but at the age of 34 he does not really know how long he is going to last.

"Both Dilshan and Angie [Angelo] are suitable. If they think Angie is too young then Dilshan will do a good job because he has these little touches for success. Anything he does on the field, he has this little knack. I don't know whether he will be the long-term candidate with his age, but if he keeps himself fit he can easily play the next World Cup”.

Sangakkara, who stepped down from the captaincy after the loss in the final of the World Cup to India earlier in the month, thinks that it is the national selection panel that has to make the call.

He added that whosoever gets the call needs to have pressure shared if they make a call and if things don't go well in the first or second year. He feels that the Board has to play a pivotal role in giving that cushion to the captain and selectors especially when things become a tad tough and results don’t come the way as expected in the cricket mad nation.

The announcement for the new captain is expected shortly, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board has to finalize a team for the tour of England, which includes three Tests and five ODIs.

Sri Lanka has a long way to go in the Test match format and needs to start with a winning series in England,South Africa, and, Australia, if they are to be rated as a top class Test nation.

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