Sri Lankan cricketers surpass 100 Test match appearances, contributing significantly to the team’s success. These players have excelled as batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders, setting records in runs, wickets, and centuries. Their longevity and impact have been instrumental in shaping the nation’s Test cricket legacy over the years.
6. Sanath Jayasuriya – 110 tests
Sanath Jayasuriya made his Test debut in 1991 and played 110 matches, with his last appearance in 2007. An aggressive batsman, he amassed 6,973 runs—the fifth-highest for Sri Lanka—at an average of 40, including 14 centuries. In addition to his batting prowess, Jayasuriya was a handy left-arm spinner, taking 98 Test wickets, including two five-wicket hauls.
5. Chaminda Vaas – 111 tests
Chaminda Vaas played 111 Test matches, the most by any fast bowler for Sri Lanka. The left-arm seamer took 355 wickets, the third-most for his country, with 12 five-wicket hauls in an innings and two ten-wicket hauls in a match. Despite the challenges of fast bowling, Vaas enjoyed a long Test career from 1994 to 2009.
4. Angelo Mathews – 117 tests
Angelo Mathews, one of Sri Lanka’s underrated greats, made his Test debut in 2009 and remains a key part of the team. A senior figure during Sri Lanka’s transition period, he has played 117 Tests, scoring 8,090 runs at an average of 44, including 16 centuries. Mathews is the third-highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in Test cricket and has also contributed with the ball, taking 33 wickets.
3. Muttiah Muralitharan – 132 tests
Legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan played 132 Tests for Sri Lanka and one for the ICC World XI in 2005. His Test career spanned from 1992 to 2010. Muralitharan holds the record for the most wickets in Test cricket, with 800 scalps, including five for the ICC World XI. He also claimed 67 five-wicket hauls, the most by any bowler in Test history.
2. Kumar Sangakkara – 134 tests
Former captain Kumar Sangakkara is Sri Lanka’s highest Test run-scorer, amassing 12,400 runs at an average of 57, including 38 centuries, in 134 matches—the second-most for his country. He made his Test debut in 2000 and retired in 2015 while still in top form.
1. Mahela Jayawardene – 149 tests
Former skipper Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for the most Test matches played for Sri Lanka, featuring in 149 games during his 17-year career from 1997 to 2014. He is the country’s second-highest Test run-scorer, amassing 11,814 runs at an average of 49, including 34 centuries.