This Lankan batsmen got back to back centuries in ODIs against India only to see his team lose both games? (27 July 2001)

Roy Dias arrived with the first official Sri Lankan team to tour India in September, 1982 with the reputation of being one of the side's two main batsmen, the other being Duleep Mendis. By the end of the short tour, which comprised only of one Test and three ODIs, the 30-year-old stylist had lived up to his lofty reputation. In the Test, he got 60 and 97, playing a leading role in the visitors holding their experienced opponents to an unexpected draw. And in the ODIs he was elegance personified. Displaying an uncanny knack of getting runs quickly, Dias started off with a bright 39 in the first ODI at Amritsar, dominating a second wicket partnership of 59 runs with S Wettimuny. Three days later, in the second ODI at New Delhi, he moved into top gear with a stroke filled 102. This time he and Wettimuny (74) added 170 runs for the second wicket. And maintaining his form, Dias scored 121 in the third ODI at Bangalore, which followed the Test match.

Any batsman displaying such outstanding form could normally hope to see his team win at least one match. Dias however had the mortification of finishing on the losing side each time. And Sri Lanka, who had come to India with the promise of running India close in the shorter version of the game, lost the matches by 78 runs, six wickets and six wickets. The home team were well served by K Srikkanth who with successive scores of 57, 95 and 92 was India's answer to Dias. India, with their greater all round strength ran out easy victors. And as if to rub it in, Dias was overlooked for the man of the match award each time with Dilip Doshi and Srikkanth (twice) taking away the cash prize.

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