Batting position not important - Kamindu

Sri Lanka’s Test centurion on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Galle, Kamindu Mendis said that what is important is not the position but what you can contribute to the team.

Kamindu who scored a pile of runs including a century at Old Trafford in the recent tour to England, batting at no. 7 said, “In first-class cricket I have played from No. 3 to No. 7. I don’t worry about positions too much. I will do my best whatever the position I have to bat. The 160 I scored in Bangladesh was when I batted at number eight.”

Kamindu was promoted to no. 5 for the New Zealand series and he responded with a century in trying circumstances and on a difficult pitch.

“In Galle, we have got wickets where it spins from session one. Some wickets spin after day three or so here. You all saw how it spun today. I didn’t expect that. I don’t think the team expected that as well. But it was turning big today,” said Kamindu who equalled a world record with seven scores of over fifty in his first seven Tests.

“This is my hometown and yes, it was good to get a hundred in my backyard. I should have gone on to get a big one. A bit unlucky. The ball that got me from Ajaz Patel really spun sharply. There were a few deliveries that turned and bounced sharp. That’s cricket.”

Kamindu said that what has worked for him in his cricket was his technique.

“I have really worked on it. The HPC (High Performance Centre) has helped me develop my game. Your mind has to be tough to play Test match cricket. I have really become tough over the years.

“HPC has been great. I had a lot of time not playing international cricket and used it to correct myself. That period was good and I was able to bat like this. Thanks to what I got at the HPC.” – [ST]