Will Hathurusingha resign?
Regardless of how they dump Chandika Hathurusingha from his head coach position at the end of the current series, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will hire a new head coach within the next fortnight targeting the home series against New Zealand in August.Will this change Sri Lanka’s cricketing landscape? That’s anybody’s guess. A cursory look at the game’s recent history proves that short-sighted moves such as these have only deepened Sri Lanka’s woes and challenges at international level. Sri Lanka has had three coaches since 2016. None of them completed their full term.
But the decision was coming, given Hathurusingha’s deteriorating relationships with the Board, selectors and several senior players. During an away series in Australia, Hathurusingha’s wings were clipped by taking away the powers he had on team selection.
It was the first sign SLC was gunning for him. He was then recalled during the limited-over leg of the South African series “in order to discuss the Sri Lanka team’s preparation for the Cricket World Cup”. There were signs of an imminent sacking but SLC’s hands were somewhat tied by a blindly-entered contract that makes it nearly impossible to remove Hathurusinghe without paying a hefty compensation package.
To blame it all on Hathurusingha is cruel but he is reaping what he sowed a few months ago, merciless critics say. When Sri Lanka were eliminated from the Asia Cup after losing their first round games to Bangladesh and Afghanistan, he blamed Angelo Mathews alone. The then skipper was publicly ridiculed by a man who had forced him to return as captain.
This seems to come back to haunt Hathurusingha. But he completes his contract in December 2020 and it’s a strong agreement. The letters asking him and the other coaching staff to step down have reached the recipients. SLC is now in discussion with Hathurusingha in an effort to part ways amicably without a legal battle. But the Sunday Times learns that Hathurusingha has refused to resign and has asked the Board to sack him. This will give him a chance to contest an unlawful termination of contract.
Meanwhile, rumours are also swirling over a possible Hathurusingha return to Bangladesh, a team he mentored before joining Sri Lanka. All that will depend on a smooth parting of ways with SLC. Whatever his decision, however, Sri Lanka will have a new head coach and several fresh faces in the support staff.
“There are number high profile coaches who have shown interest in the job,” said SLC President Shammi Silva. “We are currently negotiating with them to fill up the vacancies in the national team and we will complete this within the next fortnight.”
Apart from the head coach, Sri Lanka is also looking for a batting coach, a bowling coach and a fielding coach. They are likely to retain the trainer, physio and the masseur whom they feel have done a decent job.