Sri Lanka Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa today stated in Parliament that the actions of legendary Chaminda Vaas at the time of his resignation were regrettable.
“Vaas was supposed to be present during an international tour as the coach. When he requested to resign four hours prior to the said tour, it shows the indiscipline of the individual. His actions affect the young players of the team who are targeting the 2023 World Cup. Whatever issues there might be in the Cricket Board, we should not let them affect the players and the industry,” he stated.
The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement that Vaas resigned due to the Cricket Committee not complying with his request to increase his payment for the tour.
“He was to be paid an additional Rs.750,000 excluding the tour fee. Further, you cannot request the cricket committee to increase your payments as the decision should be taken by the executive committee and the Cricket Board,” Rajapaksa said.
He pointed out the issue was with Chaminda Vass requesting a pay hike and submitting his resignation nearly four hours before the team was set to depart for the Caribbean.
“The issue here is that Chaminda Vass announced his decision and demand at 5.00pm, when the team was set to depart at 11 in the night on the same day. If the SLC had at that time agreed to his request, then tomorrow right before entering the pitch in West Indies another coach or a cricketer could make similar demands and threaten to withdraw. How will we face such a situation in the future? Therefore, we have a system in place and that must be followed,” he said.
Vaas, just three days after being appointed Sri Lanka’s consultant bowling coach for the tour of West Indies, announced his resignation from the post on Monday (February 22), effective from March 26, 2021. He also informed the board that he wouldn’t be able to tour West Indies as a member of the support staff, a Sri Lanka Cricket release confirmed.
Vaas’s resignation came just hours before the team was scheduled to depart for the Caribbean. “It is particularly disheartening to note that in an economic climate such as the one facing the entire globe right now, Mr. Vass has made this sudden and irresponsible move on the eve of the team’s departure, based on personal monetary gain,” SLC said in a statement.
Vaas was appointed as fast bowling coach just three days ago, following the resignation of David Saker, who stepped down for personal reasons.
Vaas had previously coached Sri Lanka in 2013, 2015, and briefly in 2017. In between these stints with the national teams, he coached fast bowlers in the SLC Academy, while also working with Under-19 and Sri Lanka A teams.
