Top 10 players who made their debut as teenagers and went on to achieve greatness

Aravinda de Silva

Aravinda de Silva in action

Aside from being his country's best batsmen, there was one other thing that separated Aravinda de Silva from the rest. He was also, one of the game's best entertainers, who had an unflappable technique with a penchant for relentless attacking.

At the age of 18, he made his debut for Sri Lanka in ODIs. While his record in Tests look better on paper, it was in ODIs where he achieved cult status. Over 9,000 ODI runs, Aravinda had amassed by the time he called time on his career in 2003. Arguably the most important of those came in the 1996 World Cup final, where he scored a century to help Sri Lanka claim their maiden World Cup against all odds.