In order to help the Indian batsmen counter the array of left-arm pacers in the forthcoming Asia Cup and thereafter, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Seneviratne as left-arm throwdown coach.
As per a report published in The Indian Express, Seneviratne has been roped in at the request of the Indian team management to face the likes of Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Afridi among others in the Asia Cup.
“He (Seneviratne) will be assisting the team only for the Asia Cup. His inclusion is only on a trial basis for now. The BCCI is in regular touch with the Indian team management, and the request to look for a left-arm throwdown especially had come from the team," a source close to The Indian Express was quoted as saying.
"One more reason for hiring his services was that the Pakistan team has good left-arm pacers. So he’s been brought on board in order to provide our batsmen with adequate practice," he added.
The report also suggests that Seneviratne might get a full-fledged contract from BCCI depending on the feedback of Indian team management following the Asia Cup.
Seneviratne has played only two first-class games for Colombo Cricket Club back in 2004. However, he has been involved with Sri Lankan cricket for nearly a decade and has also served the senior team as a fielding coach for a brief period.
India will start their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong on September 18. Subsequently, the Men in Blue will take on the arch-rivals Pakistan at Dubai on September 19.