Top 5 number 5s in Tests for Sri Lanka

S Sam
Arjuna Ranatunga

Sri Lanka are a relatively young Test nation, having gained Test status in 1981 and naturally, like many other newly minted Test teams they struggled in the early years.

They won their first Test in 1985 but still, the team often struggled to put up much of a fight. However, they became a far more formidable side in the 1990s and from then on, they became a force in world cricket.

That being said, Sri Lanka always did have excellent batsmen on their side and over the years, they have had some excellent batsmen in their middle-order. Many of them went on to become Sri Lanka's middle-order mainstays at the number 5 position and were responsible for the success that the team enjoyed.

Here is a look at 5 of the finest number 5s.

#5 Arjuna Ranatunga

The former Sri Lankan captain is regarded as one of the greatest leaders that the team has ever had and in addition to that, Arjuna Ranatunga was also one of the most dependable batsmen in the middle-order. He played 93 Test matches for Sri Lanka from 1982 to 2000 and from out of these, he batted at number 5 in 59 of them.

The portly left-hander was a gutsy cricketer and although he wasn't the most gifted of batsmen, he provided the middle-order with a certain solidity. Ranatunga was probably one of the best players of spin bowling and throughout the course of his career, he had been excellent against the touring spinners on the turning tracks in Sri Lanka.

In those 59 Test matches, he made 2665 runs and that is the second highest aggregate among all Sri Lankan number 5 batsmen in Test cricket. Ranatunga averaged 34.16 and made 2 centuries, in addition to 19 half-centuries.

#4 Mahela Jayawardene

Australia v Sri Lanka - Third Test: Day 3

The former Sri Lankan great is one of the best batsmen to have played for the country and during the course of his glittering career, Mahela Jayawardene went on to become one of the best middle-order batsmen in the world. However, in a Test career spanning 17 years (1997-2014) and 149 Tests, he batted at number 5 on only 25 occasions.

That being said, he still was good enough to end up as the fourth highest run scorer at the position for Sri Lanka and that is perhaps a mark of his greatness. The right-hander was an extremely gifted and elegant stroke-maker, who could play all shots in the book.

On the other hand, he had the hunger for runs as well and was known for scoring big hundreds. As a number 5, Jayawardene scored 1186 runs at an average of 38.25 and also scored 2 centuries, in addition to 8 half-centuries.

#3 Angelo Mathews

England v Sri Lanka: 2nd Investec Test - Day Four

The all-rounder has been through a lot of troubles over the past two years due to injuries and primarily plays as a batsman these days, but there is no doubt that Angelo Mathews remains Sri Lanka's best batsman. He debuted for Sri Lanka in 2009 and has played 72 Test matches so far, out of which he has batted at number 5 in 33 games.

Matthews posses an excellent technique, which has allowed him to score runs all over the world and in addition to that, his superb stroke-making abilities make him a batsman who can take on the best attack in the world on his day. Back in 2014, Mathews was among the best in the world, after he made 1160 runs in the year and was rightly being talked about as the next big thing in international cricket.

However, injuries and a loss of form proved to be his undoing. That being said he is still only 30 years old and his best years are still ahead of him. At number 5, he has made 1959 runs at an average of 39.59 and scored 3 centuries, in addition to 12 half-centuries.

#2 Aravinda de Silva

Aravinda de Silva

He was Sri Lanka's finest batsman in the late 1980s and the 1990s and Aravinda de Silva's contribution towards transforming the team into world beaters cannot be overstated. He played in 93 Tests for Sri Lanka and although he played at number 4 for the majority of his career, the right-hander did play at number 5 in 20 Test matches.

De Silva was a batsman who had no real weakness and he was perfectly capable of taking any bowling attack. He was primarily an attacking batsman and had the ability to play on the front foot as well as on the back foot, which made it pretty difficult for bowlers to pin him down.

On the other hand, he was an expert at playing spin and when on form, he could be an extremely tough batsman to dislodge. Hence, his record as a number 5, albeit in 20 Tests is so impressive and he could have scored more than 1066 runs had he batted at that position more. He averaged 48.45 in those games and notched up 2 centuries, along with 5 half-centuries.

#1 Thilan Samaraweera

Sri Lanka v England: 2nd Test - Day Four

There has probably not been a more underrated or rather unappreciated batsman in recent cricket history than Sri Lanka's former number 5 Thilan Samaraweera. He made his debut in 2001 and for the next eleven years, represented his country with distinction in 81 Test matches, out of which he played at number 5 in 62 of them.

While players like Mahela Jayawardene provided the stardust in the batting line-up, it was Samaraweera who provided the much-needed solidity to the batting line-up. His game was based on a solid defence, patience and determination, which made him an extremely tough batsman to dislodge.

He was a classic accumulator of runs and expansive strokes were not much of a part of his game, although he did become a far better stroke-maker in the latter part of his career. His record at number 5 is exemplary and with an aggregate of 3903 runs, he is the highest scorer at the position for Sri Lanka. The right-hander averaged 47.59 at number 5 and made 11 centuries, in addition to 21 fifties.

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Edited by Tanya Rudra