Sri Lankans are struggling more against spin: Jayasuriya

With Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra tormenting Sri Lankan team in the first two Tests, former captain Sanath Jayasuriya feels that the newer crop of batsmen emerging from the island nation have not done proper assessment of their ability to handle quality spinners.
Asked if there is some kind of technical deficiency in current Asian batsmen, who were considered to be good players of spin bowling, the dashing left-hander said,"I think Sri Lankan batsmen are struggling more against spin. We think we are good at spin but we are not. Also it's because both the sides have quality spinners."
"If India have Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Harbhajan Singh, then Sri Lanka also have Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal. Herath you see has been key to Lanka's success in the recent series so far," Jayasuriya was speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the start of season 2 of the STAIRS School Football League at the Thyagraj Sports Complex here.

Jayauriya specially mentioned Ashwin's name, who has now taken 17 wickets from two Tests with two five-wicket hauls.
"Ravichandran Ashwin really bowled well. That he is developing into a good bowler, it's the record that speaks for him. He knows his strengths and bowls to his field and is more consistent. He also bowled in the right areas. So obviously he is improving," Jayasuriya said.
Trailing the three-match series 0-1, India came from behind to humble the hosts by 278 runs in the series-leveling win and also deny Kumar Sangakkara a fairytale ending in his swansong. Jayasuriya credited India's batting for the turnaround.

"Sri Lanka won the first Test and India did well to comeback and level the series. India have displayed a very good batting performance. Also they bowled well to get Sri Lanka out to about 300 runs. They fought back well to play well in the second innings. Virat and company batted well to outwit the bowlers, especially Ajinkya Rahane, who got a hundred in the second innings," said Jayasuriya, whose highest Test score of 340 was against India.
Jayasuriya also observed that the 22-yard strips at Galle and P Sara Oval have exactly not been belters as scoring wasn't very easy.

"It has been a hard-fought series. Even though the grounds have not been too big and the wickets aren't big scoring ones. But still the batsmen have done well on these tracks. Both teams have been fighting hard to get runs on board and that is commendable," he said.