Sri Lanka Cricket, the administrative body running the game in the island nation has hit back at its former captain for demeaning the touring Indian side by calling it a second-string side.
“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce that despite claims by various parties as reported in the Media, the National White-Ball team of India currently touring Sri Lanka is a strong squad,” the SLC said in a statement released on Friday, 2 July.
The board further enumerated the achievements of the team in various formats to counter the claims of various people calling it a low for Sri Lanka to invite a second-string team to play its national team.
“Out of the 20-member India squad, 14 players have represented India across all formats or in some form. (Test, ODI, or T20i), and not a ‘second-string team,’ as claimed," the board said.
The top players of the Indian team led by regular skipper Virat Kohli are in England for a Test series and the Sri Lankan board presented it as a fact of how things are going to go in this world ridden by the pandemic.
“This is the latest norm in the cricketing world, especially the full ICC Member countries, as they maintain specialist squads and players for each format of the game. The aim of such arrangements is to be competitive in each format of the game by maintaining specialist players and squads,” the board reiterated.
“Apart from it, maintaining separate squads enable cricketing boards to fulfil their international commitments unhindered, such as the ICC Future Tours Program,” it added.
Earlier, Ranatunga, the former World Cup-winning skipper of Sri Lanka said, “This is a second-string Indian team and their coming here is an insult on our cricket. I blame the current administration for agreeing to play with them due to television marketing needs.”
The series between India and Sri Lanka would begin with the first ODI at the R Premadasa on July 13th.