Chris Silverwood named new Sri Lanka head coach two months after Ashes defeat
- Planet Sport writer
- 9 April 2022
The 47-year-old left his role as England coach back in February following a dismal 4-0 Ashes defeat over the winter.
After his two-year stint as England coach, Chris Silverwood took just two months away from the sport before returning as Sri Lanka head coach.
The former right-armed fast bowler spent 13 years at Yorkshire during his playing days, first joining the Headingley club in 1993 before leaving for Middlesex in 2006.
After three years at Middlesex, Silverwood then joined Mashonaland Eagles for a brief period before retiring in 2009.
JUST IN: Chris Silverwood has been appointed as the head coach of the Sri Lanka men's team š±š° pic.twitter.com/rXIFfzhaw8
ā ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 9, 2022
Just a year later, Silverwood joined Essex as a bowling coach, and was eventually promoted to head coach in 2016.
In his first year in charge, Silverwood oversaw Essex's promotion to the First Division of the County Championship, before he went on to win it the following year.
Having impressed and caught the eye at Essex, Silverwood earned a spot in the England coaching setup in 2018, and in October 2019 he was appointed the head coach of the national team.
However, his success as a coach dried up during his time in charge of England, and the recent 4-0 drubbing in the Ashes earlier this year was the final nail in the coffin.
But as of April, Silverwood has now taken charge of Sri Lanka, who have been without a head coach since November following the departure of Mickey Arthur - who is now Derbyshire's head of cricket.
"I cannot wait to get over to Colombo and get started."
ā The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) April 9, 2022
Chris Silverwood has been named head coach of the Sri Lanka men's team. pic.twitter.com/4oAiANg6Fy
Silverwood has signed a two-year deal and his first time in charge of the side will be in May, when Sri Lanka are scheduled to play Bangladesh in a two-Test tour.
Following the announcement of his appointment on Saturday afternoon, Silverwood said:
"I am very excited to be on board with Sri Lanka and I cannot wait to get over to Colombo and get started," said Silverwood, who has little over a month to prepare for two upcoming Tests in Bangladesh.
"They have a talented and passionate group of players and I am really looking forward to meeting up with the players and coaching staff very soon."
