Prabath Jayasuriya made his Test debut less than a year ago, but is already Sri Lanka’s top-ranked Test bowler, and is on the verge of breaking a number of records. Aadya Sharma tracks his astonishing rise.
When you think of Sri Lankan Test left-arm spinners, the gold standard is undoubtedly Rangana Herath. A colossus of the island nation, he took 433 wickets (no one else of his kind took more than 100). Below him, are two Jayasuriyas, separated by Lasith Embuldeniya. The first Jayasuriya is one of the greats of the sport, and the holder of several records. The second one – just seven Tests old – is already set to challenge some long-standing achievements.
Few would remember Prabath Jayasuriya’s ODI debut, during South Africa’s visit to Sri Lanka in 2018. He played two ODIs, didn’t take any wickets, and hasn’t played any since. A proven domestic performer with an impressive List A career (99 wickets @ 21.67), it seemed like an opportunity lost.
Four years later, with a failed skinfold test holding him back in the interim, he got one more chance, this time in whites. Since then, he’s shot up into recognition as if life is a dream sequence.
He already has 48 Test wickets from 12 innings (he’s currently playing his seventh Tests). He missed out on the record for the fastest to 50 Test wickets (Charlie Turner reached the landmark in his sixth), but Jayasuriya could well have the most Test wickets by anyone after seven Tests. The record is currently with Thomas Richardson (53). Among post-war bowlers, only Vernon Philander reached 50 Test scalps by the end of his seventh Test.
The record so far includes an astonishing six five-fors. To put it into context, that’s already the fourth-most by any Sri Lanka Test spinner. Since his debut, no one has picked up more wickets than him, and neither does anyone have more than three five-fors.
The majority of Jayasuriya’s wickets have understandably come in Asia – for a tall bowler who doesn’t turn the ball much, his accuracy is his biggest weapon on slow home tracks. And yet, he’s shown the consistency few Test rookies have – taking at least two five-fors against each team he has played in Asia – Australia, Pakistan and now Ireland.
He has been a timely addition to Sri Lanka’s Test line-up, one that nearly challenged India for a spot in the World Test Championship final with their late resurgence. On debut, his twin six-wicket haul against eventual finalists Australia handed Sri Lanka their first-ever innings win over them. The batters are now returning to form, the quicks are reasonably strong, and with Jayasuriya, the spin-attack has a potent weapon – it could well form a template for what the near future holds for their Test side.
His prolific returns have been rewarded with a big jump in the ICC bowling rankings too – in the latest update, he jumped 13 spots to 19th. He is easily the highest-rated Sri Lanka bowler on the list: Ramesh Mendis, his off-spin partner, is next at 32.
For the longest time, the biggest question for Sri Lanka’s Test team was how the void left by Herath would be filled. In some ways, Jayasuriya’s rise is similar to Herath – until 30, he was largely unheralded, before the big break came. Jayasuriya himself is 31. That number should matter little – Herath took a record 397 wickets after he’d crossed that age.
He could have debuted earlier. Now, he’s making up for lost time. The result has been incredible, to say the very least.
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