Sri Lanka Cricket's Transformation Committee has announced sweeping reforms targeting coaching standards, umpire development, pitch preparation, and player pathways, including a proposed shift from Under-23 to Under-21 competitions.
The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Transformation Committee has introduced a multi-faceted development programme aimed at strengthening the country's cricket infrastructure across multiple levels. According to Cricket Committee Chairman Sidath Wettimuny, the initiatives prioritise three core areas: coaching standards, pitch curation, and umpiring excellence.
Under the umpiring reforms, SLC has recruited two specialist umpire coaches to raise officiating standards from school cricket through to first-class level, with an umpire manager appointed to oversee the programme beginning August 1. A curator manager has also been assigned to supervise pitch preparation at international venues while providing technical guidance to club and school grounds. The committee is simultaneously working to enhance coaching quality by bringing internationally recognised coach educator Ashley Ross to Sri Lanka for a two-year programme that would standardise coaching practices from national high-performance teams down to provincial and district levels.
The committee has also engaged renowned Australian sports physiotherapist Alex Kountouris to review and realign Sri Lanka's physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, and sports medicine departments, with ongoing remote support planned. Notably, the committee is considering replacing the existing Under-23 tournament with an Under-21 competition to better support talented cricketers transitioning from school to senior levels, as many promising players are reportedly lost between ages 17 and 22.
Additional proposals include expanded focus on women's cricket, enhanced player welfare structures, and a new player monitoring system to track workloads and performance, particularly among fast bowlers. Wettimuny stated the reforms aim to establish sustainable development pathways that will strengthen Sri Lanka's talent pipeline from junior cricket through to national representation.
