'Chasing big totals is good for cricket': Sanath Jayasuriya

MUMBAI: Sri Lankan batting great Sanath Jayasuriya has given a thumbs-up to the recent trend of teams chasing down big totals on flat pitches in white-ball cricket.

Sri Lanka pulled off the second-highest successful chase in ODIs when they overhauled England’s 429-run total in a Tri-Series match in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on October 22.

“It’s very good to see that it’s happening and players are getting runs on the board and chasing it, which is good for cricket. Teams and players are getting more and more confident, and that is the key. Anything is possible these days, and it is good to see that teams are putting runs on the board and even chasing, but I can see that is also putting the bowlers under pressure,” Jayasuriya told reporters at an event on Friday.

“It’s been a lot of changes in the rules. New things have come up in cricket with new regulations, which are good for the game,” he added.

Asked about the supremely talented and explosive Abhishek Sharma, who smashed a 38-ball 113, including a 35-ball century, to help India win the third T20I at Wellington by six wickets, Jayasuriya said, “He has a long way to go, but it is a good future for India. Let him play his natural game and let him do his work, and it will be a good investment for Indian cricket.”

“He (Abhishek) is an all-round player. You cannot say anything in specific is strong — he is an all-round player. He can play in any part of the park, so that is a good thing,” he added.

Praising India’s white-ball team, Jayasuriya said, “They are talented cricketers and are playing well. India has got the talent and is playing good cricket at the moment. There are quite a few Indian players who have been doing well. Good to see them. They are talented, work hard and are playing well.”

Asked about Sri Lanka’s impressive performance in Pakistan in the Tri-Series — they won two of their four matches and qualified for the final, where they will face Pakistan on Saturday — Jayasuriya felt that the campaign would boost their confidence ahead of their white-ball tour of India in December.

“It’s a good confidence (booster) for the Sri Lankan team, which is doing well before they come to India. The confidence is high, they are playing well, and I hope they will do well in India too,” the former dashing left-hander, who also served as Sri Lanka’s chief selector, said.

Jayasuriya backed India to do well in the forthcoming ODI and Test series in New Zealand.

“They are going to do well for sure, but away from India they have always looked to do well, and it will be a good series,” he said.