Ready to handle pressure: Angelo Mathews

Angelo Mathews, the veteran all-rounder, on Tuesday (January 24), reiterated his commitment to lead Sri Lanka through a transitional phase. After Sri Lanka slipped to an embarrassing 3-0 loss in the just-concluded Test series against South Africa, there were calls for Mathews to relinquish his role as the captain of the side. "I haven't thought about it," he said in an interview in the Colombo Daily Mirror. "I will not run away from pressures. Anyone can say anything. If I feel this is the time or if the selectors say, I'm open to it. Whatever others say, I'm not bothered." The 29-year-old, however, observed that if the selectors believed he wasn't the right man for the job, then he had no qualms over stepping down as the captain of the set-up. Incidentally, Mathews has been appointed as the skipper of the Sri Lankan team until the 2019 50-over World Cup. "It's not in my control. If the selectors or Sri Lanka Cricket think they need a change and believe someone else is ready to do the captaincy, it's not at all a problem for me. As long as I enjoy the game, I will keep playing. I just want to try and perform well as a team and I will always help whoever is captain in the future as well. "I know I am answerable but, as captain, I have done the best possible. I worked closely with the coach [Graham Ford]. I always discussed with the selectors when it came to the team. It has been a collective effort. But if someone wants to put the blame on me, so be it," he added. Mathews injured his hamstring during the second Twenty International (T20I) played against South Africa in Johannesburg and was ruled out of the rest of the tour. He had also communicated to the coaching staff that he needed to take time off the game in order to be with his family. His wife Heshani is set to give birth to the couple's first child soon. The retirements of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have left Sri Lanka with gaping holes to fill in the batting line-up. Matthews pointed out that the likes of Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva are relatively inexperienced and they deserve a good run in the side. "Players like Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva have not played much Test cricket, forget about playing outside Sri Lanka," Mathews pointed out. "So, we need to give them opportunities. Let everyone blame me, it's fine. I can take it but let's not blame the other players. They need support and encouragement and not to be put down."