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Legendary Sri Lanka all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya has taken the responsibility to amend the cricketing team by taking on the vacant head coach role on an interim basis. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was looking for prospective candidates after Chris Silverwood handed in his resignation recently.
Sri Lankan cricket has seen a steadfast decline in recent times. The team failed to secure qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy after finishing ninth in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Additionally, they were eliminated from the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup, failing to secure passage into the Super 8s.
Jayasuriya's first set of assignments will be a home white-ball series against India and a red-ball tour of England as part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
"I have been asked to take over coaching and I am happy to do it," Jayasuriya told AFP.
Along with Silverwood, consultant coach Mahela Jayawardene also stepped down from his role after the team's early T20 World Cup exit.
Jayasuriya has served Sri Lanka Cricket as a consultant and chief selector in the past
Jayasuriya acted as a consultant for the team during the 2024 T20 World Cup. His responsibilities also included overseeing the proceedings at the High-Performance Center in Khettarama, Sri Lanka.
Until the time Sri Lanka Cricket finds a permanent candidate, Jayasuriya will have a huge responsibility on his shoulders. The former player has to oversee the squad against a red-hot Indian side, who will also come in with a new coach.
The three-match Test series against England will also be equally challenging. Sri Lanka's last Test win against the Englishmen came a decade ago. The Lankans have lost each of their last five Tests against England, a streak that dates back to 2018.
Sri Lanka are placed fourth in the WTC standings after playing two series. They have a slew of challenging red-ball affairs ahead of them, beginning with the away series against England in the August-September window.
