Since returning to Test cricket in March this year, Kamindu Mendis has been on a record-breaking spree. He recently completed his fifth Test century in just 13 innings and equalled the record of the fabled Sir Don Bradman. While above him on the list are the likes of Everton Weekes (10) and Herbert Sutcliffe (12), and perhaps even Neil Harvey (12), Mendis has marked history as the fastest Asian cricketer to reach five Test hundreds, going one better than Pakistan’s Fawad Alam, who achieved the milestone in 22 innings.

Kamindu Mendis Hits A Magnificent Ton

For all the fact book-heroics of Mendis, since his Test debut against Australia in 2022, he has appeared in eight Test matches so far, and scored fifty or more in each of them-a phenomenon that has occurred for only the second time in the 147-year history of Test cricket. The youngster aged 25 years was also the first innings top scorer in the first Test against New Zealand at Galle, where his vital contribution of 114 runs off 173 balls helped Sri Lanka win by 63 runs. At present, the hosts are on top in the two-match series.

Kamindu Mendis had been one of the succsess of the first Test against New Zealand, pushing his way up from No. 7 to No. 5 batting position, capitalizing on a promising start to his Test career. He topped the score in the first innings with commendable 114 runs off 173 balls, helping Sri Lanka reach a total of 305, on a rather challenging pitch, vindicating management’s confidence in him. His effort was crucial in helping the home team win by 63 runs.

Mendis’s Stellar Career

Mendis made Test debut in July 2022 against Australia and played a massive role in a match which will remain etched in the minds of Sri Lankans for eternity, scoring 61 runs, and then after nearly two years’ of absence in the Test side, he returned in March against Bangladesh and caught everyone’s eye with twin centuries, 102 and 164 respectively, thereby becoming only the seventh Sri Lankan to have done so. His 164 runs are the fourth-highest score by a No. 8 batsman in Test history. Since his comeback in March, he has crossed fifty in every match.

More, Mendis is likely to achieve his 1,000th Test runs soon and become one of the players to score the highest number of runs in the shortest time ever. Though he cannot overtake Herbert Sutcliffe and Everton Weekes, who took only 12 innings, he will equal Don Bradman if he aggregates 178 runs on the first innings of the Test in Galle coming up soon.