Hathurusingha and Whatmore
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Chandika Hathurusingha, former Anandian, has been appointed as Sri Lanka cricket team head coach with effect from December 20, 2017. This era can be considered as a transitional period in Sri Lankan cricket.
Anyway, in order to sustain this, there should be many actions to be taken. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has given their fullest support for “Hathuru” (arguably Bangladesh national cricket team’s most celebrated and successful coach in the history) which was one of the critical factors behind the success of Bangladesh cricket team.
Upul Chandika Hathurusingha still holds the best ODI partnership for the first wicket in Asgiriya cricket stadium with Roshan Mahanama vs South Africa. The same combination of Hathuru-Mahanama has set another record for the ground of R. Premadasa Stadium as best Test partnership for the first wicket against Australia in 1992. And also with Arjuna Ranatunga, he added 78 runs for the fourth wicket in the Test against Pakistan in Sialkot (1995-1996) which also a record in the ground of Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot.
Hathuru has played 26 Tests and 35 ODIs for Sri Lanka. According to Cricinfo his brother Chaminda Mangala Hathurusingha also a cricketer who has played more than 90 first-class matches.
Still, we can remember how Dav Whatmore (Davenell Frederick “Dav” Whatmore is a Sri Lankan-born former Australian cricketer) masterminded Sri Lanka’s famous World Cup win in 1996. In Sri Lanka, cricket is unofficial national game and fans are expecting Hathurusingha to become another Dav Whatmore by bringing glory to the country.
Dr. Nalin Abeysekera Panadura