espsntar.com’s Rajarshi Gupta caught up with Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene for an exclusive chat.

Besides sharing his surname with a more established and celebrated colleague, Prasanna has not had much to show to the world.

However, the 30 year old from Colombo who has played all 28 Tests after playing his first against Pakistan in 2000 feels he could not have played again had it not been for his skipper Kumar Sangakkara, who has been the first choice keeper for the Islanders over the last few years.

"Sanga has been very kind to me. He is a thorough gentleman and has helped me in every way possible.

It is because he decided to concentrate on his batting that I have been entrusted with the gloves.

I got this chance thanks to my captain and now my priority will be to enjoy the wicket-keeper's role."

That is a tough call, more so on Indian wickets that are expected to turn as the current series progresses and three top quality spinners in the visitors' ranks will not make things any easier for Prasanna.

"Test cricket is always challenging. We have three world class spinners in the side (Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath) and given the fact that Indian wickets normally turn from the end of the third day, it will be tough.

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But these conditions are pretty similar to the ones we have in Sri Lanka and I am not unduly worried," said the wicket-keeper batsman, who struck a composed half-century and stitched a solid partnership with Mahela Jayawardene on the third day of the opening Test in Ahmedabad.

Batting has not always been Prasanna's forte and many believed that was one aspect that saw him languish in the cold for longer than he should have.

Put that across to him and the usually calm Sri Lankan shoots back.

"Look, over the last couple of years, whenever my team has needed me to get runs, I have got them. I have scored in trying conditions and against good, quality attacks.

My batting is not a problem. I have worked very hard on that aspect of my game and I think it is beginning to show.
At the end of the day, I am a specialist wicketkeeper but I want to do well with the bat as well as behind the stumps."

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The emergence of Sangakkara had threatened to send Prasanna nose diving into obscurity but some good shows with the bat brought a sigh of relief to the selectors who wanted to provide Sanga with some back-up behind the stumps.

Prasanna goes on to talk about his ‘hero' Ian Healy, the former Australian wicket-keeper.

"Healy said good things about me after seeing my glovework. He has been my hero and he told me I was a natural behind the stumps. That in itself was a huge complement."

The chance for redemption may have come late but Prasanna has been around in the big league long enough to know every opportunity counts. The real test has just begun.

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