R Sridhar to Coach Sri Lanka’s Teams at All Levels

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially announced the appointment of R Sridhar, formerly the fielding coach for the Indian national team, to conduct a comprehensive 10-day fielding development initiative.

Scheduled to commence on May 7, the intensive training program will cater to a broad spectrum of players, including members of the men’s and women’s national teams, emerging players, the U-19 team, the women’s ‘A’ team, and top-tier club athletes.

As a BCCI-certified Level 3 coach, Sridhar garnered recognition for his significant improvements to India’s fielding capabilities during his tenure from 2014 to 2021. He played a pivotal role in enhancing fielding standards across more than 300 international games.

Sri Lanka is now aiming to capitalize on Sridhar’s extensive experience to foster more adept and responsive fielders across all formats and teams.

According to a statement issued by SLC, the training regimen will feature targeted drills, specialized exercises, and simulated game scenarios to boost players’ effectiveness during actual match play.

Sridhar will initially focus on the senior men’s national team before extending his coaching to other squads.

While the Sri Lanka women’s national team is presently competing in a tri-nation series involving India and South Africa, their participation in the program may be limited. However, their recent victory against India, under the guidance of Chamari Athapaththu, highlights a growing level of competitiveness that SLC is keen to further develop.

SLC further clarified Sridhar’s responsibilities, noting, “The former India fielding coach will begin his engagement with the men’s national team before transitioning to other groups, implementing drills designed to replicate match environments to foster consistency and confidence.”

The statement emphasized that Sridhar’s approach will involve working with the men’s national team first, followed by other squads, with a strong emphasis on developing fielding skills that directly translate to improved performance in match settings.

Notably, SLC has a history of engaging specialist coaches for short durations, having previously collaborated with figures such as Wasim Akram, Aaqib Javed, and Jonty Rhodes.

Earlier this year, Zubin Bharucha, the performance director for Rajasthan Royals, also led a short-term batting program, reinforcing SLC’s dedication to enhancing player capabilities at all levels.