Former Sri Lankan cricket team captain Lasith Malinga has taken up a new role ahead of the Indian Premier League’s 2022 season. Malinga, who is the highest wicket-taker in the IPL history, only played for the Mumbai Indians during his IPL career. He was even a member of the backroom staff of the Mumbai-based franchise in a season where he went unsold.
However, Malinga has now retired and recently joined the Rajasthan Royals franchise as a fast-bowling coach. He is not the first former Sri Lankan cricket team captain to join the Rajasthan Royals backroom staff. Last year, Kumar Sangakkara took up the position of RR’s Director of Cricket.
In a recent interview, Malinga revealed that it was Sangakkara who asked him to join the coaching staff of RR. He received the offer last year itself. However, keeping the COVID-19 situation in mind, he did not wish to stay away from his family. Now that the cases have reduced across the planet, Malinga decided to return to the IPL as a coach.
“It was actually last year that Kumar (Sangakkara) asked me if I was interested. But with COVID and all the bubble restrictions, I didn’t want to stay away from my family,” said the former Mumbai Indians bowler.
We’ve got genuine Indian fast bowlers: Lasith Malinga excited to work with Prasidh Krishna and Navdeep Saini
Former Kolkata Knight Riders speedster Prasidh Krishna and former Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer Navdeep Saini are a part of the Rajasthan Royals squad for the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. Commenting on the experience that he is looking forward to having in IPL 2022, Malinga added:
“I think we have a fantastic pace attack. We’ve got genuine Indian fast bowlers in Prasidh and Saini, who have proven themselves at the highest level, and some new faces in Anunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen and Kuldip Yadav.”
Malinga also mentioned that he has worked with the duo of Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile previously with MI, who will now play for RR in IPL 2022.
