Mahadevan Sathasivam was the most destructive batsman produced by Sri Lanka (Ceylon then). The famous dual was between Maha and D. S. Jayasundara the S.S.C. fast bowler.
Some say that Maha had a weakness against genuine pace, but that
certainly did not detract the credit that was due to him as an attacking batsman. He was a destructive batsman of the caliber of Viv Richards and I would boldly say that if Maha played test cricket at that time he would have brought Sri Lanka to the World cricketing arena.Sri Lanka had magnificent cricketers of the likes of F. C. De Saram (Oxford blue), Sargo Jayawikrama, Ben Nawarathna, Lucien De Zoysa, Bertie Wijesinha to name a few who could have held their own against the best in the world.
Comparing Sanath Jayasuriya with Maha, I would rate Maha slightly ahead of Sanath. My apologies to Sanath for having said this.
Maha had played a couple of breathtaking innings which could be compared quite favourably with innings played by George Headley (who was called the Black Bradman) and other greats of the caliber of Weekes, Walcott, Pollock, Barry and Viv Richards.
Maha was a very mercurial character compared to F. C. De Saram who was a more sober character in nature.
As per information available on the Internet, Maha was called “the Greatest Batsman on Earth” by the magnificent Gary Sobers. And Frank Worrell called him “the Best Batsmen he had ever seen”. Maha had captained 3 national teams.
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