A handy all-rounder in his playing days and a high profile coach going around in the world scene today, Chandika Hathurusingha remains one of the few players to have celebrated careers both on and off the field. He started off as a compact young batsman, with loads of patience while at the crease. Over time, he formed a perfect foil to the dashing strokeplay of Roshan Mahanama to be a part of a successful opening combination in the early 1990s.

His career started off on a positive note with three half-centuries in as many matches but tapered off soon after, only to stage a return - something that became a hallmark of his career. He did come back strongly against Pakistan in 1995 playing a vital role in his side’s series victory. But the emergence of a certain Sanath Jayasuriya at the top pushed him down the order. With his services now more as an all-rounder for the side, Hathurusingha did return in 1997, but once again his stay was short lived.

He seamlessly moved into coaching a few years after his retirement which started off with an assignment as the coach of UAE in 2005. He followed it up with a three-year stint at home with Sri Lanka ‘A’ and as the assistant coach of the Sri Lankan national side. His major claim to fame came as the head coach of the Bangladesh cricket team, where he played a vital role in their rise to becoming one of the top playing sides - testified by their qualification for the Champions Trophy in 2017 and their rise as a Test nation beating top teams consistently.

Currently he's back home, serving as the national coach of Sri Lanka, with a contract till the 2019 World Cup. Given the recent slump in form, especially since the retirement of some big names that Lankan cricket faces, he has his plate full.

Vineet Anantharaman