Arjuna Ranatunga skips brainstorming session organised to probe into Sri Lankan cricket's decline

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s former World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga chose to stay away from a brainstorming session, organised to probe into the Sri Lankan cricket’s decline. [caption id=“attachment_3910523” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Arjuna Ranatunga. Reuters[/caption] “I did not take part. It was not a sports ministry exercise but something done by the current cricket administration itself,” Ranatunga told reporters. Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara convened the day-long meeting, which was held yesterday, where former cricketing greats, former administrators and media personnels participated. Sri Lanka team has been on a steady decline since 2014 after the departure of the greats like Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena and Thilakaratne Dilshan. They recently lost back-to-back home series against minnows Zimbabwe and India. There have been accusations that the current Sri Lanka Cricket administration headed by Thilanga Sumathipala, who is the deputy speaker in parliament from the ruling coalition, is responsible for the team’s present status. Jayasekara asked why people like Ranatunga and former opening batsman Sidath Wettimuny, who criticise the current set-up, did not turn up for the brainstorming session. “People were making a lot of noises – some said the SLC voting system was wrong and the others said Sumathipala should be sacked. But they did not turn up,” said Jayasekara. Jayasekara also said that the proposals from different brainstorming sessions held on Friday would be looked into to make the necessary changes in the system.