On the eve of the first Test between Sri Lanka and England in Headingley, Leeds which starts on Thursday, Former captain and batting legend Kumar Sangakkara spoke highly of the new kid in town, Kusal Mendis.
The 21-year old former Prince of Wales’ College and Sri Lanka U19 captain is one of the most exciting batting prospects in the current squad and will need to put his hand up and perform above par in the upcoming three-Test series.
“We have a young guy in Kusal Mendis. I think he’s got a lot to offer Sri Lanka as he grows, I think he’s still only 21. He’s got a great head position, gets into the ball really well and he’s a lot of good things to build upon. I think he’ll be very special as the years go by.” Sangakkara said in an interview for ESPNCricinfo.
With only 3 Tests to his name, Mendis will have to face one of the fiercest Test bowling attacks going around in the world which comprises James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn in early summer conditions in England.
He is yet to fully bloom into the international level as he just finished his teenage life when Sangakkara retired from international cricket last August but currently, Mendis is the most likely to fill the great left-hander’s no.3 slot.
The former Cambrian stroked two half-centuries in the warm-up matches and looked solid as a rock against the moving delivery. He averages 30 from 6 Tests innings and has faced little less than 400 balls so far in his career but might double that number this summer in England. He was highly praised by all cricket fans for the determination he showed In New Zealand last December opening the batting and scoring 131 runs in 2 games.
Playing cricket in England is not a new thing for young Mendis as he represented Southgate Cricket Club in 2014 under a SLC-ECB scholarship scheme. He made over 600 runs in 20 games with an impressive average of 40.
Going back in time, the short and diminutive son of Dinesh Mendis who was also from Prince of Wales’ College started his cricket career under the watchful eyes of Jayalath Aponso. He was a batting prodigy from the beginning of his career as he made match-winning contributions for the Cambrians and did a yeomen service behind the stumps as well.
At the age of 14, he was selected to tour Malaysia for the Tuanku Ja’afar Trophy with the Sri Lanka Schools U15s team. A year later, he captained the team and led them to the championship. In 2014 he was named the Sri Lanka U19s captain for the ICC Youth World Cup 2014 in UAE. He also won the Schoolboy cricketer of the year award in 2013.
In September 2015, his career-defining knock came in India when he slammed a match-winning 156 for Sri Lanka Development XI against Hyderabad in the Moin-ud-Dowlah three-day tournament which caught the eyes of the selectors and was quickly drafted into the Sri Lanka Test squad against West Indies.
“He’s got the talent. We’re hopeful that he’ll come out good.” Angelo Mathews said before Mendis made his Test debut seven months ago.
In a team of transition, Kusal Mendis might just be the answer for the Sri Lankan batting worries for the present and the future.
Will Kusal Mendis cement his position in the Sri Lanka Test squad in England? State your opinion below.
