Mahela Jayawardene Set to Join England as Batting Consultant: Reports
According to reports, Mahela Jayawardene will be travelling with the English cricket team to the UAE for the Test and limited-overs series against Pakistan in October-November.
Mahela Jayawardene might have hung his boots up as a player but the Sri Lankan legend is all set to start the second innings of his life.
According to reports in ESPNCricinfo, Jayawardene will join the England side as their batting consultant. He will be travelling with the English cricket team to the United Arab Emirates for the Test and limited-overs series against Pakistan in October-November. Jayawardene, being from the subcontinent, will impart valuable knowledge to the English batsmen.
The stylish right-hander though will not be a full-time support staff of the team and would be contracted for a certain amount of days. Before Jayawardene, England had the Pakistani leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed as their spin consultant.
The appointment of Jayawardene makes perfect sense as over the next 18 months the Three Lions are poised to tour India, Bangladesh and UAE. The T20 World Cup in 2016 will also be played in India. The 38-year-old Sri Lankan has worked closely with both Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace - the England coach and assistant coach - during their spells with the Sri Lankan team and share a strong bond.
Jayawardene called time on his international career earlier this year and the new appointment could just be the start of several coaching offers for an immensely gifted batsman.