Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene feels speedster Lasith Malinga has taken the right decision in bidding adieu to Test cricket.
The Kochi Tuskers Kerala skipper said Malinga has been suffering from this injury for quite some time and quitting Test cricket would help his dream of playing for Sri Lanka in the World Cup 2015.
The 33-year-old also dispelled the notion that Malinga's decision was prompted by comments made by a section of the Sri Lankan cricket administration regarding his participation in IPL while declaring himself unfit for the country's upcoming Test tour of England.
"I feel he has taken the right decision after pondering over all aspects. He has been suffering from this knee injury for quite some time," Jayawardene said.
"I know when I was the captain we used to try and calculate his work load and used him accordingly. At times it used to flare up and once he was away from cricket for 16 months.
"In order to extend his career he has to quit Test cricket. In fact his target is next World Cup in 2015 and by bidding adieu to Tests he has prolonged his career in shorter version of the game.
"He had worked hard and made a fine comeback and is performing brilliantly. He has realised that he can't sustain that huge work load and perhaps has prolonged his career. I am very happy for him," said the Sri Lankan skipper.
Iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar turns 38 on Sunday and Jayawardene wished the Indian a very special birthday.
"He is like a bottle of wine getting better and better with time and is performing brilliantly in all three forms of cricket. Whole of India, reveres him like god. As fellow cricketers we admire him. He is a role model," he said.
Asked about S Sreesanth, who has played the initial two match so far in the fourth Indian Premier League, Jayawardene said the temperamental pacer was fit and bowling well.
"His attitude is in control and he is fit and bowling well. But with bowlers like Vinay Kumar and others doing well he couldn't find a place in scheme of things," said Jayawardene.
Asked if Kochi goes on to reach the IPL final would he be playing in it, Jayawardene said it was still a long way away and the Sri Lanka cricket has a clear directive for them to play in the warm up game starting on May 18 in England.
"There was a bit of confusion in the previous week but now we have a clear directive and we have been asked to play in the warm up game. As regarding Kochi reaching final it is still a long way," he said.
Reacting to rumors that former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly joining Kochi, Mahela said he was clueless about the reported development.
"I have no idea. It is entirely up to the management of the franchise. We have already lost Graeme Smith and Hastings through injuries and have still not asked for replacements because the need did not arise. It is up to the franchise to decide," he said.
