We are nowhere near the potential that we have - Chris Silverwood

Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood and Sri Lanka captain 

Dasun Shanaka 

• Fifth and final ODI at R. Premadasa Stadium today

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Since former England cricketer and coach Chris Silverwood took over as head coach Sri Lanka has won two back to back series – a Test series in Bangladesh and now the ODI series against Australia, but his view is that the best is yet to come from the team.

“It’s great to come and start off on a winning footing so to speak. For me it’s more about the progression we are making. We have put in strategies and methods in place that we can follow. We know if we follow those strategies, we can win games. It’s becoming more aware of having things in place,” said Silverwood ahead of the fifth and final ODI against Australia at the R. Premadasa Stadium today.

“One of the most exciting things is that we are still nowhere near the potential that we have in the team. Yes, we are still pushing one of the best teams in the world and obviously in our conditions. To me that’s very exciting, it means that we’ve got more to come and if the guys keep learning and keep progressing the way we are, then we will be in a very strong position to challenge anywhere in the world.”

“Winning here was very satisfying but more satisfying for me was the progress of the team which has made this journey so far. Just to see the tactics coming together, see guys scoring runs, to see how we chased totals down, our run chase in that game was absolutely fantastic to catch up with the scoreboard, and how we managed our way through it against a team that is very good. And equally the way we absorbed pressure when we’ve been out there and with the ball, we managed to keep putting pressure back on the Australians.”

The captain and the players have spoken of how the pressure has been taken off them and how they are allowed to play freely by the head coach.

Silverwood’s response was: “It’s just being consistent with everything I do. I try not to get too excited about things which are difficult at times because obviously you get into the game just like everybody. To me it’s just the consistency around the dressing room. The players know what to expect of me every day, the way I am going to behave, and it’s given them the confidence to play the way they want, to express themselves, without in the knowledge of actually if you get out doing something that’s fine as long as I know it’s part of your game.”

“What we found out is that the players are quite happy to go and play their shots, quite happy to sweep and the bowlers are willing to try different balls. That’s exactly what you want them to do because the more we do that’s when it will get to them. We’ve seen players around express themselves, batsmen playing reverse sweeps, sweeps not scared of it. We have to be in the same position where we can do that. It’s my job to give them the confidence and freedom to deliver. So, its consistency from me in the dressing room so that they know what they are getting from me every day and have a very clear line of communication of what their roles are, are and what I expect of them. You get that together and the results speak for themselves.”

With Sri Lanka having taken a 3-1 lead in the series Silverwood spoke of resting some of the key players who are carrying niggling injuries for today’s game.

“We have to take into consideration now whether or not it is worth risking some of these players, and risk injury. It is something that we are talking about. You’ll see shortly when the team is released which way we have decided to go.”

Silverwood said he expects the players who played in Bangladesh and the ones playing in the ongoing ODI series to carry forward the confidence of winning into the upcoming two-Test series against Australia.

“We have to make sure that we are on the ball because we know Australia are a good side and we have to give them the respect they deserve. We have to prepare well and we have to play well. I know one thing that the Australians will come hard at us and we will have to be prepared for that. It should be a very exciting Test series.”