Sri Lanka's national cricket team is making a significant strategic move by bringing in experienced Indian expertise to bolster their coaching staff ahead of the crucial T20 World Cup. The island nation is likely to appoint former India opener and batting coach, Vikram Rathour, to guide their batters in the lead-up to the global tournament.
Rathour's Impressive Coaching Pedigree
Vikram Rathour brings a wealth of high-level experience to the potential role. He served as the batting coach for the Indian national team from 2022 to 2024, a period marked by significant success for the Indian batting lineup. Currently, he holds the position of assistant coach with the Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals, keeping him deeply embedded in the modern T20 circuit.
If negotiations reach a positive conclusion, Rathour could join the Sri Lankan squad in time for their home three-match T20I series against Pakistan. His tenure would also cover the subsequent six-match white-ball series against England, which comprises three ODIs and three T20Is. This schedule provides ample time for him to work with the players before the World Cup.
Building an Indian Coaching Core for Sri Lanka
This appointment will mark the second high-profile Indian addition to the Sri Lankan support staff in recent months. In a similar strategic hire, Sri Lanka Cricket announced in December that former India fielding coach R Sridhar had been appointed as the men's team's fielding coach. Sridhar's contract is set to run until the conclusion of the T20 World Cup.
The connection with Sridhar is well-established. The seasoned fielding coach, who was with the Indian team from 2014 to 2021, had already conducted a 10-day camp for Sri Lankan cricketers at various levels in May last year. His prior engagement likely paved the way for this broader collaboration, signaling Sri Lanka's intent to leverage proven subcontinental coaching talent.
Strategic Timing for the T20 World Cup
The move is clearly timed for the T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. By bringing in Rathour, Sri Lanka aims to provide their batsmen with technical and tactical insights that could be pivotal in the high-pressure tournament, especially in familiar subcontinental conditions.
The combination of Rathour's batting acumen and Sridhar's fielding expertise creates a formidable Indian coaching core within the Sri Lankan setup. This strategy highlights a focused approach to addressing key performance areas by integrating coaches who have been part of the successful Indian cricket system.
This development underscores a growing trend in international cricket where boards look beyond borders for specialized coaching skills. For Sri Lanka, tapping into the deep knowledge base of Indian coaches represents a direct effort to bridge the gap and enhance their competitiveness on the world stage, starting with the imminent T20 World Cup on home soil.
