SLC likely to extend Jayasuriya's contract as men's head coach: Report

New Delhi, Sep 29
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is likely to extend Sanath Jayasuriya's tenure as head coach of the men's national team for another year, after a series of impressive results since he took over as interim coach.

The Sri Lankan side secured notable victories, including an ODI series win against India and Test match triumphs at The Oval and in Galle against New Zealand since Jaisuriya took over as interim coach in early July.

According to ESPNcricinfo report, SLC has initiated discussions to formalise Jayasuriya’s role on a long-term basis.

"We are in the final stages of negotiating the contract with him. Probably, in the next two or three days you will get to hear more," SLC CEO Ashley de Silva was quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Jayasuriya, who had previously served as Sri Lanka's chief selector in two different stints, initially came on board as a cricket consultant for one year in December 2023, primarily tasked with working at the High Performance Centre. However, after accompanying the team to the T20 World Cup and subsequently taking over as interim head coach, his impact has been felt across multiple formats.

Despite a few setbacks, such as a T20I series loss and two Test defeats against England, Sri Lanka's overall progress has been encouraging. The team is now in contention for a spot in the World Test Championship final.