Many players have gone through the Sri Lankan cricket team throughout its rebuilding phase. Some made impressions while others didn't. Among those who made an impression, there is a feisty left-hander who has a particularly aggressive attitude with the bat—Danushka Gunathilaka. An opening batsman who can bowl utility off-breaks, he began his domestic career with the Colombo Cricket Club. Danushka fell under the radar of selectors after his performances with the Sri Lankan A team in their tour to New Zealand. This earned him a spot in the Sri Lankan ODI team that faced the West Indies in 2015. A drug scandal led him to replace Kusal Perera in the team for the 2015-16 tour to New Zealand. During the same tour, he made his T20I debut. In the 2017 ODI series against Zimbabwe, Gunathilaka, along with his opening partner Niroshan Dickwella, was part of two consecutive 200+ partnerships and became the first pair to achieve this feat. Impressive performances with the ODI team earned him his Test debut in 2017 against India.