Bharat Arun, previously the bowling coach for India from 2014 to 2021, is set to lead a specialised coaching initiative in Sri Lanka aimed at refining the skills of the country’s fast bowlers. This 14-day programme, starting on 2nd June, seeks to elevate both junior and senior players and will be hosted at Sri Lanka Cricket’s high-performance centre.
According to a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket, Arun will engage with the national men’s and women’s teams, along with their respective ‘A’ and U19 sides. His responsibilities will also extend to club and provincial coaches, and coach-educators. As part of these efforts, Arun will offer strategy sessions on both red-ball and white-ball cricket, technical training for fast bowlers, video analysis, and simulated match scenarios to enhance game understanding.
This initiative follows a trend of Indian experts collaborating with Sri Lankan cricket. Earlier in May, R Sridhar, India’s former fielding coach, led a ten-day programme. Zubin Bharucha from Rajasthan Royals also contributed with a batting workshop last year, all under the tenure of head coach Sanath Jayasuriya.
While the Sri Lanka men’s team currently faces a quieter international schedule, with only two Tests until next May and no spot in this year’s Champions Trophy, these coaching efforts aim to bolster the team’s future prospects. As one can surmise, proactive engagements like these could prove vital in strengthening the team’s foundation for forthcoming challenges.
