Arjuna Ranatunga unrecognisable in photo with Jayasuriya, Muralitharan, de Silva; fans shocked: 'Is he the one in red?'

During his 18-year career, Ranatunga remained on the heavy side; however, it did not affect his performance as he scored almost 12,500 runs across Tests and ODIs. Although he did occasionally attract controversy for requesting a runner for himself due to fitness issues. His tactics once even irked ex-Australian captain Ian Healy, who once confronted Ranatunga and hurled expletives at him.

In fact, Ranatunga, along with Pakistan great Inzamam-Ul-Haq, was never the most athletically built batter, but his recent appearance, where he seems to have lost a significant amount of weight, has been making headlines. Ranatunga's physical appearance caught the attention of the fans, with many struggling to believe it was really him in the photo. Some expressed concern about his health, while others even turned to Grok to confirm his identity.

Ranatunga's transformation

Ranatunga's transformation isn't entirely new. Back in 2023, during the Asia Cup, he made headlines for criticising the ACC's decision to grant a reserve day only for the India-Pakistan match and the final. While his remarks against the BCCI's influence were sharp, it was his striking physical change that drew even more attention. Now 61 and nearing 62, Ranatunga hasn't disclosed the reason behind his weight loss. However, judging by his appearance, it seems more of an impressive, yet unspoken, fitness journey than a health concern.

Twenty-five years after his retirement, Arjuna Ranatunga remains Sri Lanka’s most successful ODI captain, with 89 wins in 193 matches over an 11-year span. He also led the team in 56 Tests – more than any other Sri Lankan – and with 12 victories, stands as the country’s joint fourth-most successful captain in the format. Making his debut at the age of 18, Ranatunga played 93 Tests and 269 ODIs, but more than a batter, Ranatunga's standout quality was his leadership. He always stood up for his players, once even walking off after umpire Ross Emerson no-balled Muraliatharan for 'chucking' against Australia in an ODI at the Adelaide Oval.

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