Happy Birthday Sanath Jayasuriya: Top moments from his iconic career

Carlton United Australia v Sri Lanka  Sanath Jayasuriya
Sri Lanka's iconic opener
Jayasuriya working his way against an Indian attack

#1 340 vs India, 1st Test, India in Sri Lanka, 1997

When India won the toss on a sunny day at Colombo and decided to bat first, no one felt anything much. At the end of two days' play, when the Indian total stood at 537 for 8, courtesy of impressive knocks from Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin, people started feeling that the game was going to result in favour of the visitors.

But little did they know of what was to follow, which can be described using nothing short of the phrase "out-of-the-world".

In the next two days, just one wicket fell, and by the end of the remaining time as well, Sri Lanka stood at a mind-boggling total of 952 for 6 - the highest Test innings score ever - a record still unbroken, and one that might never be broken. And at the heart of it was Sanath Jayasuriya as the tormentor-in-chief.

Jayasuriya came out all guns blazing and fired 340 runs and also accounted for the then highest Test partnership of 576 runs with compatriot Roshan Mahanama.

The historic scoreboard
The historic scoreboard

The highest individual Test innings knock by a batsman was the 375 scored by Brian Lara (he himself bettered it later, scoring 400 not out). Jayasuriya was dismissed for just 35 runs short of the existing record, but he still made history that day with his marathon innings.

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Edited by Aadya Sharma