Lasith Malinga, the 38-year-old Sri Lankan paceman who guided his team to the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup title, will work with the Rajasthan Royals’ outstanding crop of pacers throughout the forthcoming season.
Prior to the highly anticipated IPL 2022 season, the Royals Sports Group-owned Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals has announced two coaching appointments to its coaching staff. Lasith Malinga, a Sri Lankan icon, will be the franchise’s new fast bowling coach, with Paddy Upton taking on a new position as ‘Team Catalyst.’
The 38-year-old Malinga, who captained his nation to the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup title, will work with the Royals’ outstanding core of pacers throughout the forthcoming season. Malinga, regarded as one of the finest limited-overs bowlers of all time, will supervise the creation of bowling schemes in the lead-up to and throughout the season, as well as imparting his knowledge and experience of T20 cricket to the young bowlers.
Over the course of his 17-year career, the right-arm fast bowler represented Sri Lanka in 340 matches across three formats, taking 546 wickets. He only ever played for one side in the Indian Premier League, the Mumbai Indians, for whom he took 170 wickets in 122 matches. He most recently worked as Sri Lanka’s Bowling Strategy Coach for their T20I series against Australia in February 2022.
“It’s a fantastic feeling for me to return to the IPL and an amazing pleasure to join Rajasthan Royals, a team that has always encouraged and nurtured young talent,” Malinga said of his new role. I’m thrilled about the speed bowling unit we’ve assembled for the competition, and I’m looking forward to assisting all of the fast bowlers with their game plans and general growth. I’ve had some really wonderful moments in the IPL with Mumbai Indians and now with the Royals, and I’m looking forward to new experiences and making fantastic memories along the way.”
Paddy Upton’s hiring, on the other hand, represents a return to the Royals for the South African, who previously served as the franchise’s Head Coach from 2013 to 2015 and then again in 2019, leading the side to top-four finishes in 2013 and 2015, as well as a Champions League appearance in 2013.
As the Team Catalyst, Upton will be responsible for establishing team integration by bringing them together as a cohesive and mutually supportive unit, as well as looking after their mental well-being through the use of various mental conditioning processes and activities that aid in maintaining a healthy culture and environment, particularly within the confines of being in a bio-bubble. Upton will be on the bubble for the first four weeks of the tournament, but will be a virtual supporter once that time is through.
*𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥*
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 11, 2022
Lasith Malinga. IPL. Pink. 💗#RoyalsFamily | #TATAIPL2022 | @ninety9sl pic.twitter.com/p6lS3PtlI3
Previously, the South African served as the Mental Conditioning Coach for India’s Men’s Team during the successful 2011 ICC World Cup, and as the Performance Director of South Africa Cricket from 2011 to 2014, guiding the team to become the first to hold the World No. 1 ranking in all three formats of the game in 2012.
Meanwhile, Kumar Sangakkara will take over as Head Coach for the 2018 season, while also serving as Director of Cricket for the Royals outside of the season, as he did last year. “Lasith is undoubtedly one of the best T20 fast bowlers of all-time, and having a personality like his around the training field, as well as the skills he brings to the table, is definitely something we believe the squad can benefit from,” he said of the two newcomers. We have some of the top fast bowlers in the world on our group, and we’re thrilled that they’ll be able to work with Lasith and learn and improve even more.”
Trevor Penney (Assistant Coach), Zubin Bharucha (Strategy, Development and Performance Director), and Dishant Yagnik (Fielding Coach) will all stay on.