The news that former Sri Lankan batting icon Mahela Jayawardena will make his expertise available to Sri Lanka Cricket as a consultant is the best thing that can happen for the greater good of the upliftment of the country’s cricket. Its significance is huge in that it will effectively wring in a new chapter in local iconic expertise bonding in taking the country’s cricket forward given the soaring international status quo the former Sri Lanka captain basks in. Jayawarene’s announcement that he will bat for Sri Lanka in the key consultant role after the ongoing IPL where he is head coach of the Mumbai Indians, is certainly buoying the Lankan camp heading for the showpiece heavyweight ICC T20 World Cup kicking off on October 17 in Abu Dhabi.
While the former great with the best captaincy record yet, will be an overall asset in reviving Sri Lanka’s T20 image following the most recent 3-0 home defeat to South Africa, the indepth batting know how Jayawardene is renowned for in the super star technical flair as the country’s greatest batsman in the silken grace soft hands stroke play, will be an asset to a new look young outfit in plugging the weak areas of the frontline batters.
Overly, the presence of a home grown expert who has walked the walk in a mighty past of having delivered for his country in multi dimension – among the top run getters, highest partnership for any wicket to date and captaincy mettle to boot, will serve in lifting the spirits of the players with the thinking cap ingrained of a shrewd sharp shooter of the game.