Nishan Pieris, Sri Lanka’s next spin sensation
Sri Lanka is having a remarkable year in Test cricket with six wins out of eight matches played so far in 2024. Their recent series victory against New Zealand rewarded the consistency displayed throughout the third edition of the ICC World Test Championship.
Amidst this success, off-spinner Nishan Pieris has emerged as a key figure, reaping the rewards for his dedication and commitment since entering domestic cricket in 2016. He made a striking debut, becoming the fourth bowler to take a six-wicket haul on Test debut, finishing with impressive match figures of 9 for 203 runs.
Nishan’s journey to professional cricket is notably unique. Until the age of 12, he played tennis and never dreamt of becoming a cricketer. It was his brother, Nimantha Pieris, who inspired him to pursue cricket. As his passion grew, he made the pivotal decision to focus entirely on cricket, leaving tennis behind.
“Initially, I didn’t have a dream to become a professional cricketer. I played tennis until I was 12, but it was my brother who motivated me to be a cricketer. It is fair to say that I’m an accidental cricketer. As time went by I decided to give up tennis as I was determined to be a professional cricketer. When I recall those memories it gives me immense satisfaction,” Nishan told while narrating his journey.
Transitioning from tennis to cricket was made easier by his family, who covered all necessary expenses, allowing him to focus solely on honing his cricketing skills. A proud product of St. Peter’s College, Negombo, Nishan was nurtured by coaches Gihan Sudeepa, Channa Fernando, and Joy Bharathi. He represented his school at all age levels and played a crucial role in their success, notably at the ‘Battle of the Seagulls’, where he contributed to three victories in four encounters.
Nishan also captained his school’s Under-19 team, leading them to the Division III championship and facilitating their promotion to Division II, with aspirations of joining the national Under-19 team. In 2015, he earned a call-up to the Under-19s led by current white-ball captain Charith Asalanka, a recognition of his performance at the Coca Cola Camp, where he emerged as the best bowler. He missed out the Under-19 World Cup squad to Bangladesh, seen as primarily a longer-format player.
As his Under-19 career curtailed, this gritty youngster was determined to prove his critics wrong. In 2016, he made his first class debut for Baduraliya Sports Club, but he didn’t get enough opportunities to showcase his abilities.
It was during this time that he decided to join Ragama Cricket Club. This turned out to be the turning point of his domestic career. Nishan made his debut for Ragama CC under the captaincy of Lahiru Thirimanne.
“It was a wise decision to move to Ragama CC. We had a lot of experienced players and they motivated me at all times. That enabled me to take wickets consistently and it was a confidence booster for me and it moulded me as a cricketer,” he noted.
By now Nishan had begun to show glimpses of his capabilities at domestic level. In the meantime, Sri Lanka had been dealt with a major blow during England’s tour in 2018 as then Akila Dananjaya was suspended due to a suspected bowling action. The selectors at the time had decided to give his maiden call up in to the national team.
“It was a pleasant surprise to get my maiden call up within two years since I have entered the domestic arena. Practicing with the national team was a great experience and I gained a lot of confidence to move forward and they told me that I will be rewarded if I continue to be consistent and that was an invaluable advice as my career progressed,” he said.
Over the next few years, Nishan was a regular in the Sri Lanka Emerging and ‘A’ squads. He began to dominate the domestic scene, becoming the top bowler in the 2018/19 One Day competition, claiming 21 wickets in five matches. However, the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted his momentum, affecting his form and leading to his exclusion from the ‘A’ team selections. In 2021, he pursued a stint in league cricket in England, where he honed his skills through hours of solo practice.
“Playing in England’s premier divisions was crucial for my growth as a professional cricketer. In England they have three premier divisions, I played in Division I. If our youngsters can participate in any of these divisions it would do a world of good for their growth as professional cricketers,” he opined.
Following his successful stint in England he joined Negombo Cricket Club which was coached by his former coach Channa Fernando and until now he has been one of the consistent performers for the club.
He continued his dominance during the National Super League this year, claiming 35 wickets at an impressive average of 14.68, which enabled him to get a call up after six years for the away series against Bangladesh.
Despite being overlooked, Nishan knew that he was on the verge of making his Test debut. He continued to shine on ‘A’ team tours and ensured that he kept fighting for his place in the Test side. Eventually his prolonged wait for the much anticipated Test debut ended as he was selected in the second Test against New Zealand, becoming Sri Lanka’s 167th player.
He lived up to the expectations of the selectors as he proved his worth by taking nine wickets on Test debut which included a six wicket haul in the second innings. Former Sri Lanka cap Farveez Maharoof, presently a commentator, had heaps of praise for the rising star.
“Nishan has played a lot of first class cricket and has been in the system for a while and he grabbed the opportunity in the second Test. If we look at the first Test, he replaced Ramesh Mendis who was inconsistent for a while now and the selectors thought it was the right time to test out Nishan Pieris. The control and the way he partnered up with Prabath Jayasuriya was impressive. He has made a name for him for being accurate and kept one end tight and ended up taking wickets alongside Jayasuriya.”
“I think going forward, Nishan and Prabath will make up the combination for sub-continental conditions. So hope Dhananjaya de Silva can use Nishan according to what the team requires in the future. Definitely the one to look out for the future and I certainly think that he has a long and successful career ahead,” said Maharoof, predicting the entry of Sri Lanka’s next spin sensation.