Murali says he supports ICC’s crackdown on illegal bowling actions. (Source: AP)

With the five-match ODI series between India and Sri Lanka starting in Cuttack on Sunday, Muttiah Muralitharan talks about why the absence of Malinga and Herath will give the youngsters a golden opportunity and why Virat Kohli should not be criticized after one bad series. Excerpts

Do you think Sri Lanka have arrived here under-prepared?

I’m not a part of the Sri Lankan cricket set-up. So it would be unfair for me to comment on the team’s preparation. What I believe is that professional cricketers should always be ready to adjust. They can find comfort in familiar conditions. Also, these two teams face each other frequently and know each other well. India and Sri Lanka always play interesting cricket and this time also it should be no different.

Sri Lanka would be without their two best bowlers, Lasith Malinga and Rangana Herath.

Batters, usually, win contests in this part of the world. Both Malinga and Herath are fantastic bowlers and match-winners in their own right. But their absence gives the youngsters a big opportunity to prove their mettle ahead of the World Cup. At the end of the day, however, I expect the batters to rule. I feel both sides have enough quality.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be absent for the first three matches. Does this put India in a spot of bother?

Dhoni has always been a huge factor in this format of the game. But even without him, India have some terrific players. Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and others. They can pose a real threat.

But Kohli hasn’t been doing very well recently except for a century in Dharamsala against West Indies.

Kohli is a great player, who has performed consistently. Everyone can have a bad patch. It would be silly to target him for one bad series (in England). Rather, everyone must support him. He’s one of the characters of the game. He’s the future of Indian cricket.

And he would be standing-in for Dhoni.

Kohli is very positive and leads in an aggressive manner. This opportunity will be a part of his learning process.

Are you surprised that West Indies boycotted the series midway through the tour ?

No, not very surprised. This is not the first time that the West Indian players have fallen out with their cricket board. There had been calls for boycotts and pullouts earlier but last-minute interventions had saved the day. But all the while, this was an accident waiting to happen. It happened in India.

There is real apprehension that West Indies cricket might disintegrate.

It would be very unfortunate if that happens. World cricket needs West Indies. They need support, especially from the ICC. Bilateral series are mutual agreements between two boards. But I would like to see ICC’s intervention in exceptional cases.

Do you support ICC’s crackdown on illegal bowling action?

Yes. There are some rules and regulations. If you don’t comply with them, you’re out. It is as simple as that.