NZ didn't think of winning a game, let alone the series: Herath

Melbourne: Melbourne is home to nearly a dozen former Sri Lankan cricketers with the earliest among them being Asanka Gurusinha and Ravi Rathnayake. The latest to join them is Lanka's second most prolific wicket-taker in Tests Rangana Herath.

"I moved to Australia with my family about two and a half years ago," says Herath. "I have three kids. So it's a bit of a different setup. And we are getting used to it. But I think considering all the angles, all the elements, this is one of the best places to live."

While Herath takes spin consultancy gigs with international teams on a series-to-series basis, he also provides one-on-one coaching in Australia to ensure he spends quality time with his family. Known for his classical left-arm spin, Herath, a worthy successor to the great Muttiah Muralitharan, claimed 433 Test wickets and was instrumental in many of Sri Lanka’s triumphs, especially at home. However, he acknowledges that success against India, particularly on their turf, was elusive during his playing career.

Herath claimed just 33 wickets (11 matches at 48.06) against India, but he did have his high point against them in 2015 in Galle. His seven-wicket second-innings haul orchestrated Lanka's sensational come-from-behind win against a Virat Kohli-led side.

Though Herath, like many great Lankans before him, didn't have a win against India in India in a Test, he can claim significant credit in plotting the first-ever Indian whitewash at home in a series with three or more Tests. 

When New Zealand stunned Rohit Sharma and company 3-0 recently, he was part of a Kiwi backroom staff as a spin consultant.  

Herath concedes that New Zealand didn't even think of winning a match, let alone a series whitewash.

"To be honest, they (Kiwis) always talked about the challenges in India," Herath begins. "They didn't talk about winning a game, but always (about) what are the challenges and finding solutions (to them). Those were the discussions they had. But in their minds, they were like, if they can win one game in India, that will be a very good achievement. So that's an initial thought with them actually."   

So, how does he rate the achievement?     

"To be honest, I played many years for Sri Lanka, we never won a Test match in India," he recalls. "I mean we have won against India in Sri Lanka but not in India. So winning a series 3-0 in their soil, that's something very special. So the boys were very happy. The win in the first Test in Bangalore, where India got out for 46, also played a catalyst. They thought 'If we can win one game one game, why can't we win another game?' But they gave their 100%. I think that's the result you always get when you play proper, smart cricket."

Herath points out that the two-Test series in Sri Lanka, which the hosts won 2-0, was good preparation for the New Zealand spinners even as he puts down the success in India to collective brain-storming.   

"It's all about discussions, I didn't say 'you need to do this or that," he notes. "The discussions were about how we can get better. Of course, the results didn't go our way in Sri Lanka but they got an idea about what kind of length and speed they need to bowl in the subcontinent pitches. So I think it was a very good learning experience. After that, the (NZ) spinners had the understanding of what kind of lines and speeds needed to be maintained for the Indian pitches as well because they are not the same surfaces, but more similar."

Herath also agrees that Lankan batters, at least in that series, were better than India's

"In that series, Sri Lankan batsmen batted brilliantly. (Dinesh) Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Angelo (Mathews) and a few others as well... They batted well in that series."

While paying a rich tribute to the just retired Indian spinner R Ashwin, Herath anoints Washington Sundar as the senior off-spinner's worthy successor.  

"I would like to congratulate Ashwin for a brilliant career," he offers. "Taking over 500 Test tickets is not an easy thing and scoring runs as well. He won a lot of games for India. He is such a clever guy, a very smart bowler.

"As for the future, I think Washington (Sundar) bowled brilliantly in that series against New Zealand and he played the first Test in Perth (against Australia) as well. I think he must be 25 now, so that means that he has many years left. He has the experience and he has gone through games. He can bat as well. I'm sure that after Ashwin, Washington will carry forward the legacy."

If Ashwin is in the conversation, can Jadeja be far away?

"It's a completely different set of skills," Herath says of his fellow left-arm spinner. "I always relied on my loop, drift and all, but Jaddu is completely different. He always tends to go a bit faster and a bit of a back of a length as well. He has an understanding of that -- if he can keep doing it, the batters will get under pressure. That's how he creates the opportunities and he's taking the wickets."

"It's all about the conditions. In subcontinental pitches, it's not easy to bat because, if you bowl with accuracy, it's not easy to play. But when it comes to Australia or somewhere, maybe he isn't as effective but still he maintains that line and length. In that case, it's all about how you adjust and how you read those surfaces at the time that you are bowling."