COLOMBO, July 25: Arjuna Ranatunga is a respected man, not only in Sri Lanka, but also the world over, as international cricket's senior-most citizen. Ranatunga's captaincy has been as much a major factor in Lanka's upswing of fortunes as the batting of Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva or the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas. In an exclusive interview to The Indian Express, Ranatunga throws light on an array of issues connected with Sri Lankan cricket.

Q: What are the factors that contributed to the rise of Sri Lanka?

A: It's a combination of talent, experience and an attitude to try and help each other out. For sheer talent, I think the Sri Lankan team in the bygone years was far more superior, when we had the likes of Duleep Mendis, Ranjan Madugalle, Roy Dias, Siddath Wettimuny, Aravinda de Silva, Asanka Gurusinha and myself. But unlike the present team, we had different ideas then. The present Lankan team runs in the same direction while, in the past, players used to pull in different directions. Now, the players play as a team and for the team. Aravinda's priority is not winning the man of the series award, Sanath's aspiration is not to hit the fastest hundred nor is Murali's primary aim to bag five wickets in the innings. Team goal, and not individual excellence, is our motto.

Much of the credit should also go to our manager Duleep Mendis. We have been working like a family where the problems are discussed and solutions found. Roy (Dias) and Ranjan (Madugalle) too have been of great help. I also see a lot of advice from Abu Fuard.

Q: What about the contribution of former coach Dave Whatmore?

A: Long before Dave came on the scene, we had become a force to reckon with. Where he helped us was in the fitness regimes and in fielding. And talking about fitness, it's our present physio, Alex Konturri, who has done wonders for the team. Since he took over, there has been no major muscle injury problems faced by the players. It was his idea to conduct exercises in the pool as it does not tax the legs. He has specific exercises for different players. Thanks to Alex, I have lost five kgs. You see, in this part of the world, people get pampered by family members and you need someone to push you into doing workouts.

Q: What was the rationale behind seeking Sir Gary Sobers as coach when Lanka already has Bruce Yardley in that role?A: Sobers has done a great deal of good for Sri Lankan cricket. We now want him for short periods, every three to six months for a few weeks to look into and set right the technical problems of our players. He altered my grip at Mohali (during the Independence Cup) and the next day I got 80 in 70 balls with the new grip. Of course, Bruce (Yardley) is doing a good job. I just spoke to him before he underwent surgery. It's said that he has lost one eye, but he will be back once he is fit to return to Lanka.

Q: What is the reason behind Sri Lanka's relative failure to come to terms with Test cricket?

A: The problem is that we need a couple of more good bowlers. We need bowlers of international class to support the likes of Vaas and Murali. To win a Test you need to get 20 wickets. A One-Day International can be won by just containment and without bothering too much about taking wickets. It's just a matter of time before we bridge the gap.

Q: What is your attitude and approach to captaincy?

A: I have all along been a great believer in giving 100 per cent, even while eating (laughs). If I take up a responsibility, I have to do full justice to it. There is no room for compromise in my book. After winning the World Cup, I had expressed a desire to step down from the captaincy. However, I was dissuaded from doing so by a lot of younger players in the side. So, here I am, continuing as captain.

Q: What is the the kind of help players receive from the management?

A: It's important that there is mutual trust. The players must be free from the feeling that the noose is hanging over their head. They have to be given the confidence that they are secure. Look at Romesh (Kaluwitharana). We kept on persisting with him despite repeated failures. When we finally dropped him, Lanka de Silva grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Look at Marvan Atapattu. Personally, I feel he should not have played when he made his international debut. He just did not have the right attitude. But he was given repeated chances to resurrect his career. Today, he is a different player, a brilliant batsman who is going to serve Lanka for long. And the reason for his success today is that he was told not to worry about his place. The fear of failure has gone and the results have started to come.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.