“For us as a coaching staff, for us as the selection panel, we’ve got to keep giving opportunities to these two young players, because in the next couple of years they’re going to be the leaders in the batting department for Sri Lanka.
“Pathum, Charith, Praveen (spinner Praveen Jayawickrama), these are going to be guys that are going to be very good for Sri Lanka going forward.”
Nissanka notched a century on Test debut earlier in the year but up until his 61 against Ireland, success in the shorter formats had evaded him.