Hashan Prasantha Tillakaratne

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Hashan Tillakaratne, at 35-years-old the senior statesman in the side, completed a remarkable comeback into the Sri Lankan Test team having been summarily axed in favour of youth after the 1999 World Cup. With the selectors searching for middle order stability, the obdurate left-hander was recalled against India in 2001. He failed in the first two Tests before scoring an unbeaten century in the third, an innings that prevented the selectors axe falling for a final time. Since then, despite a relatively quiet England tour, he's been prolific, scoring 892 runs at 81.1 including three centuries. A natural stonewaller, his tenacious, workmanlike style provides a useful counterpoint to the team's more dynamic strokeplayers. A wicket-keeper in his early days, he's also one of Sri Lanka's safest catchers, especially at short leg or gully.