Suresh Perera

Suresh Perera had the potential to be Sri Lanka’s greatest all-rounder, and perhaps one of the best in the world. A slingy medium pacer who could also strike the ball long and hard, Suresh found great backing from the then national coach Dave Whatmore who had immense faith in the youngster. However, injuries derailed him, as did getting reported for chucking, and despite being cleared by the ICC, Suresh never resurfaced in international cricket. His only half-century, that came in an ODI, was proof of the raw talent that he had. In those days, it was uncommon for Asian sides to have an aggressive all-rounder and Suresh fitted the bill perfectly. Fitness issues meant that his Test career was
negligible and featured more in ODIs where again, his career wasn’t long. However, in those 20-odd games, there was ample reflection of Suresh’s caliber which unfortunately couldn’t translate into a long career.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan