When Thilan Thushara made his ODI debut against the West Indies in 2008, many assumed him to be a newcomer making his mark in international cricket. However few cease to remember the year 2003 when a teenage Thushara had made his Test debut against the same opponents.

The left armer who made his first-class debut in the 1998-99 season impressed selectors during his stints at Sri Lanka’s premier fast bowling academy and was consequently selected for the tours of South Africa and West Indies against whom him he made his Test debut, but apparently with little success. Left in the wilderness thereafter, in the following years Thushara struggled in the domestic arena but a fine run in the 2007-08 ‘Inter-Provincial Limited Overs Tournament’ where he helped club Kandurata finish as podium winners, once again brought him into national reckoning. However this time around, “Mirando” as he is lovingly called, took to the stage with much more self belief and it showed in his performances as he prized a memorable fiver in an ODI against the Indians and also excelled in the Test arena against the likes of Pakistan and New Zealand.

With an enviable height, Thushara is capable of generating disconcerting bounce and is also a handy hitter lower down the order. However, Sri Lanka’s problem of plenty has meant that Thushara has to continue performing consistently over a longer period to impress the captain and selectors to grant him a place in the starting eleven on a regular basis.