The Rediff interview/ Roshan Mahanama

'People shouldn't test the mental ability of a player to try and get him out'

When Sri Lankan cricketer Roshan Mahanama had boarded a flight to Melbourne, he had no inkling that a 'private' launch of his book would create such hype. He was surprised to find television crews and newspersons at the airport’s arrival lounge. The author of the much-talked-about 'Retired Hurt' spoke to Neena Bhandari in the quietude of his relative's suburban home in Wattlegrove, a Sydney suburb.

Glenn McGrath has denied your claim that he had called Sanath Jayasuriya a "black monkey". Why do you think he is denying it? What is your response?

Glenn has denied the claim like you say it, but I don’t know why he has denied it. I think you will have to check that with Glenn, because I have no idea why he has denied it.

Reiterating what I have said, it is not an allegation against Glenn McGrath nor do I want to take any action against him now. Glenn seems to be a nice person and I was fortunate enough to have a chat with him in Sri Lanka one-and-a-half years ago. But I don't agree with the way he reacts on the field.

I can say that I have nothing against Glenn McGrath, and even when I was playing I can't remember us having any serious incident. I don't intend putting Glenn into trouble or the Australian Cricket Board having an enquiry or bringing Australian cricket into disrepute.

I have been involved with Sri Lankan cricket with both phases, from being nobody to ending up as world champions. The reason behind writing this is that it is only but fair for me to write a book and pen down my experiences over a 13-year Test career.

I think there was a lot of hype in Melbourne as they had picked up only two lines from my 232-page book. I have said a lot of good things about Australia and Australians and so on. In my book I have given other examples as well. What has taken place in Sri Lanka, what have the selectors said and so forth; but that is not with a bad intention. It is what I experienced during my entire cricket career. Right!

It is my story and it is not anyone else's story and I don't want to fabricate a story. If I wanted to fabricate, I could have fabricated on so many other issues going on right now in the cricketing world. There again, I could have fabricated and said X,Y,Z said this to me and not Glenn said this to Sanath. I could have said one of these guys said this to me. I can remember having an argument with [Ian] Healy and it was clearly shown whenever they played my videos. I have said whatever happened with Healey also in the book.

What I am trying to say is that this is not a money-making exercise. We have printed only 2000 books, which if I take to Sri Lanka, I can sell it amongst my friends and family only. If it was a money-making exercise, I would have taken and given the stories to a publisher and got lot more money and sold more copies.

I am self-publishing it purely because I wanted to do a translation, which may be out in the next two months. If it does, I will be the first Sri Lankan cricketer to do a book in my own language.

I heard, subsequently, that in 1998 the ACB had incorporated a new clause -- something to do with racial something in their contract, but I wouldn't know why Glenn is denying.

Do you think the contract came through because such things were happening in Australian cricket?

[Laughs] There should be reason for them to incorporate something like that in their contracts half way through; otherwise, they should have had it right from the beginning.

Can you explain the circumstances under which the fast bowler abused Jayasuriya? How did Jayasuriya react?

As I have mentioned in the book, Glenn would have said it in the heat of the moment and may not have really meant it, but he would have wanted to rattle Sanath. Certainly, that is not the way he should have reacted or done it. I don't approve what he said.

I have always said the contest must stick to bat and ball. These people shouldn't test the mental ability of a player to rattle and disrupt and try to get him out. The Australians are good enough to beat any side in the world without testing the mental ability of their opponents.

Sanath was very upset, not only because of the fact that Glenn said this, but because we lost the first finals. It was a close match. We lost by 18 runs. We had a few incidents there also, a couple of bad umpiring decisions, and few arguments and so on. The second final was important for us and we knew that we had to win that and then the third finals where the Aussies got 250-260 something. Just before we started batting, it started to rain and the run-rate was also revised. It was a tough task for us to get to the score and then Sanath was trying his level best to at least accelerate the run-rate and keep the tempo going with that this happened and Sanath was really fuming. He just came and mentioned this in the dressing room.

You didn't play the match in question. How did you come to know about the incident?

I didn't play in the second finals, but I played in the first finals and being a member of the touring team they don't lock me up in a toilet or keep me away from the team. I was a part of all the discussions and I would know whatever happens within the team. Even if I was playing in that game, I wouldn't be in the middle at that particular moment, I would have been still inside, because Sanath would have been out there with someone else. Even if it happened while we were fielding, being a member of a touring team you know exactly what happens.

What was the reaction to such an outburst in the Sri Lankan dressing room?

Basically, the media was harping on it again. We didn't shake hands with the Australians after that particular finals and the reason is that being people from the sub-continent, we were hurt rather than upset.

We had an eventful series. I think that is the most controversial tour in my career because we started from the logo to ball tampering and Murali's issue and then this last, Sanath's, one, we thought best is to avoid and go. They asked us why we had not complained. We didn’t want to have enquiries and take it from there onwards. Even now we don’t want it. It is just that now we are stating it. Basically, what I am trying to say in my book is all the things that inspired us to go and win a World Cup, in 1996. We came up from being nobody to become world champions.

We try and play the game with one another the way the game should be played. We never become personal unless they start it and put us into trouble.

Can you tell us about other such outbursts by McGrath and his colleagues?

There are so many incidents. I was reading this article the other day where somebody has mentioned that last so many years he has been cautioned and reported. We experience so much and I think we are quite used to it. These kind of things really toughened us up and now you should see the level that Sri Lanka cricket is, we are among the top three in one-day cricket and we are in the top five in Test cricket. And that is what I have shown in my book. It is not being personal or to put Glenn into trouble or to open a new chapter. What is gone is gone; it is my book stating my experiences over the years.

