Jayasuriya-struck Sachin blames bowlers

“He does not need any luck because he has got shots allround the wicket,” Tendulkar said of the left-handed Lankan phenomenon who created a world Test record partnership worth 576 with Roshan Mahanama (225) in the first of the two-Test series against India in which his contribution was 340.

Jayasuriya was also the scourge of the Indian bowlers in the Asia Cup and three-match one day series, held on either side of the Test series, by smashing the attack to smithereens.

Lanka won the Asia Cup final against India and went on to sweep the one-day series 3-0 yesterday and Jayasuriya was declared the Man of the Series.Tendulkar described the performance of the Indian batsmen as good but said the bowlers needed to be more disciplined in their line of attack when pointed out their relative inexperience at the international level.

“Bowlers need to be more disciplined. We cannot have fielders on both sides of the wicket. It is better to bowl on one side. It does not matter if you give away a wide or two,” felt Tendulkar.

Tendulkar said all the bowlers tried hard but in general things did not work the Indians’ way. He also put in a word of praise for spinners Rajesh Chauhan, back in the National team after a two-year gap, and Nilesh Kulkarni for the courage they showed in the face of the Lankan batsmen’s onslaught.

About his deputy Anil Kumble’s lack of success on the tour, the Indian skipper said the leg-spinner was unhappy (about his form) but he (Tendulkar) had told him it can happen to any bowler.

“I have told him to go home and relax. He tried very hard,” Tendulkar added.

The Indian skipper was disappointed that the third One-Day International got abandoned on Saturday due to bad light.

“I had told the umpires to inform me before offering the option to go off to the lankan batsmen and also told them I would remove even (medium-pacer) Robin Singh from the attack in that case,” the Indian captain said.

The umpires’ decision to call off the play drew criticism from former Australian captain Greg Chappell, in Colombo as television commentator.

Tendulkar described the pitch for the first Test, where Sri Lanka raised a world record total of 952 for 6 in reply to India’s first innings score of 537 for 8 declared, as a `very flat wicket’.

The administrative manager of the team, Ratnakar Shetty, said the tour was a disappointment.

About Robin Singh’s promotion to the one-down slot for the one-day series at the fag end of the tour, Shetty said it was the decision of the team management.

Shetty said the controversies regarding former Pakistan stumper Rashid Latif’s interview to an Indian weekly, his subsequent faxed denial from London addressed to ex-India captain Mohammed Azharuddin and coach Madan Lal’s comments about the merits of individual players to a National daily midway through the tour was slightly upsetting to the team.

“But they recovered quickly (from the setbacks).”