Sri Lanka Name Rumesh Ratnayake As Interim Coach, Chandika Hathurusingha's Future Uncertain

Amidst all the reports, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board on Wednesday announced the interim coach of the national team. The former fast bowler Rumesh Ratnayake has been appointed as the head coach for the upcoming home series against New Zealand, who are set to lock horns in Test and T20I format of the game.

Rumesh Ratnayake taking the role means that the future of current coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, is uncertain in the team. Recently, the reports stated that Sri Lanka board has sacked the head coach following the failure in ICC World Cup 2019 under the captaincy of Dimuth Karunaratne.

Read More: PCB Remove Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik From Central Contracts

We want to correct our mistakes – Silva

Rumesh Ratnayake will be doing his services as interim coach only for the Test series against New Zealand. Meanwhile, president Shammi Silva said that this move was an attempt to correct the mistakes they made in the past.

“We’ve been watching the coach’s performance for over a year and a half, and it’s based on that that we’ve taken this decision. I was also in the board that recruited Chandika Hathurusingha, and we’ve made some mistakes. But if we are to do right by cricket in future, we have to correct those mistakes,” ESPN Cricinfo quoted Silva as saying.

Legal action might be issued to Chandika Hathurusingha:

Sports Minister Harin Fernando said this month that Hathurusingha would be given time until the start of Sri Lanka’s home Test series against New Zealand, which begins on 14 August, to quit and make way for a new coach.

“If Hathurusingha does not leave, we may have to consider legal action or offer him a different job at the board,” Fernando said at the time.

Read More: Ex-India Spinner Reveals Startling Details About Biased Umpiring In Pakistan

Following Sri Lanka’s disappointing World Cup, where they finished in sixth-place, Hathurusingha and his assistants were expected to be shown the door. Regarding the same, the Chandika quoted that the letter sent to him didn’t mention any termination of his role. Further, Hathurusingha quoted that he hasn’t received any message from the board.

Sri Lanka’s Great Lasith Malinga Records – Read

The New Zealand tour to Sri Lanka will start on August 14th with 1st Test scheduled to be played at Galle. Before that, they will be locking horns in a three-day practice game.