An unflappable young talent with a killer cover drive, Lahiru Thirimanne came to the international landscape highly regarded by Sri Lanka's cricket elite, with Aravinda de Silva most notably among his champions. An opener by reputation, Thirimanne made his debut in early 2010 and earnt sporadic places in the national side over the next two years, but it was not until he was moved to the middle order in 2012 that he unearthed the consistency that would make him a regular at the top level.

A measured batsman, if at times a limited one, Thirimanne has been a contrasting ally for Sri Lanka's middle-order dashers in ODI cricket, striking particularly memorable partnerships with Angelo Mathews to lift Sri Lanka out of trouble.

His forte has always been the longest form however, as evidenced by a first-class average of almost 60 in his first full season for Ragama CC. Thirimanne could not recreate that form in his first few Tests as an opener, but conjured his finest innings to date at no. 4, when he stepped off a plane 36 hours before the 2013 New Year Test to strike a sparkling 91 on the first day in Sydney. Ten days later he hit a maiden international hundred in an ODI to take Sri Lanka to victory in Adelaide.

Andrew Fernando