Chasing Big Totals on Flat Pitches Is Good for Cricket: Sanath Jayasuriya

Former Sri Lankan explosive opener Sanath Jayasuriya has said that chasing big totals on flat pitches is good for cricket. His statement comes at a time when Sri Lanka achieved the massive target of 429 runs against England in the ongoing tri-nation ODI series in Pakistan. It is the second-highest successful chase in the history of ODI cricket. Sri Lanka accomplished this feat in the match played at Rawalpindi on October 22, and this victory also took them to the final of the triangular series. Jayasuriya said that batsmen in modern cricket have every facility, but he also acknowledged that the many changes in the rules have proven beneficial for the game. He believes that spectators want big shots, big scores and matches that stay exciting until the end. Sri Lanka's successful 429-run chase is proof that teams are now ready from the start to handle the pressure of big targets. In the match against England, the Rawalpindi pitch was completely in favour of the batsmen. England batted first and put up a big score, but the Sri Lankan batsmen did not face much trouble. This proves that if the pitch is favourable for batting, even a target of more than 400 can be achieved. On this achievement, Jayasuriya said it is important for taking the game forward, but he also added that there should be concern about the bowlers. Jayasuriya said in his statement that if pitches continue to be made more and more batsman-friendly, bowlers will have fewer challenges. He believes that boards should pay attention to this balance, but also said that the rules currently in place have made the game popular. Many decisions of the BCCI and ICC are considered to be in favour of batsmanship. Sri Lanka reaching the final has boosted the team's morale. The team won two of the four matches in the triangular series, which is enough to take them to the final. The final against Pakistan on Saturday could prove to be an exciting confluence of India-Pakistan and Sri Lanka-Pakistan rivalries. In this series being hosted by Pakistan, Sri Lanka has shown its strength. Jayasuriya, however, took a cautious stance on Sri Lanka's performance in this series. He said that reaching the final is important, but the real test will come when the team has to play in the India tour in December. The Sri Lankan team will go to India for a white-ball series in December. This tour will be a big challenge for Sri Lankan cricket, because spin bowling always dominates on Indian soil. Meanwhile, Jayasuriya praised the Indian team's white-ball performance. He said that India's limited-overs cricket is currently the best in the world. The Indian team has performed brilliantly in the T20 series in New Zealand, in which young batsman Abhishek Sharma created history. In the third T20 match played in Wellington, Abhishek Sharma played an innings of 113 runs off 38 balls. He completed his century off just 35 balls, which is among the fastest centuries in T20 international cricket. India won this match by six wickets. Abhishek's innings stunned the entire cricketing world. On Abhishek Sharma's innings, Jayasuriya said that he is amazed to see such batting. He said that young batsmen in modern cricket lack no confidence and are capable of hitting big shots from the very beginning. Jayasuriya said that such performances are changing the face of T20 cricket. Thanks to Abhishek's innings, India has established its dominance in the series in New Zealand. India's batting is very deep at the moment and the opposition bowlers have no safe place. Jayasuriya said that the Indian team has a group of players who can turn the match in any situation. Besides India, the New Zealand tour is important for India because the tour will feature both ODI and Test series. The Test series will be a challenge for India because their record on fast and bouncy pitches has always been a subject of scrutiny. Jayasuriya said that the Indian team's Test record is not as strong as their home performance, but in recent times the team has proven its ability on foreign soil. There is excitement in the cricketing world about the December series between Sri Lanka and India as well. The biggest challenge for the Sri Lankan team will be adapting to Indian conditions, especially against spin bowling. Looking at the last few tours, Sri Lankan batsmen have struggled against Indian spinners. Acknowledging this, Jayasuriya said the team will have to devise a different strategy for Indian conditions. Jayasuriya also expressed his views on rule changes. He said that many rules brought in by the ICC, such as the free-hit and additional regulations, have had an impact on the game. He said these rules have made bowlers mentally stronger because they have to be alert on every ball. On the balance between batting and bowling, Jayasuriya said that batting dominates modern cricket, but he is confident that rules will also be made for bowlers in the future. He said that the balance is maintained in Test cricket, while batting is more dominant in limited-overs cricket. The Rawalpindi pitch has proven that a target of more than 400 is no longer impossible in ODI cricket. Teams like England, South Africa and Australia have made such scores. Sri Lanka has now added its name to this list. Jayasuriya said this is just the beginning and bigger scores will be seen in the times to come. Referring to the experiences of his career, Jayasuriya said that when he used to play, a score of 250-300 was considered big, but now 350 has become normal. He said this change has come about due to the quality of bats, fitness and changes in the size of the grounds. He said franchise cricket has also changed the way batsmen play. For the Sri Lankan team, this triangular series is quite important because the team has seen many changes in recent times. With