In a matter of a few overs of his debut Test match, Tharindu Rathnayake made an impact. Representing Sri Lanka in Galle, the 29-year-old spinner picked two crucial wickets in the early part of Day 1 against Bangladesh. He removed Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque, both caught out by good and sharp spin bowling. Who is Tharindu Rathnayake? While the fans were all abuzz talking about Angelo Mathews' farewell Test, it was Tharindu Rathnayake who was in the limelight. Bangladesh had won the toss and decided to bat, but Tharindu was quick to prove that wasn't a good decision. He dismissed Shadman Islam for 14 runs and then sent Mominul Haque packing, who had been threatening at 29. With his tight bowling and fast spin, Tharindu got everyone talking about him. Also Read | ICC Considers 4-Day Tests for Smaller Teams What Makes Him Special? A few yrs ago, the term “ambidextrous bowler” in intl cricket seemed fictional. But today, SL features 2 in the same Test XI: Tharindu Rathnayake & Kamindu Mendis, with later even picked as a frontline bowler!Sri Lanka’s 🇱🇰 cricketing innovations never cease to amaze. #SLvsBAN pic.twitter.com/HCoo53QX2L — Numbers.lk (@numberslka) June 17, 2025 Tharindu is ambidextrous and can bowl with both hands, just like his fellow teammate and the all-rounder of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kamindu Mendis. He can deliver left-arm spin mostly but, with control, also deliver right-arm off-spin. He delivers flat, fast, and confidently. He is no ordinary new player, years back, he was performing well in domestic cricket. Tharindu Rathnayake's Stats Tharindu began playing first-class cricket in 2015 for Sinhalese Sports Club. He has played 73 games, taken 337 wickets, and has 26 five-wicket tallies since then. His best bowling is 9 wickets for 65 runs in a game. He has performed equally well in white-ball cricket as well, taking 122 wickets in List A and 73 in T20s. He also maintains the run rate low in T20s. He can also bat. He has more than 1700 runs in first-class cricket, with nine half-centuries. He is a handy batsman lower down the order. Also Read | Netherlands Edge Nepal in 3 Super Overs Thriller A Long Wait is Over The blend of experience and exciting new talent! Presenting Sri Lanka's Playing XI for the 1st Test in Galle. Special congratulations to our two Test debutants today! #SLvBAN pic.twitter.com/WbmwMRWtT5 — Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) June 17, 2025 Although he performed well in domestic cricket, he waited long enough to be selected for the national team. Now, at the age of 29, he has finally arrived, and he's already proving that he belongs. Sri Lanka might have found a new spinning star, someone who can turn the ball with both hands. While Angelo Mathews’ farewell is a big moment, it’s Tharindu’s debut that fans will remember from this Test.