Sitting on the parapet outside the Sri Lankan dressing room, Lasith Malinga is comfortably feeling at home. Knowing the weather is not permitting the second day’s play to begin, the Lankan pacer is relaxed, signing autographs and posing with fans for pictures.
But one can see the anxiousness in his eyes and the eagerness to get back on to the ground as soon as possible. He can’t wait to roll his arms around. The keenness, understandably, is more because he is returning to Test cricket after two and half years. His last Test was at this venue, against England in 2007.
The Galle-born pacer can’t wait to get the new ball in hand but he is not too sure when he can actually do that. “It has been raining and it might rain again. It is difficult (the play),” says Malinga in a dejected tone, looking at the skies.
The 26-year-old hasn’t played in Tests for quite some time and has been appearing only in the ODIs and Twenty20’s. “I am keen to put my bowling shoes on,” he told DNA. He is looking forward to bowling against India and particularly Sachin Tendulkar, his captain at Mumbai Indians. “India is a good side and they have a very good batting line-up. Sachin is a great batsman and I would love to bowl to him. I have played alongside him for the Mumbai Indians and am now looking forward to bowling to him in the series.”
So is being Tendulkar’s teammate at Mumbai Indians a
benefit? “I don’t think so. It doesn’t matter if you know his game. He doesn’t have any weakness. He can play all the shots,” he says. “But I am aiming to bowl my best against him.”
Despite India having a weak bow ling line-up, Malinga feels it won’t be easy to beat the visitors. “They may not have the experience of Zaheer but they have good talented bowlers. Harbhajan is quite experienced. Also their batting is very strong,” Malinga, who has 91 wickets from 28 matches, says.
So does Sri Lanka stand a chance to win the series? “We’re not looking at the whole series at one go. We will be taking one match at a time and not rush into things. We will put our best foot forward. It cannot be said that india is a weak team or it will be easy to beat them. The contest is going to be healthy and strong as India is a good team,” he signs off.