I have mentioned it in my book that during this particular series the West Indies were playing and they have had to experience these sort of things over the years, but they never mentioned about a particular incident to this effect, but they have talked about bad experiences.

Do you think it was a pre-planned verbal attack or was it done at the spur of the moment?

No, I don't think it was a pre-planned attack; I think it is in their system. I think for a person who has played a fair bit of cricket in Australia with the national team and local cricket in Melbourne for three seasons, I know the Australian system very well. It happens not only at the highest level, but lower level as well. That is the way they play their cricket. What happens at the local level is that there is so much competition; as they are equally good, they know that the only way to be above others is to try and mentally distract. They play the game so hard that when it comes to domestic cricket they have to do something different to beat their opponents. And I think that is how it has started and it has gone to this level but it certainly should not be carried to international cricket.

Why did you release the book in Australia?

The reason I came to Melbourne to launch the book is: first, when I wanted to write a book I was in Melbourne playing cricket in 1999-2000. My good friend David Cruse asked me if I would like to do a book and I told him that I would love to, but if I do something I should do it professionally; a quality book of international standard. He introduced me to his good friend Ken Piesse, who is a cricket writer, and that is how all this started.

I think I should thank David and his lovely wife, Cathy, for putting everything together and even organising the launch in Melbourne. I did the book and thought it is only but fair for me to have the launch in Melbourne, where David and Ken will be around.

Secondly, it is not that I have forgotten Sri Lanka. I will definitely have a launch in Sri Lanka. At present, the translation is in progress and it is more appropriate that I have the launch with the Singhalese version in Sri Lanka. I thought I will do this first as the Sri Lanka one is a translation.

Every Sri Lankan has said that I have come here to make a big name, and they have been upset over these sort of issues. I would like to say that I have never let down my country and I will never let down my countrymen. 'Mahanama' in Singhalese means 'big name'. I don't want a bigger name than I have. I have been part of Sri Lanka cricket for 13 years, I have captained Sri Lanka, I have been in a World Cup-winning team, which only 11 Sri Lankans can be proud of, and I have got a world record behind me; and for me to have my name alongside some other all-time greats itself is enough.

Do you think this particular incident has been picked up because you launched the book in Melbourne, and it wouldn't have been so if you had launched it in Colombo?

I don't think so. If they had picked it up, they would have gone to town with the comments. I think there was so much of hype just before the launch that they thought I was trying to sell my book as some of the Australian cricketers have commented. One does that; I am sad to say they might be doing it, but I am not doing that and I was not looking for any publicity. I just came for a peaceful launch and I am going back to Sri Lanka.

How long did it take you to write the book?

It took me about 12 to 14 months, purely because I was in Colombo and Ken, David and Cathy were in Melbourne. That took a lot of time. Then I had to show it to my solicitor, coach. My father read it and I read it. We put in a lot of effort and time into it.

How did your family support?

My parents, my wife, my three little children, my brother and my wife’s brother were all very supportive. We are a very closely-knit family. It was not only during this period, when I was writing this book, but throughout my career they have been beside me. I am hundred per cent sure they will back me in future in all my endeavours.

Do you have another book in mind?

No, not at the moment. [Laughs] I have had enough in the first book. I felt I should have written it because only three Sri Lankan Test cricketers have done it so far. For a person involved in Sri Lankan cricket, I thought I should just write my experiences and I can be proud of all that I have achieved, especially the World Cup victory. The English, who introduced the game to us, have not won a World Cup. We have been playing Test cricket only for 19 years and we have won a World Cup. It is something we people from the subcontinent -- India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- can be proud of. Next can be Bangaladesh; we have to keep our fingers crossed.

Are you happy with the book in its present shape?

It has come out very well. It is worth the trouble and for the time and effort we have put in, all of us are happy the way it has come out. My colleague Asank Gurusingha, who had read it said it is a lovely book and a lot of other people have said it.

While the present controversy may help in selling the book, Mcgrath has threatened to sue you. How do you propose to counter it?

It has created some interest amongst people, but truly that was not the publicity that I wanted. It wouldn’t have been a problem anyway to sell the 2000 copies I have printed. Since it has created the interest, I feel people should read it as I have said a lot of good things about Australia. I first came to Australia in 1984 with the Under 19 team and then on a scholarship in 1985. People in Australia should especially read it and see for themselves.

I am not worried. I will deal with the issue when it arises. `Retired Hurt’ is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But for me to be on the safe side, when I heard that Glenn was seeking legal advise, I had to be ready as well. I have spoken to few important (emphasies) members and management on that tour. I am keeping them informed. When I told them about Glenn’s denial they said how can he say that he never said it.

Bascially, in the end it will boil down to his word against ours not mine. Ours because I was part of a team and it was not involving me.

What are your opinions about sledging?

I am totally against it. Australians are the world champions, but they certainly don’t play like world champions sometimes. It has been a gentleman’s game. I have always played the game the way it should have been played and I have never been reported by anyone, I have never gone into any enquiries, I have had a clean international and domestic record. We should always keep that noble spirit of the gentlemen’s game.

By all this if something has come up and something good is going to happen,I will be the happiest. But as I have said it has come up incidentally and not intentionally. I have quoted Neil Harvey, one of Sir Donald Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles, Games can be won without resorting to such foul language.

The Australians were the greatest bunch of sledgers that there had ever been. And if anything they were getting worse. Even Steve Waugh condoned it,saying it was part of Australia’s `mental disintegration tactics’. As far as I concerned that’s a load of crap.

Why did you call it `Retired Hurt’?

When I retired, I said goodbye to cricket as I had had a tough time with all the politics in cricket. My father came up with the title. But now I think my past was cricket (I started playing the game at 9 years) and my future (I am 33 years) will be cricket.

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