Umpiring and coaching standards need to get better: Wettimuny
Former Sri Lankan cricketer Sidath Wettimuny advocates for improved coaching and umpiring standards to revitalize the nation's cricket performance. He also proposes restructuring the domestic league to prioritize quality over quantity by reducing the number of premier clubs.
Why it matters
This reflects broader concerns about the professionalization and sustainability of sports infrastructure in developing nations.
Grace and grit are intrinsic to Sidath Wettimuny. The former Sri Lankan opener was the Emerald Isle’s first Test centurion with a 157 against Pakistan at Faisalabad in 1982. He has seen Sri Lankan cricket evolve, first as a player, then as an administrator and now as a member of the SLC Transformation Committee.
After 70 summers, Wettimuny’s love for cricket remains intact, as evident during a chat. While referring to the current phase of stagnancy in Sri Lankan cricket, he said: “The main reason (for the decline) is the neglect in some areas, like coaching and umpiring. Once we won the 1996 World Cup, the game spread beyond the city, to the countryside and we did not look at coaching skills in rural areas. We are trying to address that. We have to make sure that the umpiring and coaching standards get better.”
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