R Sridhar and Vikram Rathour are outstanding additions to Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya

Sri Lankan head coach Sanath Jayasuriya has heaped praise on the Indian support staff, comprising fielding coach R Sridhar and batting coach Vikram Rathour, who have been included in the Lankan camp ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.

Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Haier Match Centre Live’, Sanath Jayasuriya spoke highly of his Indian support staff for their eight-wicket win over Australia, adding that the duo gel well with the group, instilling real confidence among the Lankan players.

“R Sridhar, our fielding coach from India, and Vikram Rathour, our batting coach, are outstanding additions. They deliver exactly what we need in practice. Sridhar excels with fielding, and Vikram, with his IPL experience, works brilliantly with the batters. They gel well with the group and instilled real confidence in our players. Even when we coaches sometimes get desperate, we’ve backed the batting unit, and their contributions have been excellent,” Jayasuriya told JioHotstar.

Furthermore, Jayasuriya has disclosed the strategy implemented by the Lankans, stating Adam Zampa as the key threat. Moreover, he lauded Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Pavan Rathnanayake for their exceptional heroics in the game.

Delving into the details of the game, Australia was tasked to bat first after losing the toss. Though they started well, they managed to post only 181 runs on a flat wicket. In response, Sri Lanka finished off the game in 18 overs with eight wickets in hand. Pathum Nissanka (100*) and Kusal Mendis (51) were the heroes of the chase.

“We targeted Zampa as the key threat. If he bowls well, we shut him down early, then attack the others. With dew making the pitch better, we backed our batters. Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka batted superbly; Pathum never let up after that, sealing it with a big hundred. Pavan Rathnayake is another bright future star for Sri Lanka. He’s playing brilliant cricket despite limited T20 experience,” he added.

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