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    Jayasuriya Steps In as Sri Lanka's Interim Coach
Jayasuriya Steps In as Sri Lanka's Interim Coach
Sanath Jayasuriya. Source: insidesport.in

Jayasuriya Steps In as Sri Lanka's Interim Coach

Former Sri Lankan captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, has been appointed as the interim head coach for Sri Lanka's limited-overs series against India at home and the Test tour in England, which concludes in mid-September.

Though this is Jayasuriya's first high-profile coaching role, he has served as Sri Lanka men's chief selector and a cricket consultant for Sri Lanka Cricket, the position he held until this new appointment.

This decision follows Chris Silverwood's resignation at the end of June, post the T20 World Cup 2024. Ashley de Silva, the SLC chief executive, mentioned at that time that the board would advertise the role and seek suitable candidates, including potentially choosing a local coach.

Regarding Jayasuriya's new role, de Silva commented that with his extensive international cricket experience, Jayasuriya is well-suited to lead the national team until a permanent coach is found. Jayasuriya had been involved with the men's team during their World Cup campaign in the USA and the Caribbean as a consultant. This role marked his first official position since serving a two-year ban for non-cooperation with ICC anti-corruption investigations.

Jayasuriya's tenure as chief selector was marked by controversy, including accusations of favouritism towards a player linked to the then government, where he held a deputy minister position. He was also criticised for fielding numerous players during a period of stagnating results for the team.

In 2023, Jayasuriya served as the director of cricket for the Dambulla franchise in the Lanka Premier League, overseeing strategic planning and various franchise operations. In 2022, he was the team mentor for the Kandy Falcons, who won seven out of eight league games but faced defeat in the playoffs.

As a cricket consultant for the national side, Jayasuriya adopted a more hands-on approach and was a significant part of the think tank during Sri Lanka's recent World Cup campaign. This role had some overlap with Mahela Jayawardene’s position as consultant coach, which Jayawardene left last month, citing misalignment with the team's decision-making.

Jayasuriya is one of Sri Lanka’s most cherished cricketers from the 1990s and 2000s, known for revolutionising white-ball cricket with his aggressive batting. He ranks as the fifth-highest ODI run scorer with 13,430 runs and the 12th-highest wicket-taker in ODIs with 323 dismissals. Additionally, he has significant achievements across 110 Tests and 31 T20Is.

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