Dimuth Karunaratne to retire after 100th Test: Decoding his stats
What's the story
Sri Lanka's gritty opening batter Dimuth Karunaratne will play his 100th and last Test later this week.
The veteran, who has announced his retirement from international cricket, would aim to bow out in style.
His last assignment would be the second and final Test against Australia at the Galle Cricket Stadium.
Here we decode his stats and records in Test cricket.
Legacy
Karunaratne's impact on Sri Lanka's Test cricket
Despite never being Sri Lanka's golden boy, Karunaratne has outlasted many of his peers.
His Test career, which started in November 2012, has been defined by hard work and determination, not flashiness or stardom.
He has scored a staggering over 7,000 runs at the top of the order, breaking the records of previous openers like Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Stats
Breaking down his Test numbers
Having played 99 Tests, Karunaratne has raced to 7,172 runs at 39.40. The tally includes 16 tons and 39 fifties.
The veteran amassed 2,884 runs at 30.04 in away Tests (home of opposition).
As per ESPNcricinfo, 3,784 of his runs have come at home at a neaty average of 49.14.
He owns 504 runs at neutral venues, averaging 56.
Elite list
4th-most runs for SL
Karunaratne, who stepped down as SL's Test captain last year, is fourth in terms of Test runs for Sri Lanka.
He is only behind legends like Kumar Sangakkara (12,400), Mahela Jayawardene (11,814), and Angelo Mathews (8,090).
Karunaratne went past SL's current head coach Sanath Jayasuriya (6,973) in terms of Test runs last year.
Among active SL players, only Mathews has scored more runs in this format.
DYK
Karunaratne in a league of his own
Since 2015, no other Test opener has come close to Karunaratne's run tally of 6,226 runs at 40.96.
His record features 15 centuries and an astounding 34 half-centuries, making him the most consistent opener in the last decade.
The feat is even more impressive as opening has been extremely difficult since the start of 2015, with men's openers' global averages plummeting.
Meanwhile, Australia's David Warner trails the SL maestro on this list with 5,747 runs.
Leadership
Karunaratne led Sri Lanka in 30 Tests
Karunaratne, who first took the charge in 2019, led the Lankans in 30 Tests.
He smoked 2,643 runs in these games at 49.86.
Under his leadership, the Lankans boast 12 wins, as many defeats, and six draws.
In his maiden assignment as skipper, he led SL to a historic 2-0 win over South Africa in the Rainbow Nation (in 2019).