he was one of the youngest of the ceylon team that toured india in 1932-33, and was the leading batsman on the tour, with 421 runs at an average of 46.77; he also took 15 wickets at 25.53. he began the tour by taking 5 for 58 and 2 for 30 on his first-class debut in the opening match against sind. he scored 130 in the second of the two matches against india, when he rescued the innings from 86 for 5 to 305 all out. reporting on the tour in "the cricketer", the indian journalist i. m. mansukhani thought jayawickreme the most impressive of the ceylonese batsmen, with “a wide and delightful range of strokes”.