Colombo: Sanath Jayasuriya says he has shed the 1996 World Cup role of a slambang opener and has donned the mantle of mentor by virtue of being the senior most player in the Sri Lankan team.
"In 1996, that time the combination was different. We had a lot of seniors in the team and it was upto Kalu (Romesh Kaluwitharana) and me to play the shots," the veteran batsman said.
"Now, the game has not changed but the role has. Now I am a senior in the team and I share my experiences with the youngsters. And the younsters have done well. Players like Upul Tharanga are doing a great job. They are going after the bowlers."
Jayasuriya, who has been the scourge of Indian bowlers since the time he tore into them in a World Cup match at Delhi in 1996, is returning to the side after announcing his retirement prior to the England tour.
That decision to call it a day followed a string of poor scores and chief selector Ashantha de Mel's individual statement to the effect that the Matara Marauder's career was as good as over.
But good sense finally prevailed and Jayasuriya was recalled.
The 37-year-old has scored 938 runs at 67.00 in 10 Tests against India and his three centuries include the marathon 340 he made at the SSC ground in Colombo a decade ago.
In the shorter version of the game, he averages 37.46 with 2098 runs from 62 One-Dayers, and none will forget the 189 he scored in a tri-series final in Sharjah in 2000, a match in which India were bowled out for their lowest One-Day score of 54.
He has also taken 39 ODI wickets against India with his left-arm spinners, including a stumped dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar - the first time the Indian maestro was dismissed in such fashion on the international stage- in the 1996 World Cup semi-final at the Eden Gardens.
It was then an unfortunate chapter in his splendid career when he was dropped from the One-Day team and later ignored for the Test series when Sri Lanka visited India late last year.
Jayasuriya, however, made a strong comeback into the national side in England where Sri Lanka bounced back to draw a three-Test series 1-1.
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Jayasuriya said the controversy did hurt him and he was under pressure to perform when he returned to the side.
"It was hurting. I had played my cricket the hard way and served the country for so many years... I was under pressure when I was asked to go to England, but I performed. So, the bottomline is to perform," he said.
The left-hander believes the team has come a long way from the 6-1 thrashing it received from India 10 months ago and is now prepared well to take on them in the tri-series.
"It has changed a lot. It has performed well recently, we played well right through the England series. Consistency has come. More importantly, the confidence is back and we are playing our natural game."
Jayasuriya also praised Mahela Jayawardene for his leadership role in a stop-gap arrangement as Marvan Atapattu recovers from a lower back injury.
"Mahela has been the vice-captain for so long and so he has taken to captaincy easily. He has matured a lot over the years and has done well (as captain) when the opportunity has been given to him."
Jayasuriya also said he was keen on getting 100 Test wickets.
"That was one milestone I was keen about but it did not work. I am looking for it, it will come naturally," said Jayasuriya, who has 96 Test scalps to his credit.
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