Dihan Avishka Gunawardene

Profile:

The left-handed Avishka Gunawardene is one of the most powerful batsmen in world cricket and accumulates runs at a ferocious pace. Compared in approach to Sanath Jayasuriya, he plays in the same aggressive manner in all formats of the game. A confident man and the son of a high-ranking policeman, he displays a natural air of authority. He has been labeled as primarily a one-day player and opportunities in the Test team have been limited. He was born in Colombo on the 26th of May 1977 and was educated at Ananda College. In 1993 he was chosen as the best "Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year" as well as the best Schools Captain and was subsequently selected for the Under 19 tour of Malaysia and Singapore. By 1999 he had worked his way into the "A" team with whom he toured England and South Africa. He also went to the Commonwealth Games with the Sri Lanka Squad to become the first ever centurion in the Games. Despite plenty of chances in the development sides he has failed to secure a regular place in the senior side and has been in and out since making his debut against Zimbabwe in 1998/99 at the SSC. When Sanath Jayasuriya sustained a hand injury in Australia in 1998/9 he enjoyed an extended run in the side and remained in the side for the inaugural Asia Test Championship, playing two test matches, but then fell out of favour with the selectors and was not selected for the 1999 World Cup. He fought his way back in again after an impressive series against Zimbabwe A and played well in the Singer Series in 2000 against South Africa and Pakistan. However, soon after hitting a century in the ICC KnockOut Trophy in Nairobi, he was dropped again because of his inconsistency and occasionally ponderous fielding. Undaunted he made a few technical changes to his game and fought his way once more to play in the recent Coca-Cola Cup against New Zealand and India in August 2001. Despite being a regular member of the Test squad his chances of an extended opportunity in the longer game remain slim.