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We are still young as a cricketing nation: Jehan Mubarak

Sri Lanka left-handed batsman Jehan Mubarak says his nation will take longer to overcome transition phase following successive retirements of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara

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Sri Lanka’s Jehan Mubarak last played for his country in August 2015
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There have been quite a few cricket teams in the middle of a transition process over the past couple of years. But while some have been quick to complete that cycle, others seem to be taking their own sweet time.

Teams like Australia, India and New Zealand fall in the first category, where the process is handled with due care, importance and diligence. Leading the pack among the latter category are Sri Lanka, who look directionless after the exit of two of their stalwarts, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Across all formats, the islanders have struggled to get results.

Jehan Mubarak, the Sri Lankan batsman who has been part of their international set up since 2002, admitted that they are struggling in the process of transition compared to the other teams.

"Every team goes through that after you have had good players play for a long time," Mubarak, who is in the city to participate in the Mitsui Shoji T20 League, said. "After such players leave, there is obviously going to be a transition. The better teams and better countries minimise that transition period to about one year, or two years maximum. We're struggling a bit with that, mainly due to departures and injuries to some of our key players. So, it will take some time but we need to be a bit patient with them."

The 35-year-old left-hander, who last donned the national jersey in the second Test against India in Colombo last August, reckoned teams like India have an edge in such aspects due to the presence of the Indian Premier League (IPL) coupled with an organised domestic structure.

"I think India just has a bigger talent pool. You have a lot of players, a very well organised domestic structure. And with the IPL, youngsters get good exposure with international cricketers. I think that's one key thing that helps India develop. Plus, there is a lot of interaction between the senior players, even your pioneer cricketers, and the young boys.

"Sri Lanka will get there eventually but it will take us longer. We are still young as a cricketing nation. We don't have that years and years of experienced cricketers who can come back into the system and set a system that will just generate talented cricketers," the lanky batsman said.

Frequent changes in the top brass of Sri Lanka Cricket and its selection committee also doesn't help the cause. Sri Lanka seem to be confused whether to back youth or experience, the shock inclusion of Dilhara Fernando for the World T20 giving proof of that.

"Maybe, it (changes in selection panel) affects the process. But in this region, it happens a lot. It comes with the territory. Boards change, committees change, captains change. As cricketers, those are external things that should not affect us," the US-born player said.

Despite being in the international scene for more than a decade, Mubarak has played just 13 Tests, 40 ODIs and 16 T20Is. He was dropped after that second Test against India, and despite hoping for another national comeback, he knows the end might not be far away.

"In Sri Lanka, you're forced to think about retirement. Because once you past 30, there's an impression that you're beyond your best stage and that there's a tendency to look for young cricketers. So, I'm keeping an eye on my other options as well," he said.

One of that is coaching, which is what has got him to the two-day visit to the city. Other than playing for the Ghatkopar Jets in the five-team local T20 league, Mubarak wants to impart his experience to the young players at the bottom of the pyramid.

"Some people say that international cricketers should not be playing in local leagues, that it's beneath you to play. I think there's no such thing. We all started at a very young age at the grassroots level. Someone who we may not even remember gave us the opportunity when we were young, and said 'go out there and enjoy ourselves'. So, everyone deserves that opportunity," he said.

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