da spicy bet： After four years in the limelight, facing the media, and attending to amyriad off-field responsibilities, Sanath Jayasuriya is enjoying his newlife as a simple senior pro
Wisden CricInfo02-Jun-2003After four years in the limelight, facing the media, and attending to amyriad off-field responsibilities, Sanath Jayasuriya is enjoying his newlife as a simple senior pro.© ReutersDuring the recent series against New Zealand, whether lolling by the hotelpoolside or limbering up on the training ground, Jayasuriya cut a relaxedfigure, a man obviously relieved to be free of the endless decision-making.Captaincy is the ultimate honour for any cricketer, but it is a job thatcarries a heavy burden, especially in a country like Sri Lanka, where thepopulace is so cricket mad.”There are so many extra responsibilities when you are captain,” saysJayasuriya. “There are endless meetings – before, after and during matches,all the organisation and procedures at practice, and then afterwards workwith the cricket board.”Sri Lanka’s tour of the West Indies will be his first since standingdown. He has no regrets about handing over the reins. “I enjoyed taking onthe responsibility but I am relieved to be free of it now,” he said. “I amhappy with the decision that I made and I am enjoying my cricket at themoment.”© ReutersBut being such a crucial cog in a Sri Lankan batting line-up whichis struggling to find form and confidence means that he cannot just slipinto cruise control and enjoy the twilight of his career. “I still have alot of cricket responsibilities on my shoulders,” he adds. “The team doesnot expect me to score nice 20s or 30s – they need big scores.”During the recent Test series New Zealand he showed excellent form, helpinghimself to two entertaining fifties, but the Bank Alfalah Cup brought moremeagre returns: 48 runs in four matches with a highest score of 33.”I was very happy with my form during the Test series, although annoyed thatthat I didn’t covert those two fifties into hundreds,” he says. ‘I was,though, disappointed with the one-dayers.”© ReutersApproaching his 34th birthday, Jayasuriya is setting no date for his eventualretirement, although there are some milestones that he wants to achieve: “Atthe moment, my objective is to pass 10,000 runs and 300 wickets in theone-day game and pass 5000 runs in the Test arena.”But like the rest of the Sri Lankan players, who have been playing virtuallynon-stop for the last 14 months, he is relishing the prospect of a much-needed break after the Caribbean. The three-month layoff (less if Sri Lankaplay in the Morocco Cup in August) will provide an opportunity to address arecurring tonsillitis problem.”At the moment I am fit and healthy but the tonsillitis is a big problem atthe moment,” he says. “I think I will have an operation straight after thistour. My consultant wants to see me as soon as I return – he thinks I willbe out for about a month.”For the moment, though, it is all eyes on a series against the resurgentWest Indies, a tour that fans hope will bring out the uninhibited best inSri Lanka’s new laid-back senior pro.