Former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya had strong words for the young cricketers of the national team gathered at the Sri Lanka Cricket Headquarters. The newly appointed Head Coach emphasized that a no-nonsense approach is needed for Sri Lanka cricket to shine once again.
Jayasuriya stated that to play in the Sri Lankan cricket team, one must be disciplined. As a disciplined cricketer, one should not wear tattoos, necklaces, earrings, or sport unorthodox hairstyles. “Leave all those at home when you come to play cricket,” said Jayasuriya. He believes the downfall of Sri Lankan cricket began around 2015 when a lack of discipline crept into the game. “We’re not trying to do big things. But even small things have to be done in an orderly manner right now,” added the new Head Coach.
However, Jayasuriya’s appointment is not without controversy. Some critics point to his role in the decline of Sri Lankan cricket. In October 2018, Jayasuriya was charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with two counts of breaching its anti-corruption code. The accusations were related to “failure or refusal to cooperate” with an ongoing ICC investigation into alleged match-fixing and “concealing, tampering with, or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant.” The investigation pertained to Jayasuriya’s tenure as Sri Lanka’s chairman of selectors from April 2016 to August 2017, particularly regarding the fourth ODI between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in July 2017. In February 2019, Jayasuriya was banned for two years from participating in any cricket-related activity by the ICC’s anti-corruption unit for failing to cooperate with the investigation. His international ban was lifted in November 2020, making him eligible to be involved with cricket again.
Despite the controversy, Jayasuriya is determined to instill discipline and bring about positive changes in Sri Lankan cricket.
