In this special episode of the SBS Cricket Podcast, hosts Vatsal Patel and Afnan Malik sit down with Sri Lankan Test great Dimuth Karunaratne to discuss his incredible journey from early struggles to completing 100 Test matches. Dimuth shares stories from his career, captaincy experience, Sri Lanka’s historic Test series win in South Africa, and his passion for keeping Test cricket alive.
Dimuth Karunaratne reflects on his remarkable Test career, including the challenges he faced early on, his comeback century against New Zealand, and becoming one of Sri Lanka’s most successful opening batsmen. He shares the mindset and determination that helped him score more than 7,000 Test runs and build a legacy in international cricket.
If you look at my career I think like it's not a like smooth path. It's always going to be rough and if I take one inning I think like first 100 against New Zealand, that was my, it was unbelievable one and unforgettable one because I was lost my place.Dimuth Karunaratne
He also talks about his time as Sri Lanka’s captain and the unforgettable 2019 Test series victory in South Africa. Dimuth explains how belief, teamwork and supporting young players helped Sri Lanka achieve one of the greatest wins in their cricket history.
You were not immediately seen as an opener. Now after you retired you played 100 test matches, scored more than 7000 runs. What was that turning point?Vatsal Patel
The conversation covers the future of Test cricket, the challenges faced by smaller cricket nations, and why Dimuth believes the longest format remains the ultimate test of a player’s ability. A special chat with a Sri Lankan legend about resilience, leadership and a career full of memorable moments.
You said once that one of your regrets is not reaching 10,000 runs and that you felt that you were on track in 2017-2019 before the COVID hit.Afnan Malik
Dimuth also opens up about the toughest challenges he faced as an opener, including playing in difficult conditions across England, Australia and other overseas tours. He shares his experiences facing world-class bowlers, the lessons he learned from legends like Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, and the advice he would give to the next generation of Sri Lankan cricketers.