a new coach and a new strategy, the team is slowly gaining rhythm. Reaching the final is proof that the team is moving in the right direction. The final match against Pakistan will be a big test for Sri Lanka. Jayasuriya also said about Pakistan that the host team is playing in home conditions, and they have a fantastic bowling attack. A tough contest is expected in the final because both teams know each other well. He said that experience and the ability to handle pressure will prove decisive in the final. Praising the Indian team, Jayasuriya said that the team's biggest quality is its depth. He said that the Indian team has players for every situation and that is why they are consistently winning. He said that young players like Abhishek Sharma are a good sign for India's future. Speaking in detail about Abhishek Sharma's 113-run innings, Jayasuriya said that he has seen an innings that is rare in both ODI and T20 formats. He said that by scoring 113 runs off 38 balls, Abhishek has proven that fast batting and accuracy can go together. The Indian team's performance in New Zealand is also important because the tour also includes ODI and Test series. Jayasuriya said that the Indian team has not had the same success in all three formats, but he believes the team has players with the ability to excel in every format. Jayasuriya, who served as a former Sri Lanka captain and chief selector, said he hopes Sri Lankan cricket will soon regain its former glory. He said the team does not lack talent, but lacks consistency, which needs to be addressed. Jayasuriya also acknowledged that in the modern era the cricket calendar is so crowded that staying physically and mentally fit has become challenging for players. He said this is why many players are getting injured and teams are having to change their strategy. He said boards should exercise restraint regarding players' workload. Jayasuriya also spoke about the role of fans. He says fans have a huge contribution in making cricket popular and it is the responsibility of players to fulfil their expectations. He said when a score of more than 400 is made, the excitement of fans increases, which benefits the game. Regarding the India tour, Jayasuriya said it is a good opportunity for the Sri Lankan team to prove its ability by playing in Indian conditions. He said if Sri Lanka performs well in India, it will be a good sign for Asian cricket as well. Jayasuriya said the rivalry between India and Sri Lanka has always been exciting and the December series will carry this tradition forward. He said there are some players in the Sri Lankan team who can perform well in Indian conditions. In his statement, Jayasuriya also said that he hopes cricket will become even more exciting in the future. His thinking of chasing big targets on flat pitches indicates that he is a supporter of aggressive cricket. This statement is a morale booster for the Sri Lankan team ahead of the final. The team has won two matches in the series and by reaching the final it has proven its ability. Jayasuriya said the team must give its all in the final. At the same time, the Indian team is on a New Zealand tour, where it has registered a brilliant win in the T20 series. Abhishek Sharma's innings is among the biggest headlines of this tour. Jayasuriya said the Indian team has several players who can cause problems for any team. Jayasuriya said that when teams chase big targets, pressure increases on bowlers, but so does the fear of becoming the villain. He said bowling has now become more challenging than before because batsmen try to hit every ball. Jayasuriya said he has faith in the future of Sri Lankan cricket. He said young players are being given opportunities and this will make the team stronger. He said playing against teams like India and New Zealand is challenging for any team. Thus Sanath Jayasuriya's statement is an important comment on the current scenario of cricket. His view is that chasing big targets on flat pitches makes the game exciting, but at the same time he has also acknowledged the need for balance between bowling and batting. The match in which Sri Lanka chased 429 against England was the second-highest successful chase in the history of ODI cricket. The first place is held by South Africa's chase of 438, which it achieved against Australia. Sri Lanka's performance is an example for the future and shows that no target can be considered impossible. Jayasuriya said that in the times to come, a chase of 450 or 500 is also possible, but for that pitches need to be even more batsman-friendly. He said teams will have to bring changes in strategy and bowlers will have to develop new weapons. Praising the Indian team's white-ball performance, Jayasuriya said the team has a mix of seniors like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and youngsters like Abhishek Sharma. He said this balance has made the Indian team strong. On the New Zealand tour, Jayasuriya said the Indian team will face a tough challenge in the Test series because New Zealand pitches behave differently. He said Indian batsmen will have to improve their technique to succeed on fast and bouncy pitches. Regarding Sri Lanka's December tour, Jayasuriya said the team will have to make special preparations against Indian spinners. He said spin bowling is decisive on Indian soil and Sri Lankan batsmen will have to be mentally prepared for it. Jayasuriya said he hopes the Sri Lankan team will perform well in India and this tour will boost the team's confidence. He said reaching the final is an achievement in itself, but the real goal is to win the trophy. In conclusion, Jayasuriya said that changes are continuously taking place in cricket and players have to keep pace with them. He said chasing big targets on flat pitches is good for the game, but maintaining balance is also necessary.