Sri Lanka Cricket has appointed Bharat Arun, the former India fast bowling coach, and former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes to its coaching set-up. The board has also appointed former Sri Lankan physiotherapist Alex Kountouri.“Sri Lanka Cricket decided to obtain the services of some of the best-known talents in international cricket to provide advanced training for local coaches, trainers, and physiotherapists to enhance their skills and competencies by conducting periodic training programmes in selected areas,” a release by the board stated.
Bharat Arun, celebrated for his tenure as India's fast bowling coach, brings a wealth of experience to the Sri Lankan team. His expertise is expected to enhance the bowling department, potentially elevating the performance of the national squad.Jonty Rhodes, a South African cricket legend, is widely regarded as one of the greatest fielders in the history of the sport. His appointment promises to bring a new dimension to the fielding abilities of the Sri Lankan cricketers. Rhodes' exceptional fielding skills left an indelible mark on the game, most notably with his full-length dive to run out Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq, which remains etched in cricketing folklore. The announcement was made at an Executive Committee meeting of the SLC where it was also decided that an award would be introduced to recognise and compensate junior cricketers who perform exceptionally well in Sri Lanka's school cricket tournaments. The award will be given to cricketers at Under-15 and Under-17 level. The board is also considering starting an Under-21 program especially for kids who don't have a pathway after school cricket. All the relevant stakeholders will be spoken to ensure program hits the ground running at the earliest. The board also decided to increase the pay of the players participating in the National Super League. Similarly, retiring umpires, scorers and referees will be rewarded starting 2024.
