COLOMBO: Former Sri Lankan cricket captain and ex-chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya has been named as the new head coach of the national team, succeeding Chris Silverwood who resigned following Sri Lanka’s early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024.
Jayasuriya, 55, confirmed his appointment on Monday, revealing that Sri Lanka Cricket approached him to take charge ahead of upcoming white-ball series against India and an England tour in August. “I have been asked to take over coaching and I am happy to do it,” Jayasuriya told AFP.
A stalwart in Sri Lankan cricket, Jayasuriya boasts a distinguished career spanning across 586 international matches in all formats. He served as captain in Tests and ODIs and also held roles as a national selector in recent years. Known for his aggressive batting style and effective left-arm spin, Jayasuriya amassed 42 centuries and claimed 440 wickets during his international career, which concluded with his last international appearance in 2011.
The transition to coaching comes at a crucial time for Sri Lanka, who under Silverwood’s tenure faced inconsistent performances, notably failing to progress past the group stages in both the T20 World Cup 2022 and the 2023 50-over World Cup.
Silverwood, who cited personal reasons for his departure, had initially seen success with Sri Lanka winning the T20 Asia Cup shortly after his appointment in April 2022, and reaching the final of the 2023 50-over Asia Cup.
Jayasuriya’s appointment follows recent changes within Sri Lanka’s coaching staff, including the resignation of former skipper Mahela Jayawardena as a consultant coach last month.
