Are you ready to change?

Sri Lanka’s disappointing exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, marked by a string of underwhelming performances, and has laid bare several weaknesses within the national side. While shortcomings in batting, bowling and fielding were evident throughout the campaign, another worrying factor that surfaced was the team’s lack of optimal fitness. The issue became particularly glaring as a number of key players were sidelined due to hamstring injuries, raising concerns about the overall physical conditioning of the squad.

Following the latest World Cup debacle, the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has come under intense scrutiny, with critics and fans alike calling for sweeping changes at the top. However, SLC in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, has finally decided to address one of the most immediate concerns: the physical fitness of the players.

As part of this initiative, a structured fitness programme aimed at improving strength, speed and endurance among national players will begin this week. Three qualified trainers from the Ministry of Sports have been assigned to oversee the programme, including former Sri Lanka hurdler Asoka Jayasundara, who brings considerable expertise in athletic conditioning.

The training sessions are scheduled to commence on Tuesday and will be conducted at the SSC and NCC grounds in Colombo. The programme is expected to focus on targeted conditioning exercises designed to address the recurring muscle injuries that have plagued the team in recent months.

Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, in particular, was severely weakened during the World Cup due to injuries. Fast bowler Eshan Malinga, spearhead Wanindu Hasaranga and express paceman Matheesha Pathirana were all ruled out at various stages with hamstring issues. The problems were compounded when leading batter Kusal Mendis also sustained a similar injury towards the latter stages of the tournament.

Speaking on the initiative, Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva acknowledged that while most players are within acceptable fitness parameters, a small but significant number still fall short of the required standards.

“We will be starting a fitness programme from this week,” de Silva said.

“If you look at the overall picture, about 80 to 85 percent of our players are within the required fitness levels. The concern lies with the remaining 15 percent, and unfortunately some of them are part of the national team. That is why we are working closely with the Ministry of Sports to conduct a structured training programme aimed at improving speed and endurance.”

With Sri Lanka’s upcoming series against Afghanistan now uncertain due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the board sees this period as an opportunity to focus on strengthening the physical conditioning of the players. The fitness programme is expected to run for approximately two months, after which the progress of the players will be carefully evaluated.

A meeting involving national selectors, trainers from the Ministry of Sports and SLC’s own coaching staff was held on Friday to finalise the details of the programme.

De Silva also revealed that Sri Lanka Cricket is exploring the possibility of recruiting a foreign trainer to work alongside the national team on a long-term basis, ensuring that fitness standards remain consistently high.

“We have been very strict with our fitness policies and have even imposed pay cuts from player retainers when they fail to meet the specified benchmarks,” he said.

“But ultimately, fitness comes down to attitude and commitment. We hope the players will take this seriously and work towards improving their physical standards.”