Heath Streak backs Chandika Hathurusingha's Call for coaching Sri Lanka

The former Zimbabwean skipper Heath Streak has supported the choice of Sri Lanka’s Chandika Hathurusingha for deciding to serve his national side, as both had already served as coaches for the Bangladesh team and shared the dressing room to nurse their wards.

During the press conference, Streak has thrown all the support behind the former colleague.

“I wasn’t here but obviously, at the end of the day, Chandika is a Sri Lankan,” Streak said on the arrival of his team and was quoted as saying by Dhaka Tribune.

Streak, who played 189 ODIs and 65 Test for Zimbabwe believes it is a great moment to do something for the nation and one must be happy to provide the services.

“The opportunity to coach your own country is always a big thing. I am sure if it was a Bangladeshi coach in another country and he was offered the opportunity to coach his country he’d have done it,” Streak maintained.

The 43-year old bowler Streak is concurrently enjoying his stint with Zimbabwe as a head coach and has played a significant role to back the youngsters in the national and domestic fold respectively from time-to-time.

In May 2014, Streak was the first to be appointed as the coach by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) which further saw Hathurusingha sharing the dressing room with former.

“Most people would find it hard to turn down the opportunity. I think Hathurusingha did a really good job for Bangladesh; people mustn’t forget the successes they have had under him,” Streak added.

However, in May 2016, Streak tendered his resignation well before his contract set to end as a fast bowling coach.

Pertinently, the decision to resign from Hathurusingha came shortly after Bangladesh had a miserable show where there lost two Tests, three One-day internationals, and two Twenty20 Internationals against South Africa. Streak also conceded that opting for the coach services is not that easy when it comes to the family adding serving the country is pride for everyone.

“Coaching is difficult when you are away from your family for extended periods of time. The country is always a prestigious thing to coach; everyone aspires to coach their own country,” Streak concluded.

Both are currently bound to guide their respective teams, as the tri-nation series is set to kick off in Bangladesh on Monday (January 15) with the first match to be played between hosts Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Moreover, the final is scheduled for January 27 at the same venue.

However, following the tri-nation series Bangladesh will be facing the Lions in the two-match Test series.

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