Sanath Jayasuriya, the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team, has been appointed as the interim head coach for the upcoming home limited-overs series against India and the away Test tour in England, which concludes in mid-September.
Although Jayasuriya has not previously held a high-profile coaching position, he has served as Sri Lanka men’s chief selector and cricket consultant for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) until his recent appointment.
This decision follows Chris Silverwood’s resignation at the end of June, after the T20 World Cup 2024. SLC chief executive Ashley de Silva mentioned that the board would advertise the position and seek out suitable candidates, hinting at the possibility of appointing a local coach.
Regarding Jayasuriya’s appointment, de Silva stated, “Sanath with his wealth of international cricketing experience is well positioned to guide the national team, until we find a permanent solution.”
Jayasuriya was with the men’s team during their World Cup campaign in the USA and the Caribbean as a consultant. This role was his first official position since his two-year ban for non-cooperation with ICC’s anti-corruption investigations.
His tenure as chief selector had its controversies, including accusations of favoritism and fielding too many players during a period of stagnation for the team. Additionally, Jayasuriya was the director of cricket for the Dambulla franchise in the 2023 Lanka Premier League season and team mentor for Kandy Falcons in 2022, where he saw significant success.
In his recent post as cricket consultant, Jayasuriya took a hands-on approach and was an active member of the think tank during Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign. This role overlapped with Mahela Jayawardene’s position as consultant coach, who resigned last month citing misalignment in decision-making.
Jayasuriya, a beloved cricketer from the nineties and aughts, revolutionized white-ball cricket with his aggressive batting. He remains the fifth-highest ODI run scorer of all time with 13,430 runs and has 323 ODI wickets. His contributions extend to 110 Tests and 31 T20Is, making him one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated cricketers.
