Jayasuriya roped in as interim head coach of Sri Lanka men’s national team

Colombo, July 8: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Monday announced former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya as the interim head coach of the men’s senior national team until September 2024.

SLC released a statement on Monday saying that Jayasuriya’s tenure will be completed after Sri Lanka’s tour to England in September 2024.

“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce the appointment of Mr. Sanath Jayasuriya as the ‘Interim Head Coach’ of the National Team. He will function in the position until the completion of Sri Lanka’s tour of England in September 2024,” said SLC’s statement.

Jayasuriya is currently serving as the full-time ‘Cricket Consultant’ of Sri Lanka Cricket. His new appointment comes into immediate effect.

Ashley De Silva, the CEO of SLC, said that Jayasuriya’s “wealth of international experience” will help the team.

“Sanath, with his wealth of international cricketing experience, is well positioned to guide the national team, until we find a permanent solution,” said Silva.

SLC announced in June-end the resignation of Chris Silverwood from the post of head coach of the national teams at various levels, citing personal reasons.

The ongoing T20 World Cup was poor for Sri Lanka as they failed to reach the Super Eights. They lost to South Africa and Bangladesh in the group stage and could only register one win against the Netherlands. Their game against Nepal was washed out due to rain. With just three points, Lanka finished in the third spot in Group D.

“Being an international coach means long periods away from loved ones. After lengthy conversations with my family and with a heavy heart, I feel it is now time for me to return home and spend some quality time together,” said Silverwood, as posted by SLC on X.

Overall, in 586 international matches from 1989-2011, he has scored 21,032 runs at an average of 34.14. He has scored 42 centuries and 103 fifties for SL, with the best score of 340.

He is the ninth-highest run-scorer in international cricket and third-highest scorer for SL behind Mahela Jayawardene (25,957 runs) and Sangakkara (28,016). The leading run-scorer is Sachin (34.357 runs).

He also took 440 wickets in international cricket.