Nayan Mongia praises Sanath Jayasuriya: He was most destructive batsman

Sanath Jayasuriya and Nayan Mongia

In a dramatic fall from grace for Sanath Jayasuriya, the legendary former Sri Lanka opener was yesterday banned from all cricket for two years by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after admitting breaching two counts of the anti-corruption code. Jayasuriya accepted the sanctions after failing to "cooperate with any ACU investigation" and "obstructing or delaying any investigation, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation". Jayasuriya, however, escaped a maximum punishment of five years for his breach after taking into account his "previous good conduct". Jayasuriya's sanction will be backdated, starting from October 16, 2018.

Former India wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia, who had the best view of Jayasuriya's batting during the 1996 World Cup, where the southpaw was awarded the Player of the Tournament, said the Matara Mauler will always be regarded as the most destructive batsman of the 1990s. "I don't want to comment [on the ICC ban], but for me, he is the most destructive batsman Sri Lanka has ever produced [irrespective of the ban]," Mongia told mid-day from Baroda yesterday. "In the 1990s, he was the most destructive batsman. He and Romesh Kaluwitharana changed the concept of using the first 15 overs in one-day cricket. He [Jayasuriya] was a left-arm spinner, batting at No. 9 and 10, and was promoted to use the first 15 overs. Once he got the confidence, it was a different ball game altogether.

Unstoppable Jayasuriya
"He was high on confidence and in such a prime form at that time. It is very difficult to stop someone like him. In the one-dayers, the pitches are pretty flat and there is nothing for the bowlers. The white ball doesn't swing so much and the seam goes down... all the more reasons why he was so destructive," added Mongia.

Mongia said Jayasuriya had a huge impact on the oppositions. "We had plans... to bowl on his body. (Javagal) Srinath was quick and so was Venky [Venkatesh Prasad]. He [Jayasuriya] forced the opposition to change their plans... like Manoj [Prabhakar] bowled spin to him. Sri Lanka would take the game away in the first 15 overs itself. And once he batted for 15 overs, he would bat long... till 30-35 overs. He would get big hundreds and the team score would be 280-300. He was handy with his left-arm spin and a fantastic fielder too. He was a complete cricketer," recalled Mongia. However, Anshuman Gaekwad, who was the India coach from 1997 to 1999, felt the recent controversy will dent the former chief selector of Sri Lanka's image.

'Dent in image'
"He must have had some reasons for not talking to them [ICC ACU]. There could be something more, much bigger where some bigger people are involved. This is a possibility. It will dent his image for sure. Why does he not want to talk and share the information if he is clean and clear? I don't think the fans will have the same kind of respect that they had for him [after these charges]," said Gaekwad.

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