Sanath set to launch new career

Veteran Sri Lanka cricketer and former Test captain Sanath Jayasuriya’s entry into politics as a contestant at the forthcoming Parliamentary General Election is a welcome sign.

Jayasuriya has contributed immensely to Sri Lanka cricket and is a household name in the country. He is a person who started life from the very bottom and reached the pinnacle, purely due to his determination, courage and talent.

A true son of the soil from Southern Sri Lanka, Sanath Teran Jayasuriya will be contesting from Matara District under the United National Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket. His presence in the UPFA team of MPs in the next Parliament is important for Sri Lanka sport.

Needless to say the immense contributions made by Jayasuriya as a cricketer is par excellence. Over the past two decades, Jayasuriya has gone great guns, piloting Sri Lanka to many victories during his 110-Test and 444-One Day International career.

The most unforgettable and cherished moment of this great cricketer’s career was in 1996 when he was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the World Cup at which Sri Lanka emerged champions.

Jayasuriya’s future presence in the Parliament augurs well not only for the game but for all other sports in the country. Jayasuriya has first hand experience on numerous hardships faced by poor and rural sportsmen and women. He could well identify problems at grassroots level because he himself had undergone the very same some 20-25 years ago.

On the other hand, Jayasuriya could well be a mentor for budding sportsmen and women in the provinces. Jayasuriya has conquered all those hardships through sheer determination, dedication and talent.

During the early part of his cricketing career as a schoolboy at St. Servatious College, Matara and as player stepping into club cricket at Bloomfield, Jayasuriya had to beat all odds to march towards his ambition of becoming an international cricketer.

He has nothing but his talent to depend on. He strongly believed in his talent which eventually brought him many things in life. He has an exemplary career as a cricketer and that could well be an inspiration for those less affluent sportsmen and women in the villages who are looking forward to making it to the big league.

Jayasuriya knows the inside out of Sri Lanka cricket and in general as a sportsman. His vast experience in that field could effectively be used for the development of Sri Lanka sport.

A former Sri Lanka captain turned politician has said that Jayasuriya must retire from international cricket to contest the General Elections. This is utter rubbish and a malicious statement to block this rural cricketer making it to politics.

As any other citizen, Jayasuriya has a right to enter politics and those ignorant must not take decisions on his behalf about his cricketing career. No one has the right to decide on Jayasuriya’s cricketing career and that is entirely a matter for the cricketer concerned and the cricket selection committee to decide whether to pick him or not.

On the other hand, we understand that the Sri Lanka Cricket has given the green light for Jayasuriya to go ahead with his decision of a people’s representative in the next Parliament. Let Jayasuriya decide on the feasibility of playing the dual role.

If he so thinks that he should fully concentrate as a politician as he has reached the last quarter of his distinguished career, Jayasuriya would call it a day. But bankrupt politicians who have done political summersaults should not arrive at conclusions on Jayasuriya’s career or advise him about his cricketing future.

Jayasuriya knows how well President Mahinda Rajapaksa has helped Sri Lanka sport, especially those sportsmen and women in villages. President Rajapaksa has been a source of encouragement for the country’s budding sportsmen and women, playing a significant role as a great promoter of sport. That is precisely why Jayasuriya has stepped into politics and strengthen the next Government under President Rajapaksa.

In order to continue his good work, President Rajapaksa needs a mandate similar to his Presidential Election victory at the forthcoming General Elections. Energetic sporting stars such as Jayasuriya would definitely add more strength for the anticipated landslide UPFA victory come April 8.

Sri Lanka has achieved many sporting milestones during the past five years and the construction of the brand new Mahinda Rajapaksa International Sports Stadium in Diyagama, Homagama opened a new chapter in Sri Lanka sport. This multi-sport venue is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka and would be a significant milestone in the annals of Sri Lanka sport.

Apart from Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka sports stars such as Susanthika Jayasinghe extended their support to President Rajapaksa in his January campaign. That is because the country’s elite sportsmen and women had the first hand experience of President Rajapaksa’s devotion and dedication to elevate Sri Lanka sport to world level.

Hence, the sporting fraternity will be strongly behind our sporting stars such as Jayasuriya and Jayasinghe who have come forward to strengthen President Rajapaksa’s vision to provide a better tomorrow for our talented sportsmen and women.

Despite going places, Jayasuriya has not forgotten his humble beginnings and is the very same cricketer who came to Colombo to play club cricket some 20 years back. His rural touch and humbleness have won people and it would not be a big challenge for Jayasuriya to secure people’s mandate.

Some politicians show their humbleness only during the election time but Jayasuriya, with his meritorious acts over the past two decades, has proved the qualities he is made of. Jayasuriya is one of the best persons who could understand the true problems of sportsmen and women and to remove obstacles which prevents Sri Lanka stepping into world arena more often.

“Sports Watch” wishes Jayasuriya all success as he opens a new innings in the political arena.