Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee chairman Eran Wickramaratne has called for a rejig of the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) to allow Sri Lanka to play more Test matches against leading nations such as India, England and Australia.
Sri Lanka returned to Test cricket in June-July after a year-long gap, playing a two-match series against the West Indies. The island nation is currently involved in a two-Test series against India.
Sri Lanka are scheduled to play six more Tests this year, with two each against Pakistan and New Zealand away from home, followed by a two-match home series against South Africa.
Wickramaratne believes the international calendar needs to be reworked to ensure Sri Lanka get more opportunities to play Test cricket, a format the board wants to prioritise.
“I think it’s the international calendar which is causing this issue of us not playing enough Tests, and this is the format we want to do well. But the tours are determined by the FTP and we’re hoping to have more tours with India in the next (World Test Championship) cycle,” Wickramaratne told select media here.
“We’ve heard that we’ll have a few more (tours) in the next cycle so we’re keeping our fingers crossed. But obviously India, England, Australia are the teams that the entire world is looking at playing and I think we want to make sure that we get tours from those countries.”
Sri Lanka are set to play 10 Tests this year despite having played very little red-ball cricket during the first half of the calendar, prompting Wickramaratne to call for a more balanced schedule.
“Yes, we need a balance and now we are scheduled to play 10 Test matches whereas we’ve played hardly anything this year. So, I think we need to rework our FTP and see how it goes.
“I think it’s the T20 and 50-over cricket which has congested the calendar in a sense. But we want to play India because the truth is we depend on India a lot, and they are also the financial power in cricket,” he said.
Wickramaratne also hopes his recent discussions with ICC president Jay Shah and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia can help strengthen cricketing ties between Sri Lanka and India.
“I had a conversation with Jay Shah, and recently we had a visit from BCCI’s Devajit Saikia. We want to make sure that we work together in building cricket here and across the world. We need the support of India and we really appreciate the support we get.
“India is also stuck with a tight calendar of their own and they struggle to come here. But for us it would be great if we can have more teams coming and playing here but I guess it will depend on the international calendar. Yes, we had a very good meeting. They were very good with us,” he noted.
Former Sri Lanka cricketer Sidath Wettimuny, who is now a member of the interim committee, meanwhile highlighted the steps being taken by the new administrators to improve transparency and accountability within Sri Lanka Cricket.
Wettimuny said the board needs to adapt to changing times and pointed to the introduction of independent directors under the new constitution as a key reform.
“Like India had the Lodha commission, other boards in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia did make some changes. So we need to change with the times and one of the most fundamental things that we have done in this current constitution is having independent directors as well, not all elected.
“So that will be a very significant change from the old system to the new system because we feel we need more accountability, transparency and visibility about everything that’s happening. I think it will be better for Sri Lanka cricket,” said Wettimuny.
– Ends
