Jayawardena hits back at SLC criticism

Mahela Jayawardena has hit back at the president of Sri Lanka Cricket for criticising the legendary batsman's coaching role with England during the upcoming ICC World T20.

Jayawardena, who retired from international cricket almost 12 months ago, will work with England at the tournament in India having previously worked alongside coach Trevor Bayliss - who was formerly in charge of Sri Lanka - on their tour of the UAE late last year.

On Friday, SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said he was "sad and disappointed" that Jayawardena had agreed to work with another country so soon after his own career had ended, saying the matter was "about the ethics of cricket".

But Jayawardena has responded swiftly to the criticism, saying the Sri Lankan team should have moved on since he retired from T20 cricket in 2014.

"By the World T20, I would have been out of the one-day team for 12 months, and out of the T20 team almost two years," Jayawardena said.

"If the tactics of that dressing room haven't moved on in that time - if they are still playing the same way - then there's a problem, isn't it?

"There are also a lot of new players in this Sri Lanka team that I haven't played with. But even for the guys like Angelo Mathews, or Lasith Malinga, or Dinesh Chandimal, isn't the challenge to keep evolving?

"My role with England is to help develop their cricketers, and to help with how they should approach different challenges - like playing spin."

Jayawardena added that his role with England had been agreed to before the two nations were pooled together in Group 1, meaning they will face off in Delhi on March 26.

"The pools hadn't been decided when I agreed to do it," he said.

"England didn't hire me to give information on the Sri Lankan team. They have analysts and coaches to do that.

"I'm quite disappointed to see those comments from the board, to be fair."

Sumathipala said while there was no contractual reason Jayawardena could not coach another country, it was a matter of principle.

"You need that minimum cooling-off period, because you were recently in the team," Sumathipala said.

"You know the team's strengths and its weaknesses because you're inside the team. You know your team planning ahead of the World Cup. I think I've been very sad and disappointed by this.

"I don't think this is just a matter of contract. You captained Sri Lanka, you played for your country, and after a few months you go and represent another country and advise against your own nation? I'm talking here about ethics of cricket.

"I had a lot of respect and gratitude for Mahela's knowledge, but now he's advisor to a competing team of ours.

"I'm very disappointed that a national captain, within a few months of retirement, has been retained by another team at a World Cup."