In the summer of 1997 Mahela Jayawardene made his Test debut for Sri Lanka against India at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and was part of what is still the highest ever innings score in Test history.

After India declared at 537 for 8, a total that included centuries from Navjot Sidhu, Sachin Tendulkar, and Mohammad Azharuddin, Sri Lanka amassed 952 for 6 with Jayawardene scoring 66 in his maiden Test innings.

Eleven years on and Jaywardene is now captain of Sri Lanka as his side prepare for a three-Test series at home against India beginning on July 23.

"I'm looking forward to it," Jaywardene told Al Jazeera at his new home on the outskirts of Colombo.

"We've got a few younger guys coming in to the set up, and it's always a good challenge to develop a new side going forward.

"The Indians have some exciting talent coming through as well so it will be a very good series."

"When I walked into the dressing room I was dumbstruck." Mahela Jayawardene

Jayawardene, who has played 95 Tests going into the series with India, said his debut match was perfect for a new batsman coming into a squad full of stars.

"I was just overwhelmed by the whole occasion," he said.

"When I walked into the dressing room I was dumbstruck. I was just looking at what Aravinda [Da Silva] was doing, what Arjuna [Ranatunga] was doing.

"I wasn't sure where I should sit so I waited until everyone else had their seat and then I sat in a corner so I could look at everyone else to see what they were doing.

"I was just thinking about getting into that atmosphere rather than thinking about the Test match."

A great occasion

Jayawardene is set to play his 100th Test match later in 2008 [Al Jazeera]

Along with Aravinda Da Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga, the Sri Lanka line up for the record-breaking innings also included Sanath Jayasuriya, who top-scored with 340, and Roshan Mahanama, who struck 225 in the massive total of 952.

"It was a great Test match, and for a debutant it was brilliant as you're not put under pressure at any time - especially as a batsman," said Jayawardene, who was at the crease when Sri Lanka surpassed the previous record of 903.

"When I went in to bat the Indians had been on the field for two-and-a-half days, we had 700 runs on the board, and I knew that some of those guys couldn't even stand up.

"So it was an ideal situation for me to go in. I got a hit, and scored a fifty… it was a great occasion."

Having batted in the world record Test innings in 1997, Jayawardene was also part of the record for the highest partnership for any wicket in first-class cricket - a stand of 624 with Kumar Sangakkara against South Africa in 2006.

His 374 made in the same match is the highest Test score by a Sri Lankan, and is also the fourth highest individual total ever, and highest by a right-handed batsman.

However records don't seem to bother Jayawardene, who is just happy playing cricket for his country.

"For me the proudest moment is to get that Sri Lankan cap," he said.

"That is the moment. Double hundreds, triple hundreds, all that aside, the best moment is when someone hands you your cap.

"It happened to me in that Test and it was a great feeling. Fortunately it was the Indians who were on the receiving end!"

Cancer project

Off the field the 31-year-old is involved in a project to build a 750-bed cancer unit in Maharagama, Sri Lanka's only dedicated cancer hospital, after his younger brother Dhishal died of a brain tumour aged 16.

"Obviously it had a huge impact when my brother died 12 years ago. Ever since then my family has been involved in going to hospitals with kids," Jayawardene said.

"After that incident happened it showed me that life is different and that there are much simpler and smaller things that you can do to become a better person.

"Once you go to a hospital and see kids lying around not knowing if they are going live another 10 or 20 days, that gives you a rude awakening to life." Mahela Jayawardene

"Once you go to a hospital and see kids lying around not knowing if they are going live another 10 or 20 days, that gives you a rude awakening to life.

"Because it was my brother and what our family went through, now I've realised that there is more to life than just what goes on around us."

Jayawardene has enlisted the help of other players to raise funds for the new hospital, and although progress is slow, it is a project that he is determined to complete to give something back to his country.

"Building a hospital is a huge task. It's not going to materialise overnight, but after four, five years down the line we've made a lot of progress but we need to raise more funds," he said.

"There are a lot of people who have helped me - especially the cricketers. They've done so much work to raise funds. No one has said "no" at any time.

"I know I can't make a huge difference but whatever way I can help people, especially kids, that's what I'm trying to do."

Born leader

Jayawardene's insights into cricket and his mannerisms on and off the field make him come across as a born leader. However, he maintains that he never thought he would become captain of the island nation.

"I never had in my mind that I would captain Sri Lanka one day, but then when they started giving me the vice-captaincy I knew they had some sort of plan," Jaywardene, who became skipper in 2006, said.

"Honestly, it's an amazing honour to captain my country and my goal is to contribute whichever way I can and do the best job I can.

"For me I'm blessed to do what I like to do. To play a game that I love to play as my profession.

"You can't ask for anything better, so I'm just enjoying every moment of it."