Prabath Jayasuriya has made history by etching his name in the record books as the bowler to have returned the best figures on debut in Test cricket. In a remarkable fairy tale entry to the game from the blues only because a more senior player was Corona sidelined, the 30-year old Jayasuriya set forth to change the tide in Sri Lanka’s favour in the second Test from the flagging fortunes of having lost the first Test to Australia. That the slow left arm orthodox bowler superseded his match winning feat in the magical portals of becoming the Lankan bowler with the best ever debut figures was indeed sky high stuff.

While this product rose from virtual oblivion having played just two ODI’s without success to making the headlines by bowling Sri Lanka to a series squaring victory, his emergence has marked a turnaround for the future. He has infused depth to the spin bowling department that had taken a bad beating from the Aussie batsmen in the lost first test.

Born Neketh Gedera Roshan Prabath Jayasuriya on November 5, 1991 in Matale, his 12 for 177 match haul with best of 6 for 59 against the prime test team in world cricket is certainly soul searching stuff. Jayasuriya has indeed stirred the imagination as to the magic in his repertoire that pierced the Achilles heels of Australia’s frontline batsmen. It has certainly set the rest of the cricket world agog as to how he descended from nowhere to undo the Australians.