The bitter truth of Sri Lanka’s inevitable downfall
In fairy tales, a kiss is all you need to turn a frog into a prince. In real life, neither a kiss nor a magic wand will work, but that doesn’t stop the public from expecting such transformation. We keep searching for that magical coach who’ll weave spells and turn mediocre players into world champions.
There’s no such black magic in cricket. Coaches like Graham Ford, Chandika Hathurusingha, Mickey Arthur, and Chris Silverwood have all tried to turn the tide but failed. This week, Head Coach Chris Silverwood and Consultant Coach Mahela Jayawardena stepped down from their positions, even though Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had no intention of parting ways with them immediately.
Jayawardena was unhappy with the current decision-making and the SLC’s recent direction and thought it best to step aside. During the two-and-a-half year period, he was in-charged, he implemented significant changes and improvements to the structure of the national team ecosystem and high-performance setup.
“However, it has become apparent to me that current decision-making is no longer fully aligned with the direction we were taking in some of these areas, and after careful consideration, I have concluded that it is best I step down. Given the concerns I have about these changes in approach, it would not be appropriate or fair for me to continue in the consultancy role,” Jayawardena wrote to SLC.
The former captain, who played a major role in giving strategic guidance to the national team, was seemingly sidelined with the appointment of Sanath Jayasuriya as a consultant with some overriding powers.
Silverwood, who had his contract extended until the end of July, was offered a further extension by SLC up until the England series in August. However, the former English fast-bowler decided to move on. The biggest highlight of the Jayawardena-Silverwood era was winning the Asia Cup in 2022 and finishing as the losing finalists in the 2023 50-over Asia Cup but Sri Lanka made first round exits in three world cups–two T20 and one ODI.
Their resignations, though not entirely surprising given Sri Lanka’s overall poor performances in white-ball cricket, have now left SLC with the daunting task of finding a new coach who can transform these hapless cricketers into champions.
When Sri Lanka hired Hathurusingha back in 2017 as Ford’s successor, the expectations were high. Sri Lanka hoped Hathurusingha could replicate his success with Bangladesh. But his term ended disastrously, and they had to part ways with him months before his contract ended as the team continued to slide.
At the 1996 World Cup, Sri Lanka was one of the most experienced sides in world cricket. Having a group of established players made life easier for coach Dav Whatmore. Led by Arjuna Ranatunga, arguably the best skipper Sri Lanka has ever produced, the team included Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Hashan Tillakaratne, and Asanka Gurusinha.
While they formed the ‘core’ group, there were also Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Marvan Atapattu, and Chaminda Vaas. It was a perfect blend, and with a few tactical changes, Sri Lanka managed to lift its first global silverware. If not for this core, even if Whatmore had waved a magic wand, the World Cup would have eluded us.
This is just one example. Under Tom Moody, Sri Lanka reached their second World Cup final. When he took over in 2005, the national team had a core group in Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralidaran, and Marvan Attapattu, still in their prime. Then, there were Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, and TM Dilshan. Together these cricketers took Sri Lankan cricket to greater heights, reaching the finals of the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Moody’s influence on the cricketers was significant, but it was these iconic players who were key to success during his tenure.
The story is no different during Bayliss’ four-year period. With the exploits of Jayasuriya, Atapattu, and Vaas diminishing, it was left to Sangakkara, Jayawardena, Dilshan, Muralitharan, Rangana Herath, and Lasith Malinga to take up the responsibility. They were at the top of their game, and Sri Lanka conquered many frontiers, reaching two World Cup finals—the T20 World Cup in England in 2009 and the 2011 World Cup final in India—to become one of the most consistent performers in global cricket events.
Graham Ford took over from Bayliss in 2012. He still had a team of iconic players to work with. Sri Lanka ended up as the losing finalist at the 2012 T20 World Cup but won it two years later in Bangladesh.
Since then, however, Sri Lanka has been in steady decline. With several key performers—Jayawardena, Sangakkara, and Dilshan—retiring, the team did not have the luxury of a core group.
Under Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka only won one Test series in England. In his second stint, Ford led his team to a rare series triumph against Australia at home (3-0)—a historic feat. A series of defeats thereafter saw him vacate the post just 16 months into his 45-month contract.
With Jayawardena, Sangakkara, and Dilshan leaving at intervals, Sri Lanka lost a core group that could step up and take responsibility. Ford knew this well and, during his first interaction with the media after taking over the reins for the second time in 2016, he said not to expect quick fixes.
Fast forward to today, and what do we see? A team lacking that core, that hunger, that dedication that made our past teams so formidable. Although most of them have been around for long, none have made Sri Lanka a champion outfit.
The players seem more interested in emulating Virat Kohli’s Instagram lifestyle than his legendary work ethic. Some resemble overstuffed turkeys than professional athletes.
So, forget the coaching merry-go-round. Instead focus on building a team with discipline, commitment, and the burning desire to win. That is the true recipe for success. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck in this cycle of disappointment for a good long time, and all the king’s horses and men won’t be able to put Sri Lankan cricket back together again.