Pathum Nissanka's Test record - Check Here

Sri Lanka are no longer the behemoths of cricket that they had become, particularly towards the end of the 1996 season, wherein not only did they surprise the global cricketing world by winning that year's ODI World Cup in men's cricket, but cultivated a culture of batting excellence that was well supported by some serious fast and spin bowling talent. While Chaminda Vaas and Muralitharan were on the one hand, the best bowlers in pace and spin department, respectively, Sri Lanka also had the great powers of run-making in the form of Aravinda De Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Arjuna Ranatunga, and Romesh Kaluwitharana.

Then came the generation that had the big three, with Jayawardene and Sanga well supported by Lasith Malinga. The two batters were star powers and heroes of the art of batting. But in the present firmament of their game, Sri Lanka, who are no longer powerful but largely a new hopefully reforming side in the works, someone like Pathum Nissanka is a huge find. Moreover, Pathum Nissanka's Test record can be simply explained by the key tenets of his batting as well the person that he is.

Pathum Nissanka: Sri Lanka's star for the present and future

A utility and courageous batter, someone in whose hands rests the future of the Sri Lankan batting, Pathum Nissanka's Test record stands on the pillars of great application and hunger for good improvement. And both aren't that hard to find, anyway. A simple look at his overall batting abilities, well supported by a talent and flair for run making seem to suggest that.

For someone who actually hasn't played too many Test matches at the moment, and is still, largely speaking, the beholder of a developing career, Pathum Nissanka's Test career is glowing and growing as we speak.

We ought to remember that of his 1305 runs, 217 have already come against big opponents such as England, against whom he averages 72. A boundary hitter, he's stroked his way to 26 Test match fours against England.

Moreover, he also averages decently well against South Africa where it comes to Test match cricket, the number being north of 33. This means, he's held fairly well against an attack that features not only Keshav Maharaj but also the likes of Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee and Kagiso Rabada, a quintessential great of the game.

Pathum Nissanka's Test record - Overall

Nissanka's numbers against both India and Bangladesh point to a relative level of comfort in handling powerful teams; even Bangladesh are a noted side, especially given their strong home record in the five-day format but none of that seems to have bothered the right-handed batter who plays at the top order. 

Pathum Nissanka's Test record vs Sub-continental teams - India

Pathum Nissanka's Test record vs Sub-continental teams - Bangladesh

What is most impressive about Pathum Nissanka's Test record against Bangladesh is that he's scored two red-ball centuries against the sub-continental team whilst scoring no fifties. Of his 4 hundreds, 2 have already come against Bangladesh and his batting average is 84.6 

Furthermore, Pathum Nissanka's Test record against Bangladesh also speaks of a certain amount of fluency with which he scores his runs against the competitive Asian team, it being north of 64. 

204 of his 423 Bangladesh runs have come by way of boundaries. That's 51 of his 131 Test boundaries against a single opponent.

Pathum Nissanka's Test record will find greater meaning and hopefully, more glories in the course of the future given he's just played since the onset of 2021. That's not even half a decace properly spent on the 22 yards and yet, some really catchy stats up his sleeve- won't you agree?

For a batter who rose to the top tier of Sri Lankan cricket but not before battling steep financial challenges as a younger - Nissanka's mother used to sell flowers near a noted temple when he was little- the Sri Lankan has come of age. May he have a great cricketing future and journey ahead.