Russel Arnold

Russel Arnold is a former Sri Lanka cricketer who represented his nation in 44 Tests, 180 ODIs, and in a solidarity T20 International. He was a utility batsman who batted in the middle-order and could swing his arm with his part-time off-breaks. A gentleman on and off the field, Arnold played a huge role in Sri Lanka’s white-ball success in the early millennium. 

The left-handed batsman, Arnold made his international debut in early 1997, after accumulating tons of runs in the domestic circles. He started his career as an opener but irregular performances and the emergence of Sanath Jayasuriya pushed the southpaw down the order. 

He was used as a finisher by the team management post-2003. The southpaw used to score useful and important runs at number five or six, while his composed batting skills helped him to score vital partnerships with the tailenders. In 2006, he became the first Twenty20 International cap for Sri Lanka.

Arnold played a huge part in the following three seasons but the emergence of players like Tillakaratne Dilshan made things tough for the southpaw. He first got sidelined from the longest format in 2004 and the final of the 2007 World Cup was Arnold’s last ODI game. Post-retirement, Arnold has turned into a popular TV commentator and also writes a weekly column on Island Cricket.

(As of April 2021)