Published By: Saksham Mishra

Sri Lanka's willow wielders

No Sri Lankan batsman was able to score more than captain Dimuth Karunaratne in the last cycle. Dimuth Karunaratne 999 Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne has been one of the most consistent openers in test cricket in recent times. In the world test Championship cycle of 2019-2021, he scored 999 runs from 10 matches, just one shy of the landmark of 1000 runs in a calendar year.

Karunaratne averaged 55.50 and struck at 53.33, stacking up 4 centuries and 4 half centuries in the cycle with the best of 244.

NiroshanDickwella 753 Unorthodox wicket keeper batsman NiroshanDickwella has now been suspended for one year after violating bio bubble protocol on Sri Lanka's tour of England in 2021. He did a good job for the team in the last World test Championship cycle, scoring 753 runs from 12 matches at an average of 39.63, just a shade under 40 which is not bad considering that he also keeps wickets.

Dickwella can take the game away from the opposition if the situation demands. What he'll have to learn is to convert his starts into big ones. In the last test cycle as well, he scored six half-centuries but was unable to convert them into a century, with the best of 96.

Lahiru Thirimanne 735 Lahiru Thirimanne is an extremely talented batsman but has not been able to produce the performances and the consistency he would have liked. Thirimanne scored 735 runs for Sri Lanka from 9 matches at an average of 43.23 and strike rate of 41.83 with the help of two centuries and five centuries in the WTC cycle. He had the best of 140 and struck 74 boundaries in the world test Championship.

Dhananjaya de Silva 653 Dhananjaya de Silva plays in the Sri Lankan test team as an all-rounder but some of his shots can even embarrass the best batsmen in the world. He is very easy on the eye and is an extremely gifted touch player.

In the last World test Championship cycle, de Silva scored 653 runs from 9 matches at an average of 59.36 with three centuries, 2 half centuries and the best of 166. Had de Silva not been injured in South Africa, he could have taken his tally higher.

His off spin is also quite handy in helpful conditions as he can not only keep the runs try but also has the ability of taking wickets.