Chandika Hathurusingha, the high profile Coach of Sri Lanka national team, has been short listed for the top post of the West Indies team, Cricket Age reliably learns.
After former Australian player Stuart Law parted ways with West Indies team after the recently concluded Indian tour, the post of the national team head coach is vacated. Currently, former Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas is acting as the interim coach of the West Indies.
According to sources, Hathurusingha secretly applied for the post few weeks ago and the West Indies Cricket Board has already short listef him along with few other candidates. Along with Hathurusingha, legendary Courtney Walsh and Sussex Chris Adams are the front runners to take over the job, after former West Indies players Roger Harper and Gus Logie refused.
“Yes, Mr. Hathurusingha has been short listed for the job along with Mr. Walsh and Mr. Adams. But it is too early to say anything, as we haven’t discussed things with him face to face. We are considering Walshy as well, but he has certain conditions” a top official of West Indies Cricket Board told Cricket Age.
Currently, Hathurusingha is in the middle of his two years contract with Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC). However, his tenure so far has been marred with poor performance of the national team and off field controversies. Since taking over the team in December 2017, Hathurusingha has turned out a white elephant for Sri Lanka cricket. Despite enjoying 6 million salary per month, Sri Lanka slipped significantly in world cricket, with embarrassing defeats against lower ranked teams like Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka were knocked out from the Nidhahas Trophy at home and Asia Cup. Recently, Sri Lanka have lost all three series against England despite being the host.
However, more than poor showing of Sri Lanka team on field, it is the off field controversies surrounding Hathurusingha, that completely ruined his credentials. In Bangladesh he was just a coach, but in Sri Lanka, he took over everything under his control from a weakened and depleted SLC.
From the beginning, he sidelined every single domestic coach of Sri Lanka and filled national team with his close associates. Moreover, he became that much powerful that he also started to decide the airlines of the national team!
However, according to sources, there is a strong possibility that he will took over West Indies job, as its culture suits Hathurusingha.
