Aravinda’s Subtle Swipe at Jayasuriya

• Hints at desire of re-entering Sri Lanka Cricket through the back door once again 

Aravinda De Silva, a former cricket legend who has frequently resurfaced in Sri Lanka under various official titles, including Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee, has once again sparked controversy. This time, he directly criticized Sanath Jayasuriya, the current Interim Head Coach of Sri Lanka Cricket, accusing the team under his leadership of straying from their once renowned attacking style of play.

If De Silva’s comments were aimed at Jayasuriya, his 1996 World Cup winning team mate, they likely referenced Sri Lanka’s recent spate of losses, with the exception of a hard-fought ODI series win against India. Despite this brief success, Sri Lanka’s rankings across all formats of the game remain dismal. The victory over India was marred by accusations of pitch manipulation, as surfaces deteriorated quickly, turning into nightmares for batters particularly for India, who lost three consecutive tosses and struggled chasing on all three occasions against the spin of Jeffrey Van Dersay and Dunith Wellalage.

Interestingly, social media erupted with praise for Jayasuriya, labeling him the hero of the series, while the actual on-field performers were sidelined. This glorification of Jayasuriya, brought in under the influence of former Sports Minister Harin Fernando, raises questions. 

Up until that series win, Jayasuriya had little to show for his role as an Advisor, a position he secured despite the presence of Mahela Jayawardena. 

It’s worth noting that Jayasuriya was not given any official post under the previous SLC administration led by Shammi Silva, following his suspension by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit for match-fixing-related charges.

De Silva’s comments come at a particularly awkward time, as Jayasuriya, currently with the Sri Lanka Test side in England, witnessed his team suffer a humiliating defeat against the England Lions in a tour match at Worcestershire. This was Sri Lanka’s only warm-up game before facing an England Test team that has revolutionized its play under Head Coach Brendon McCullum’s “BazBall” approach. In this match, Kusal Mendis’ repeated dismissals in both innings exposed his inability to handle the moving ball, a worrying sign for the upcoming series.

However, Aravinda De Silva should be cautious with his criticisms. On three separate occasions in 2011, 2016, and 2019 he entered Sri Lanka Cricket through political connections, dismantling well-established structures set in place at SLC and bringing in inexperienced foreign coaches, including Chris Silverwood, Anton Roux and even his former D.S.Senanayake school mate Naveed Nawaz as an Asst.Head Coach, for exorbitant salaries. These decisions, often driven by financial interests and kickbacks, have been detrimental to the development of the national team and its feeder systems, including the Under-19, Sri Lanka ‘A,’ and Emerging Teams.

While De Silva remains a revered figure for his contributions as a player, his track record as a cricket administrator paints a different picture. If his true interest lies in the business opportunities surrounding Sri Lanka Cricket rather than its genuine progress, it may be best for him to step away from SLC matters and preserve the respect he earned as a legendary player, rather than tarnish it with proven failed ventures and self-serving ambitions.

The timing of De Silva’s comment is certainly noteworthy, as it coincides with his apparent attempt to re-enter Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) once again. With Jayasuriya’s close ally, Sports Minister Harin Fernando, recently ousted from parliament, De Silva may be eyeing an opportunity, knowing that Jayasuriya’s contract as an Advisor to SLC might not be renewed when it comes up before the Sri Lanka Cricket’s Executive Committee in October.