Aravinda De Silva admits Sri Lanka will have to quickly face up to the reality of life without Muttiah Muralitharan.
Sri Lanka's selectors left to look for next generation of spinners
Sri Lanka selector Aravinda De Silva admits the national team will have to quickly face up to the reality of life without Muttiah Muralitharan.
The veteran spinner brought the curtain down on his Test career in the 10-wicket victory over India in the series opener in Galle.
Fittingly Muralitharan finished with a flourish, dismissing Pragyan Ojha to wrap up the innings of the tourists and take him through to 800 wickets with his final ball in the longest format of the game.
Although the 38-year-old will continue playing one-day cricket, his exit from the Test arena leaves Sri Lanka's selectors with a huge headache.
Next generation
"I think it's a big void which needs to be filled because Murali is a guy who will come maybe once in a generation," De Silva admitted.
"It is very different to any other guy when it comes to replacing him so we have to live with the reality and look for the next generation of spinners who are going to see us through.
"On the field he gave it 100 per cent always and as a person he was a tremendous guy to have as a friend.
"But most of all the thing I admired the most in him was the way he supported his team-mates and helped them. That is something all senior players should take a leaf from because that sort of thing is very, very important."
Muralitharan's eight-wicket haul in the victory in Galle ensured he would end his career in third place in the official Test rankings.
The first challenge for De Silva and his fellow selectors is replacing the slow bowler for the second Test with India, which gets underway on Monday.
