Mickey Arthur set to become Sri Lanka head coach

Mickey Arthur, the former South Africa cricketer, is all set to take charge as the head coach of the Sri Lanka cricket team. It has been learned that Arthur, also a former South Africa, Australia and Pakistan coach,  has struck a two-year deal with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and a formal announcement of the same will be made shortly. The Lankan coaching staff has undergone a complete overhaul.

Arthur will be joined by Grant Flower as the batting coach, Shane McDermott as the fielding coach and David Saker as the bowling coach. Interestingly, Flower and Arthur have worked earlier together, being in the same positions in the Pakistan coaching staff. However, their contracts weren’t renewed after the 2019 World Cup debacle where the side couldn’t go beyond the league stage.

Along with Arthur, Flower, Saker and McDermott have also been roped in on a two-year contract. “They will all be joining on two-year contracts,” Ashley de Silva, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SLC was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.

Meanwhile, it’s been known that Flower won’t be travelling to Pakistan for the two-match Test series, scheduled to start on December 11. Rather, Flower, also a former Zimbabwe cricketer, will only be a part of the Lankan white-ball teams.

Pakistan tour will be Mickey Arthur’s first assignment

Flower was earlier the head coach of the Rangpur Rangers in the 2019-20 edition of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League. However, he left the franchise and the Rangers appointed New Zealand’s Mark O’Donnell in the role.

Saker has worked as the bowling coach of England and Australia over the last 10 years. As far as Arthur is concerned, he has seen many ups and downs in his coaching career, especially with the Pakistan team. Even after he was left go of, Arthur has kept opining on the Pakistan cricketers.

He is now set to become the 11th head coach of the Lankans in the last eight years. Arthur’s first assignment is the Test series in Pakistan, where he was the head coach from July 2016 to this year’s World Cup. It is also understood that Rumesh Ratnayake, the interim head coach, will also be on the tour to assist with the transition.