Sri Lanka spinner on brink of claiming Test wickets record
The Sri Lanka left-armer is set to join the list of bowlers to reach 50 Test wickets in the fewest matches and is on track to break the record among spinners.
Jayasuriya took 5/174 in Ireland’s first innings of the second Test at Galle in Sri Lanka, then dismissed opener Peter Moor early in the second innings to move to 49 wickets in just his seventh Test.
West Indies left-arm orthodox Alf Valentine is currently the standout spinner with 50 scalps from eight Tests but Jayasuriya can set a new record among tweakers with one more wicket in the second innings against Ireland.
Jayasuriya is also within reach of joining South Africa pacer Vernon Philander and England quick Tom Richardson as the equal-second fastest overall to reach the 50-wicket mark.
Philander claimed 50 scalps in his seventh Test after making his debut in November 2011 then reaching the milestone just 135 days later.
Another day, another five-wicket haul for Prabath Jayasuriya 👏 #SLvIRE | 📝: https://t.co/UVULsajcev pic.twitter.com/PtZq424Zva
— ICC (@ICC) April 25, 2023
Richardson also claimed 50 wickets in seven Tests but took closer to three years to achieve the feat in 1896 when matches were played much less frequently.
Australia pacer Charlie Turner holds the record for the fastest bowler to reach 50 Test wickets since setting the mark in just his sixth Test against England in 1888.
Jayasuriya made an instant impact in his belated debut at the age of 30, taking six wickets in each innings of the Test against Australia in July 2022 to finish with the fourth-best match figures on Test debut of 12/177.
The Sri Lanka finger-spinner backed up that match-defining display with another five-for against Pakistan to become just the sixth bowler to take five or more wickets in their first three Test innings.
The streak of five-fors was only barely snapped when Jayasuriya finished with four scalps in the second innings of that Test against Pakistan, to have the equal-third most victims from two Tests with 21 wickets.
Jayasuriya has already taken five wickets in an innings six times, and 10 wickets in a match twice, but if he continues to perform at a similar level can eye off the record for the fastest bowler to 100 wickets. The record is currently held by England quick George Lohmann who achieved the feat in his 16th Test in 1896.
The 31-year-old Jayasuriya is ranked 19th in the ICC MRF Tyres Men's Test Bowling Rankings after only six Tests and looks sure to climb higher following his first-innings heroics against Ireland and potentially with much more to come in the second Test.
Fastest bowlers to 50 Test wickets
| Tests | Years | |
| 1. Charlie Turner | 6 | 1887-1888 |
| =2. Tom Richardson | 7 | 1893-1896 |
| =2. Vernon Philander | 7 | 2011-2012 |
| =4. Frederick Spofforth | 8 | 1877-1883 |
| =4. Alf Valentine | 8 | 1950-1951 |
| =4. Rodney Hogg | 8 | 1978-1979 |
| =4. Terry Alderman | 8 | 1981 |