New Delhi: Former Sri Lanka skipper Sanath Jayasuriya will become the head coach of Sri Lanka on an interim basis for their limited-overs home series again India.
Sri Lanka is scheduled to host India for three T20Is and as many ODIs, beginning on July 27, and Jayasuriya will replace Chris Silverwood who resigned after their poor T20 World Cup campaign.
“I have been asked to take over coaching and I am happy to do it,” Jayasuriya told AFP.
Englishman Silverwood and consultant batting coach Mahela Jayawardene left their role after Sri Lanka failed to advance from the group stage in the T20 World Cup that was held in the Caribbean and USA last month.
Sri Lanka could win only one match against the Netherlands to finish third behind South Africa and Bangladesh in their group under Silverwood, who took charge in April 2022 and guided them to the T20 Asia Cup title later that year.
They even reached the final of the 50-over Asia Cup in 2023 but then their form nosedived, failing to reach the knockout stages of the 2023 ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup.
A pioneering aggressive opener, Jayasuriya had also served as a national selector after retiring and will take charge of the team in T20 Lanka Premier League on July 21.
The former left handed batter had represented Lanka in 110 Tests between 1991 and 2007, scoring 6973 runs at an average of 40.07, including 14 hundreds and 31 half centuries.
In 445 ODIs, he scored 13,430 runs at an average of 32.36, with 28 centuries and 68 fifties and one of the leading members of the team that won 1996 ODI World Cup in India and had also been a Member of Parliament from 2010-15.
Sri Lanka is scheduled to host India for three T20Is and as many ODIs, beginning on July 27, and Sanath Jayasuriya will replace Chris Silverwood who resigned after their poor T20 World Cup campaign. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
