Earmarked as a batsman who in years would become the crux of Sri Lanka’s middle order, somewhere along the way things didn’t go too well with Thilina Kandamby’s career.

The left hander whose sojourn began with successful stints for Sri Lanka’s Under-19 and A sides made his domestic debut for Bloomsfield in 2001. Just three years later, five half centuries on Sri Lanka A’s tour of New Zealand saw him being selected for the tour of Zimbabwe but after appearing for Sri Lanka in just four ODIs in 2004, Kandamby didn’t play for the Islanders up again until 2008. He went on to score a fine unbeaten 93 against the Indians in an ODI as wickets fell around but lack of tall scores thereafter have meant that he continued to remain a fringe player in the side.

A tall batsman with a good reach, Kandamby has often been criticized for getting bogged down and not being a great mover in the field. Sri Lanka’s strong batting lineup has also meant that he hasn’t had far greater opportunities at the top of the order, one of the many reasons why he has underperformed over the years. Competing with the likes of Samaraweera and Kapugedera, he lost out on the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, but later returned to the ODI side as their vice-captain. In 2012, he became a part of the first-ever Sri Lanka Premier League by playing for eventual winners, Uva Next. Kandamby was also named in the squad for their maiden appearance at the Champions League T20 later that year.