Sri Lanka’s newly appointed captain Charith Asalanka says that the Lanka Premier League (LPL) plays a big factor in selecting players for the national team. He talks about this ahead of the three-match T20I series against India.

Sri Lankan players were in tremendous form in the recently-concluded LPL. Asalanka guided Jaffna Kings to their fourth LPL trophy in the tournament.

"If you look at the LPL, it's the No. 1 tournament we have to make decisions like this. More than domestic T20s, the LPL is at a much higher level. As a captain, I think if you perform at the LPL you should get a good chance at playing in the national team,” Asalanka said at the pre-match press conference.

Since he was young, Asalanka has captained teams, most notably the victorious LPL team and his school Richmond College as well as Sri Lanka Under 19. He claimed that man-management is the foundation of his leadership style. "From under 15 level I've captained teams, and there' s been a lot of change since then. That's what I tell my team members too - we can't be at the same place we've always been at. From day to day you have to improve and that's how you become a good player or a good captain. I've played under many captains, and I've tried to absorb as many of their good traits into my captaincy and into my life as possible,” he added.

"What I really want is to get 100% out of my players, and to create a positive environment for them. We have a lot of talented cricketers, but what's important is to get the most out of them and have them win matches. I've told them to play freely and when we've given them plans, to go out there and execute them without fear. That's what you can expect from me as a captain."