Sri Lanka’s cricketing sensation, Kamindu Mendis, has once again captured the spotlight with his remarkable performance in the ongoing second Test against New Zealand in Galle. Scoring his 5th Test century in merely his 8th match, Mendis has joined the elite ranks of cricket legends by equaling Don Bradman’s record for the most centuries within the first 8 Tests. Notably, he has achieved this milestone while scoring 5 centuries in just 13 innings, showcasing his extraordinary talent and consistency.
Creating History with Unprecedented Records
This milestone not only places Mendis in the same conversation as the great Don Bradman but also underlines his potential to rewrite cricketing history. While Mendis has tied with Bradman, the record for the fastest five Test centuries still belongs to the West Indies’ Everton Weekes, who achieved this feat in just 10 innings. Demonstrating his prowess early in his career, Mendis marked his entry into the record books by scoring in excess of fifty runs for eight consecutive Test matches following his debut—a first in the 147-year history of Test cricket.
Challenging IPL Legends
As Mendis played his 13th Test innings, he surpassed the 900 run mark. This performance makes him the 5th player in Test history to reach 900 runs in the fewest innings. The record for the fastest 900 runs is jointly held by Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli and Everton Weekes, both of whom accomplished the milestone in just 11 innings. Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar reached this mark in 12 innings, showcasing how impressive Mendis’s achievement is.
Another day, another Kamindu Mendis special 🔥🔥
The local lad registers his 5️⃣th Test ton in just his eighth game, as 🇱🇰 soar past 400 in their first dig❗
— Sony LIV (@SonyLIV) September 27, 2024
On the Verge of a New Record: Kamindu vs. Yashasvi
Mendis is currently eyeing another significant milestone—reaching 1000 Test runs. He requires just 78 more runs to accomplish this feat. Should he succeed within this innings or in his next two, he will surpass the record set by Indian cricketer Yashasvi Jaiswal, who reached 1000 runs in 16 innings. The record for the fastest 1000 Test runs belongs to both Herbert Sutcliffe and Everton Weekes, who achieved this tally in 12 innings, while Don Bradman did so in 13 innings.
Sri Lanka’s Strong Position in the Match
Sri Lanka’s batting order has showcased resilience after a rocky start in this Test match. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, the Sri Lankan team lost their first wicket at a mere 2 runs. However, Mendis’s century, along with fellow batsman Dinesh Chandimal’s stellar performance, has propelled the team past the 400-run mark with just 5 wickets down. Dimuth Karunaratne contributed significantly with 46 runs, while Angelo Mathews scored 88 runs and captain Dhananjaya de Silva added 44 runs to the total. As the match progresses, Sri Lanka finds itself in a commanding position, aiming for a solid innings declaration.
