Sri Lanka legend Sanath Jayasuriya to coach Australian club

Sri Lanka legend Sanath Jayasuriya is set to coach the Mulgrave Cricket Club for the 2021-22 season. The club plays in Victoria's Eastern Cricket Association and already consists of former Sri Lankan stalwarts Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga as players.

The former Sri Lankan skipper and chief selector's addition to the side will be a huge boost for them. Sanath Jayasuriya will also feel comfortable working with his former teammates and this seems to be a perfect match for all parties involved.

The club took to its Facebook page to announce the arrival of Sanath Jayasuriya:

"We are thrilled to have Sanath at the club to coach and work with our players, providing a fantastic wealth of experience for our seniors and juniors," their Facebook update read.

How did Dilshan play a role in getting Sanath Jayasuriya on board for Mulgrave?

Dilshan was instrumental in bringing Sanath Jayasuriya into the Mulgrave coaching setup

Mulgrave president Malin Pullenayegam opened up to Melbourne Herald Sun on how his club managed to convince Sanath Jayasuriya to take up the coaching role. He revealed it was Dilshan who played the role of a catalyst in the deal.

Dilshan had discussed the offer with Sanath Jayasuriya when the duo represented the Sri Lanka Legends in the Road Safety World Series. Following a fruitful conversation between the two, Jayasuriya was on board.

"We've been having a chat with him for a while through obviously Dilshan as a contact. They caught up during the Legends series and started having a few discussions. Dilshan opened the door for us there, and it was a fantastic opportunity that was presented to us," Pullenayegam asserted.

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