True to the slogan, ‘like flowing old wine flows’, in the cricketing periphery that form is temporary, but class is permanent, Dinesh Chandimal has infused to the Sri Lanka test team that long sought middle order stability best accentuated by his career best marathon match winning double century against the Australians. His unbeaten 206 spanning nearly two days proved to be the swaying factor to Sri Lanka coming from 1-0 behind to inflicting the worst innings defeat the Aussies have tasted since 2016.

True Sri Lanka lost the first Test badly, but then the innings and 39-run humiliation inflicted on Australia regarded as a premier world cricket test team at that was certainly atoning comeback stuff. The significant essence of Chandimal’s innings was the perfected run grafting infused that test cricket demands from extending the total from 180-odd following the dismissal of Kusal Mendis to 431 for 6 by the third day to the final measure of 554 in carrying his bat to the end.

The defining silver lining to a career that took off eleven years ago on December 26, 2011 debuting against South Africa is that Dinesh Chandimal, once looked upon as the torch bearer of the national team is his remarkable comeback from a thin thread that threatened to put an end to his career. ThAt was when the former captain was overlooked for the last world cup and lost his test place as well.

Since then, indeed Dinesh Chandimal has displayed tremendous character of resolve in making his bat doing the talking to winning recognition as a batsman capable of prevailing over all the odds.

His bat did talk the walk to that final 554-run pressuring leverage that took the decisive test off Australia for Prabath Jayasuriya to wield his arm.