India skipper Virat Kohli said he is open to working with the Sri Lankan team management to help them with their transitional issues once the limited-overs series between the two sides is over.
Kohli was speaking in response to Sri Lanka head coach Nic Pothas’ comments earlier about seeking help from the ‘big three’ regarding their transitional experience.
Pothas had said: “We are in a position at the moment that England, India, Australia all have found themselves in. We have learnt from them and spoken to them.”
At the pre-match press conference on Wednesday, when asked if he had spoken to the hosts’ team management, Kohli said, “We haven’t had any discussions yet. Those things may happen after the competitive zone is over and done with the series. I think that will happen after September 6 if it has to happen from their end.”
Sri Lanka have been facing a difficult time both on and off the pitch ever since the retirements of legends like Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Muttiah Muralitharan.
A string of humiliating losses in recent times had led to fans demonstrating in front of the team bus after their defeat to India in Dambulla on Sunday.
Pressure continues to grow on the team management after Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekera called for an inquest into the team’s alarming slump.
The Lankan team bus was held up by angry fans after their defeat to India in Dambulla.
Kohli, who himself has been part of a transitional Indian side after the retirements of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, empathized with the hosts regarding their predicament.
The skipper said: “Look it is difficult for any team going through transition. One thing that we decided to do as a team was take more responsibility and ownership of what we do on the field when playing for the country. We just needed to change our mindset.
“One thing that we decided to do as a team was take more responsibility and ownership of what we do on the field, playing for the country. We just needed to change our mindset. It didn’t matter if we were playing against a side that had played 60 Tests each, if we are mentally more prepared than them, then we are in a better position to win,” he said.
“So we decided to put our heads in that zone where experience didn’t matter much for us. It was the fight and competitiveness we were willing to show and the desire to fight for longer periods that helped us get through that phase quicker than what others might have faced.”
The ongoing series between the two sides will finish with the sole Twenty20 clash at Colombo on September 6.