What's the role of captain?: SL's coded signs from dressing room slammed vs BAN | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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'... then what's the role of captain?': Sri Lanka's coded signals from dressing room slammed during game vs Bangladesh

By, New Delhi
Sep 01, 2022 11:47 PM IST

With Chris Silverwood by his side, the team analyst was seen sending coded messages to the Sri Lankan players. The codes read “2D” and “D5”.

Modern-day cricket has produced many power-hitters who have the ability to go hammer and tongs from the word go. While innovative strokes play a quintessential role in the fast-paced T20s, the evolution of sport has also led to a few tweaks in coaching techniques, with some of them even bearing the brunt of the criticism from fans. Sri Lanka on Thursday using coded signals to pass information to their players in the all-important Asia Cup 2022 game against Bangladesh didn't go down well on social media.

Sri Lanka share coded number messages from the dressing room(Twitter)
Sri Lanka share coded number messages from the dressing room(Twitter)

With head coach Chris Silverwood by his side, the team analyst was seen sending coded messages to Sri Lanka's captain and his players. The codes read “2D” and “D5”.

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Sri Lanka seemed to have followed England, who initially used real-time coded signals from the dressing room in the T20 series in South Africa in 2020. It was for communicating with the then skipper Eoin Morgan on the field. While the practice was criticised by former England captain Michael Vaughan, Morgan defended its use, saying there was nothing wrong with it. England's head coach was Silverwood, who currently is associated with the islanders.

"100 per cent, (it's) within the spirit of the game. There's nothing untoward about it. It's about maximising the information that we're taking in, and measuring it against things (like) coaches' recommendations, the data, what's going on," Morgan was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo

"If signals are sent from the dressing room, then what is the role of a captain in the field? Cricket is not football," argued a fan about Sri Lanka sending messages to their players during the game in Dubai.

Earlier, the ECB said the signalling system was being trialled and was "intended as a live informational resource that the captain may choose to use or ignore as he wishes". It added – "They are not commands or instructions and all decision-making takes place on the field."

Coming to the match, Bangladesh reached 183/7 in 20 overs, thanks to Mehidy Hasan Miraz (38) and Afif Hossain (39). Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain also chipped in with late cameos, scoring 27 and 24 respectively. Taskin Ahmed hit a 6-ball 11*, decorated with a six in the final over.

For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga and Chamika Karunaratne picked up two wickets each, while Asitha Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana and Dilshan Madushanka got one wicket apiece.

Both Sri Lanka and Afghanistan were outplayed by Afghanistan, who have already made the Super Four stage from Group B. The winner moves into the next round while the loser will crash out of the six-nation competition.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 105 in the tournament opener last week, while Bangladesh, led by Shakib Al Hasan, lost to Afghanistan by seven wickets after they managed just 127-7 while batting first in Sharjah.

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