A strongly built right arm quick bowler, with the ability to swing the ball both ways and clock good speeds, Lahiru Kumara is a product of the under-19 system. His impressive performances with the ball on the u-19 tour to England and the u-19 World Cup caught the selectors' eye marking him as the one for the future.

Such was the promise he showed in his couple of outings in First Class cricket, all of them coming for the Sri Lanka 'A' team, that he was fast-tracked for national duty. In the absence of the regular quick bowlers to the tour of Zimbabwe, Kumara made his Test debut at Harare. In the following tour, he impressed one and all with his pace and control against the mighty South Africans grabbing a five-wicket haul to show for his efforts - hence becoming the second youngest Sri Lankan to get to that mark.

By - Vineet Anantharaman