Kithuruwan Vithanage

A talented all-round cricketer, Vithanage progressed through the Under-19 and Under-23 ranks into the main stage. His first taste of international cricket came when he was given the nod for the home Test series against Bangladesh in March 2013. In a heavy scoring stalemate that witnessed as many as 8 tons, Vithanage also shone with a brisk fifty. He made his ODI debut against Pakistan in the UAE towards the close of the year, replacing Mahela Jayawardene, who was on paternal leave. Vithanage only played 2 games there and did not have much runs to show for.

The southpaw was also selected for Sri Lanka's Bangladesh odyssey, wherein he cracked his maiden Test ton at Dhaka. He chipped in with the ball as well, exploiting the rough to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of the Bangladesh batsmen in the following Test on a weary surface at Chittagong. He was also included in the Tests against South Africa and Pakistan in July/August 2014. He played only one game in both the series and was not able to contribute anything significant.

However, he is as safe as a bank on the field and a player whom the Sri Lankan supporters will love to see more in the future.

By Cricbuzz staff

As of August 2014