Ahead of the upcoming three-match T20 series against India, Sri Lanka’s interim coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, has revealed an intriguing strategy. The island nation is seeking assistance from the Rajasthan Royals (RR), an Indian Premier League (IPL) team, to bolster their preparations.
India’s recent retirements from T20 international cricket—captain Rohit Sharma, star batter Virat Kohli, and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja—have left a void in the Indian team. Jayasuriya believes that Sri Lanka should capitalize on this opportunity.
Sanath Jayasuriya speaks ahead of the home series against India
Jayasuriya acknowledges the talent and impact of Sharma, Kohli, and Jadeja. Their absence presents a chance for Sri Lanka to level the playing field and compete strongly in the series.
The three T20 matches are scheduled at Pallekele, with the first match on Saturday, followed by the second on Sunday and the third on Tuesday.
To level up their game, Sri Lanka roped in Zubin Bharucha, RR’s director of high performance. Head coach Sanath Jayasuriya revealed that Bharucha, who is known for the growth of Yashasvi Jaiswal held a six-day workshop with the players who learnt new techniques from the high-performance expert.
“We got Zubin from Rajasthan Royals and we had about six days of work and also with the other cricketers who finished with the LPL. I hope the players have learnt what you (management) wanted to do in terms of practice and their technique. It is important to learn as international cricketers new techniques, new approaches and shot-making to be effective,” he added.
#INDvsSL #SLvsIND #Jayasuriya #RajasthanRoyals
The Sri Lanka interim head coach, Sanath Jayasuriya revealed his side had undergone a six-day training camp with RR's Zubin Bharucha ahead of their white-ball series against India. https://t.co/vaospNMtRn
— News18 CricketNext (@cricketnext) July 24, 2024
Sri Lanka’s captaincy has also shifted. Wanindu Hasaranga, who led the team in the T20 World Cup, has been replaced by Charith Asalanka. Sri Lanka has included players like Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, and uncapped all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe in their squad. These additions aim to strengthen the team’s performance. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera will miss both the T20 and one-day international series against India due to injury. His replacement will be announced soon.
As Sri Lanka readies itself for the battle against India, their collaboration with the Rajasthan Royals could prove pivotal in its quest for success.
