Can Kamindu Mendis live up to expectations?

Kamindu Mendis 

• Dream start to Test career sees him sport Bradmanesque average of 91.27

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Ever since batting greats like Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan left the scene nearly a decade ago, Sri Lanka has failed to produce anyone who could come close to emulating the feats of these cricketers.

A lot of emphasis was laid on Kusal Mendis, after his epoch-making innings of 176 against Australia at Pallekele in 2016, to take over the mantle and become Sri Lanka’s leading light in their batting for the next decade or so.

Angelo Mathews, the Captain then, had high hopes of Mendis becoming Sri Lanka’s next big game player.

“He’s going to be a big player for us. He’s going to be the future of our batting. If he keeps going like this he will do wonders for the Sri Lanka team and I wish him all the very best,” said Mathews.    

But unfortunately for Sri Lanka and for Kusal Mendis, he couldn’t live up to that expectation. After 67 Tests and nine years in the international cricket circuit what Mendis has to show is a Test average of 36.40 and 10 centuries. In that period of time he has been shuffled in the batting order from 1-7 (except 6), but the majority of his runs have come when batting at 3 and 4, positions which he does not occupy in today’s batting line-up.

Inconsistency has been his downfall. He scored a Test century against New Zealand at Galle in the second Test after going through 15 innings without one. Likewise, in his career he has gone through 22 innings without a century that included four consecutive ducks and a further 19 innings between centuries.  

After almost a decade we find another Mendis emerging by the name of Kamindu Mendis who is breaking all box-office records in cricket each time he walks to the crease. His first 8 Tests and 13 innings has fetched him over 1,000 runs making him the quickest in Asia and joint third fastest in the world with the great Sir Donald Bradman to that milestone. Kamindu’s Test batting career average of 91.27 with 5 centuries and 4 fifties puts him on a pedestal where no other present day cricketer can match.

“In Test matches you are faced with different situations. Depends on how you handle them. Even at 50-5 you have to be ready and at 200-5 too you have to be ready. The way you adapt is the key. My mindset is whatever the situation I am willing to take up the challenge,” said Kamindu at the end of the New Zealand series after accumulating 309 runs at an average of 154.50. He narrowly missed picking up his third consecutive Player of the Series award when left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya with 18 wickets pipped him to the post.

After making his Test debut with a fifty (62) against Australia in 2022, Kamindu could not retain his place in the Test team because Dhananjaya de Silva whom he had replaced returned after being laid low by Covid-19. He had to wait for another two years before he was recalled to the Test side. He responded with 367 runs (avg. 122.33) against Bangladesh and followed it up 267 (avg. 53.40) in the series in England, on both occasions being Sri Lanka’s leading run-getter and winning the Player of the Series award.

For the initial part of his batting he had scored all his runs batting at either 7 or 8 with the tail. For the New Zealand series, he was promoted to number 5, but it mattered little to Kamindu where he batted, the runs still flowed.

“I don’t bother where I am batting. Wherever they want me to bat I would like to do the job for the team,” said the 26-year-old left-hander. “When I am at 5 sometimes, when the top four batters have batted for 80 overs I get to face the new ball. Even at number 7 I was very happy to bat there. I am happy to do that at 5 as well.”

“I am very happy with the way I have performed. If you look at the tours we have, we need to do well. Regardless if you win or lose, you need to do your best. I intend to do my best for the team. The expectations of others are beyond my control. All I can do is stick to my routine, and I am confident the runs will come.”

The key to Kamindu’s success has been the amount of time he devotes to his batting at the nets.

“Every practice session is different. It doesn’t matter whether it’s against the net bowlers or bowling machine, I would like to bat for a long time. The time that I spend at training, I would like to take to the middle.”

Kumar Sangakkara became Sri Lanka’s most successful batsman because of the extra amount of time he spent at practice honing his skills to perfection. It seems that Kamindu has similar qualities, ambition and drive to become the best. It is early days in his career to start rating him with anyone, but he has made quite a dramatic start to his career which one hopes he will be able to maintain. 

KAMINDU MENDIS IN TEST CRICKET

61 v Australia (Galle) 2022

102 & 164 v Bangladesh (Sylhet) 2024

92* & 9 v Bangladesh (Chattogram) 2024

12 & 113 v England (Manchester), 2024

74 & 4 v England (Lord’s) 2024

64 v England (The Oval) 2024

114 & 13 v New Zealand (Galle) 2024

182* v New Zealand (Galle) 2024

CAREER SUMMARY: Tests 8, Inns 13, NO 2, Runs 1004, Avg 91.27, 100s 5, 50s 4