Mahela turns down SLC invitation

Former Sri Lankan Cricket team Captain Mahela Jayawardena had turned down an invitation by Sri Lanka Cricket Board to join the Sri Lanka team management at the World Cup scheduled to commence in England.

he had made this statement during an interview with a weekend newspaper.

He had stated that already every effort had been taken with regard to the Sri Lankan team and there is nothing more that he could do, Mahela had said, confirming that he had received the invitation from the Sports Minister and SLC.

“I didn’t understand the role I am expected to play. There’s no point in me getting involved tactically, or whatever, if I don’t have a say in the whole structure. The team is selected and everything is done and dusted. There is no room for me to come in and add something.

I am still happy to contribute in my little way with the management of the team but nothing to do with the SLC. That’s something I have told myself as well. I just don’t have the appetite to come and work for anybody when I know that it’s not the right place for me.

We created a professional cricketing structure spending eight months. We offered to set it up for them but they rejected it.”

Perhaps the reason for Mahela to refuse the invitation was because the proposals and recommendations forwarded by him for the betterment of cricket in Sri Lanka had been rejected by SLC, according to cricket reviewers.

A committee comprising Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara and Aravinda de Silva had previously given several recommendations for the progress of cricket in Sri Lanka but the Cricket Board had not responded positively to it.

Currently, Mahela operates as the Chief Coach of the Mumbai Indians Team and had earlier served as the batting advisor to the England team as well.

Under Mahela’s training, the Mumbai Indians team had won the IPL trophy on two occasions.