Lanka`s cricket downfall due to player politics: Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka`s current international slump is due to internal politics among players and not due to any political interference by the government says Sanath Jayasuriya.

Colombo: Sri Lanka`s current international slump is due to internal politics among players and not due to any political interference by the government, former captain Sanath Jayasuriya told the Parliament on Wednesday.

"If we look at our defeats since the World Cup we see that the team which played in the World Cup has not changed except for two or three players. So it is the same team which is losing right now," Jayasuriya, a ruling party back bencher said. "Players have internal politics among them. They must know to co-operate with the available captain in order to take the country forward," Jayasuriya stressed. Since losing the World Cup final to India, Sri Lanka have lost Test series to England, Australia and Pakistan and rumours of disunity among players are being floated as the cause for the losses. The two star players Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara refused to lead the team after the World Cup loss, and Thilakaratne Dilshan was appointed as captain. Sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage intervened to bring unity into the team ahead of last month`s series against Pakistan. The alleged player dissatisfaction comes in the midst of dwindling financial resources of the governing body, Sri Lanka Cricket. The players` salaries remain unpaid since the end of the World Cup. PTI