When he toured England as a 19-year-old, Prasanna Jayawardene looked destined to become Sri Lanka’s long-term wicketkeeper.
However, the emergence of Kumar Sangakarra just two years later put an end to those dreams.
With two first-class players coming through the ranks at the same time, there was always going to be one player left broken hearted.
Jayawardene did, however, make his Test debut in 2000 against Pakistan.
Unfortunately for the 21-year-old, persistent rain meant most of the game was washed out. The debutant didn’t get a chance to bat nor show off his skills behind the stumps.
Although he had to wait a long time for a recall, Jayawardene earned his reprieve when selectors opted to play Sangakarra as a specialist batsman.
