Rangana Herath - Coming out of the shadows

The last of the previous century men bowing out. Now only millennials to play test cricket.
Probably, one of the players who rarely got his due because of the presence of a giant, the master of the trade himself.
Just a look into the stats would prove how much Murali's presence affected Herath's career.
They played 15 tests together, Herath took 24 wickets at an average of 48, Murali 52 at an average of 27. Those were early days for Herath, but the picture would be true only when we look at the facts more closely.
From his debut in 1999, Herath played only 24 tests till 2009, while Murali played 91 (he retired in 2010). Herath became a regular in the SL team only after retirement of Murali, and from 2010 onwards, when Murali retired, Herath played 71 tests. Herath averaged more than 36 during those years, while Murali kept it below 22 taking an absurd looking 589 wickets, striking at a wicket every 52 balls as against Herath's 73 balls for 70 wickets. But once Murali retired and Herath cemented his place in the SL team, the stats took a dramatic turn, Herath took 360 wickets in 71 tests, with an average of 26 and a strike rate of 57. While he had only 4 5-Wickets hauls before Murali's retirement, he had 30 such hauls post 2010. 
Herath was a master creating havoc in second innings. 32% of his wickets have come in the second innings when SL won. In tests that SL won, his second innings strike rate is around 39, with an average of 16.73, both better than Murali. Almost half of his 5 wicket hauls have come in the second innings of tests that SL won. 
A short glance into his career.

Tests - 92 (W - 38, L - 33, D - 21)
Innings - 142
NO - 27
Total Runs - 1680
Average - 14.61
Highest Scores - 80, 67, 61
Hundreds - 0
Fifties - 3

Balls Bowled - 25705
Runs Conceded - 12020
Wkts - 430
Average - 27.95
Strike Rate - 59.78
BBI - 9-127, 8-63, 7-48
BBM - 14-184, 13-145, 13-152
5 WI - 34
10 WM - 9