On Monday, former Sri Lanka captain and ex-chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya was appointed as the interim replacement for head coach Chris Silverwood, who resigned after the team's early elimination from the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka Cricket announced that Jayasuriya, aged 55, will serve as the temporary coach until a permanent appointment is made for the national team.
Jayasuriya confirmed that he will take charge of the national squad for the upcoming white-ball series against India this month and the tour of England in August. 'I have been asked to take over coaching and I am happy to do it,' Jayasuriya stated to AFP. With a background as a former Test and ODI captain and a stint as a national selector, Jayasuriya brings extensive cricketing experience to the role.
Ashley de Silva, the CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket, emphasized that Jayasuriya's appointment is effective immediately. 'Sanath, with his wealth of international cricketing experience, is well positioned to guide the national team, until we find a permanent solution,' de Silva commented in an official statement. Jayasuriya's career includes 586 appearances for Sri Lanka across all formats, scoring 42 centuries and taking 440 wickets, with his last international match in 2011.
Chris Silverwood, the former England coach, resigned for personal reasons, as acknowledged by Sri Lanka Cricket, which expressed gratitude for his contributions during his tenure. Under Silverwood's leadership, Sri Lanka achieved notable successes, including winning the T20 Asia Cup in 2022 and reaching the final of the 50-over Asia Cup in 2023. However, the team did not progress to the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup in 2022 and the 50-over World Cup in the previous year. Additionally, former skipper Mahela Jayawardena recently resigned from his position as 'consultant coach'.
