Takes time to fill up void created by Mahela, Sanga: Mathews

With the yoeman service Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara have given to Sri Lankan cricket for over a decade and a half, it would be difficult to find their replacements overnight, feels Angelo Mathews.
"The retirement of Mahela Jayawardene and impending one of Kumar Sangakkara will certainly create a vacuum. It take a bit of time for sure to fill up the void created by them," Sri Lankan captain Mathews told PTI in an interview here today.
For the Lankan skipper, the biggest challenge will be to see through the transition phase.
"It will be a challenge as a captain to see through a transition phase. I am pretty sure there are some talented youngsters, who will adapt to the situation. We have four years of time till next World Cup and hopefully the transition phase will be complete by then," the Delhi Daredevils all-rounder added.

Mathews, who has been playing an important role for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League, singled out Shreyas Iyer as a "special talent" among Indian youngsters.
"I am not saying this because he is playing for Delhi Daredevils but as soon as I saw Shreyas, I thought there is something special in this boy. He (Shreyas) has the ability to play fearless cricket against international bowlers upfront. He is in a different league among the youngsters and I knew while training with him for couple of weeks," Mathews said praising the 20-year-old Mumbai youngster.
Asked if he is plotting his (Shreyas') downfall in international cricket very soon, Mathews smiled and said, "Yeah probably, I will have to plan about him as he is a tremendous talent.