Former India Coach R Sridhar to Lead 10-Day Fielding Camp for Sri Lanka’s Men’s, Women’s, and Youth Teams

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has turned to one of the sharpest fielding minds in the game to lift its on-field standards, enlisting former India fielding coach R Sridhar for an intensive 10-day programme beginning May 7.

This move comes as the island nation braces for a packed cricketing calendar leading into the T20 World Cup and a key Test series against Bangladesh.

The initiative is being heralded as a "comprehensive 10-day fielding programme" and aims to cover the entire cricketing ecosystem. Sridhar will work with the senior men's and women's national squads, Emerging squads, Premier club players, the U19 team, and the Women's 'A' team.

As per report on Cricbuzz, "Sridhar will conduct a comprehensive 10-day fielding program to elevate the fielding standards of Sri Lankan Cricketers," the SLC said in its statement. The programme will kick off with the Sri Lanka men's team, after which the focus will shift across other levels.

However, the women's national side may only be partially available due to their ongoing tri-series against India and South Africa, which concludes on May 11.

A seasoned coach and a BCCI Level 3 certified professional, Sridhar has an illustrious resume that includes over 300 international matches with the Indian team between 2014 and 2021. During that time, he was widely credited for transforming India into a dynamic and agile fielding unit under head coaches Ravi Shastri and Anil Kumble.

"Sridhar, a BCCI Level 3 qualified coach, brings a wealth of experience, having served as India's fielding coach across more than 300 international matches," the SLC release emphasised, as per Cricbuzz.

The programme isn't just about repetitive drills. According to SLC, Sridhar will carry out a holistic plan involving "fielding drills, skill-specific training, and simulated match scenarios, to replicate game conditions." The sessions are also designed to be collaborative, with Sridhar working closely with Sri Lanka's National, High Performance, and Club coaches.

In his playing days, Sridhar was a crafty left-arm spinner who represented Hyderabad in 35 first-class matches. Post-retirement, he carved out a niche in coaching and has since worked with various IPL franchises and even held a recent stint with the Afghanistan national team. In Sri Lanka, he will join hands with the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya, now a key figure in the island's cricketing development structure.

This isn't the first time SLC has turned to international expertise. Over the past decade, the board has brought in Pakistan great Wasim Akram for bowling mentorship, South African legend Jonty Rhodes for fielding, and earlier this year, Rajasthan Royals' Zubin Bharucha for a specialised batting stint.

With a critical few months ahead, Sri Lanka hopes Sridhar's presence will infuse new energy and precision into their game. For now, all eyes will be on the diving stops and direct hits as the players undergo one of their most rigorous fielding bootcamps yet.