Chris Silverwood, the coach of Sri Lanka, utilized coded signals to communicate with his team’s players during the crucial Asia Cup 2022 match against Bangladesh on Thursday.
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It was observed that the team analyst and the head coach were communicating with the Sri Lankan captain and his men using the code words “2D” and “D5” during the game. This was not warmly received by Bangladesh fans online or in person.
After the team’s shocking victory in the game, Silverwood did, however, clarify the same. When asked why the signals were being displayed, Silverwood clarified that the usage of codes was only intended to offer suggestions rather than to direct the captain in his duties.
No rocket science is required. They are merely suggestions for the captain as to what would be a suitable match for a batsman who is on strike at a specific period in time. Many teams are currently carrying it out; it really is that easy. The captain is not being told how to captain; rather, it is just providing him with suggestions that he can apply. It’s simply a side idea,” Silverwood stated.
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This was not the first time Silverwood was observed employing codes during the game; he also did so while serving as England’s head coach, and the country’s captain at the time, Eoin Morgan, repeatedly defended the move.
“Absolutely, (that) is in keeping with the spirit of the contest. Nothing off-putting about it. It involves making the most of the information we are consuming and comparing it to things like coaches’ advice, facts, and current events. ESPNcricinfo cited Morgan as saying. It appears like Sri Lanka is taking the same route as England once did. 2020 saw the English squad deploy real-time coded messages from the locker room during the T20 series against South Africa. It was utilized for on-field communication with the captain at the time, Eoin Morgan. However, different cricket players have had differing opinions on this practice. Michael Vaughan, a former England captain, criticized it, but Morgan supported its use.
The signaling system, according to earlier statements from the ECB, is currently undergoing testing and is “designed as a live informational resource that the captain may choose to use or ignore as he likes.” “They are not directives or instructions, and all decision-making occurs on the field,” it continued.
The usage of coded signals may have been justified by Silverwood and his staff for a variety of reasons, but the fans didn’t appear to approve of the tactic at all.
“What is the function of a captain on the field if signals are sent from the locker room? A supporter remarked that despite Sri Lanka delivering messages to their players, “cricket is not football.
