According to ESPNcricinfo, veteran Sanath Jayasuriya is expected to have his contract extended for another year, following the team’s recent standout performances. Beyond the series win against India, the highlight of his tenure was Sri Lanka’s victory over England in the Oval Test. Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva expressed optimism about finalizing the extension, noting that negotiations are ongoing.
As per the report, de Silva said, “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.”
Jayasuriya was appointed interim coach after Chris Silverwood stepped down, following Sri Lanka’s disastrous group-stage exit in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The 55-year-old’s tenure began with a tough 0-3 whitewash against India in the T20I series. Despite the initial loss, Sri Lanka displayed promise by challenging the Men in Blue and ultimately secured a 2-0 victory in the subsequent ODI series against India.
Sri Lanka faltered in the first two Tests of their series against England but rebounded with a strong win in the final match. Asitha Fernando delivered standout bowling performances with 17 wickets while Dhananjaya de Silva displayed impressive leadership on the field.
Back on home soil, Sri Lanka asserted control in their two-Test series against New Zealand. They opened with a 63-run victory and followed it with a dominant innings-and-154-run win, securing a commanding 2-0 series sweep over Tim Southee’s side.