'Coach's role hinges on team maturity'

It took some perseverance to finally convince Chandika Hathurusingha to comply with the request for an interview. The Sri Lanka head coach, who only a few months ago was mentoring the Tigers, fixed an early morning deadline for The Daily Star sports reporter Mohammed Al-Amin at the Rose View Hotel lobby prior to their departure for home from Sylhet on Monday. Although it started at the breakfast table, the interview eventually finished at the VIP lounge of the Osmani International Airport. During the stop-start yet in-depth conversation, Hathurusingha spoke of taking the coaching role to a new height, his satisfying and disappointing moments with the Tigers during a three-year tenure and touched upon areas he never addressed publicly before. 

Read the exclusive interview in a few hours on page 14 of The Daily Star's February 21 issue.