Calcutta: He once dreamt of being a successful cricketer but turned out to be the best libero for his country’s national volleyball team.

M.L. Abeyrathna, popularly known as “Sanath” in the Sri Lankan volleyball team — resembles the swashbuckling left-hand opener Sanath Jayasuriya in many aspects.

Hailing from Wadduwa, few hundred kilometres away from Jayasuriya’s hometown Matara, Abeyrathna is a sergeant in the army.

He started his career as a cricketer during his childhood days, but was forced to shift to volleyball since his senior school didn’t have a cricket team to pursue his dream.

“Cricket is still my passion… But god must have thought otherwise and made me a volleyball player,” the 30-year old Abeyrathna said in Tamil as his captain N.S. Abeysinghe assisted acted as an interpreter.

His cricketing desire, however, still burns. A left-handed batsman, he is a regular opener for his army cricket team and is also a very effective left-arm spinner.

“I met him (Jayasuriya) once at an army function. I had some pictures clicked with him and also took his autograph,” said Abeyrathna, who got married in May.

“Whenever I open an innings, I like to hit the ball hard out of the ground every time, much like Jayasuriya” said the diminutive Abeyrathna, who claimed to have hit a couple of big scores for the army team.

According to the Lanka volleyball coach W.S. De Silva, Abeyrathna is key to his team.