IND vs SL | Sri Lanka players are skilled but need match education, asserts Mickey Arthur
Getty
Sri Lanka’s head coach Mickey Arthur, ahead of their final T20I of the series against India, has accepted that their youngsters despite being skilled, lack match awareness. Arthur, who was appointed as the coach in December last year, felt that the players need to work on game plan and strategy.
Despite showing promise, Sri Lanka were comfortably defeated by India in the 2nd T20I in Indore after the 1st game in Assam was washed out. Their captain Lasith Malinga pointed out that the team was missing Isuru Udana's services. With a new set of players in the Sri Lankan setup, head coach Mickey Arthur feels the youngsters need to get educated about match scenarios. The former Pakistan coach also pointed out very basic things with respect to the match awareness and building strategy.
"We have got a set of players who are very skilled and we just need to educate them a little bit in terms of game plans, strategy and match management. We need to make them understand when to take risks and when not. We are working hard on rotating strikes. Those are the little things we are working on. After every outing we need to get better and better and in eight months time we have to be competing (in T20 World Cup)" Arthur said on Thursday ahead of Friday's third and final T20 International against India.
The 51-year-old former cricketer also praised India’s domestic cricket’s structure that brings out raw talents who according to him are ready to perform at the top level from the very beginning.
"India is trying out some really good players and there is abundance in talent here. The players that they bring in just stand up and do their job. It shows how strong structure they have now," said Arthur.
According to him the wickets in India are conducive to batting and totals above 170 is suitable to pose a defending challenge.
"The wickets here (in India) are really good, so you have to score 170s. I have told players that try and put targets in T20 cricket because sometimes you go out there thinking I will get 180 and take too many risks while setting and then get all out for 140 and later realise that maybe 150 could have won us the game," he added.
