10 Most Underappreciated Players in Cricket History

Prasanna Jayawardene was undervalued for his work behind the stumps

Sri Lanka: Prasanna Jayawardene (2124 runs @ 29.50, 124 catches and 32 Stumpings)

Adam Gilchrist and Kumar Sangakkara are two of the most entertaining players cricket has ever seen. However, it would not be surprising if Prasanna Jayawardene winces a bit whenever he hears their names.

For many years, there had been a growing emphasis on wicket-keepers' ability with the bat, but Gilchrist's explosion onto the international scene can be viewed as the moment where a wicket-keeper's batting became even more important than their keeping.

Sangakkara followed this trend, acting as someone who kept wicket even though he could make the side for his batting alone. Many wicket-keepers have lamented this shift, but few have felt it as keenly as Prasanna Jayawardene.

This is because Jayawardene was one of the cleanest glove-men of his time. His quick feet and quick hands meant he was a bowler's dream, and in another era, he would have been a selector's dream.

Had Jayawardene played a few decades earlier, he may well have been seen as the Sri Lankan equivalent to Alan Knott or Syed Kirmani. But instead, he would spend 15 years in and out of the Sri Lankan team, his position never fully secured.

Jayawardene was not a bad batsman either. Like Kirmani and Knott, he certainly contributed with the bat. His four centuries are a testament to this. But cricket's change in priorities meant that Prasanna Jayawardene was never fully seen for the talent that he was.