Hashan Tillakaratne appointed as the new batting coach for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka gets a major boost ahead of their series against India as former Sri Lankan international Hashan Tillakaratne joins the squad as the batting coach. Tillakaratne, who has also been a former captain of the team went with the team to Galle and engaged himself in the training session on Monday (July 24).

Tillakaratne associated himself with Sri Lanka Cricket as a coach last year. He had to work with the development teams for a year and finally got his promotion to the senior team prior to the battle against India.

“Hashan’s experience in Test cricket will help us immensely. The batsmen can pick his mind on how to tackle pressure and how to bat for long. He is doing a great job with the boys,” the team’s Cricket Manager Asanka Gurusinha told Cricbuzz.

Hashan Tillakaratne served as the captain of the Sri Lankan team during the 2003-2004 period. He has 83 Test caps under his belt and the tough middle order batsman was also the first Sri Lankan to score a Test century in South Africa. Apart from his abilities as a batsman, the cricketer was a valuable fielder.

Other recruitments:

Sri Lanka cricket got a new bowling coach last week after former coach Champaka Ramanayake resigned from the post. Sri Lanka’s most successful pace bowler, the legendary Chaminda Vaas was roped in by the board to serve as the bowling coach for the national team. The addition of both Chaminda Vaas and Hashan Tillakaratne are being considered as a plus to the team because of their experience and quality as cricketers.

New Sri Lanka Test skipper, Dinesh Chandimal has also been released from the hospital after falling victim to a chest infection. The batsman was admitted to the hospital on Friday due to an infection in his lung. But fortunately for the Sri Lankans, it was a minor issue and he is now fit to feature in the first Test against India.