When Kusal Mendis was axed for the Lord’s Test last year, it raised more than a few eyebrows. Chief among his defenders was former skipper Duleep Mendis, who made no bones about his views: when you’ve earmarked a thoroughbred, you don’t pull him from the race after one poor gallop.
Duleep wasn’t alone in throwing his weight behind his namesake. Former greats like Aravinda de Silva and Mahela Jayawardene, too, have been unwavering in their support – despite a stop-start career that never quite hit full throttle.
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The numbers didn’t flatter him – six ODI centuries in 146 outings told a story of squandered potential. And yet, there was always the feeling that the lad from Moratuwa was going to turn things around.
That corner, it seems, is well and truly turned.
Over the past fortnight, Mendis has been a man transformed – putting on a masterclass across formats. In fact, his run since the turn of the year has been nothing short of prolific, especially in white-ball cricket, culminating in a long-overdue top-ten finish in the ICC Rankings for batters.
At SSC during the second Test against Bangladesh, it was Mendis who put his shoulder to the wheel. As wickets tumbled after the second new ball, he held the innings together with grit and gumption, forging vital partnerships with the tail. A run-out on 84 denied him a century, but by then, his knock had ensured Sri Lanka only needed to bat once.
The ODI series that followed saw Mendis stamp his authority in style. At the R. Premadasa Stadium, he lit up the night sky with a blistering 20-ball half-century – the fastest ever at the venue. The ball pinged off his bat like a tracer bullet, and while his fireworks weren’t enough to prevent a 16-run defeat, he left the crowd buzzing. When Mendis was at the crease, it looked a batting paradise; the moment he walked back, it became a minefield.
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With the series on the line, he returned to script a gem. Playing the anchor role to perfection, Mendis guided Sri Lanka to a match-winning total in the decider –calm, composed, and clinical.
He didn’t stop there. In the opening T20I, Mendis was in full cry once again. He and Pathum Nissanka tore into the Bangladesh attack bringing up the fifty partnership in just 19 balls. By the end of the Power Play, Sri Lanka were sitting pretty at 83 for one – their highest score in the first six overs of a T20I, eclipsing the 75 for one against India in 2018.
This, by all accounts, is a renaissance.
Ever since his under-19 days, Mendis was tipped to be the next big thing in Sri Lankan cricket. A Test debut at just 20 – after barely a handful of First-Class appearances – was proof of the faith the selectors placed in him. And he didn’t disappoint early, with promising cameos in Dunedin and Headingley. But it was that glorious 176 against Australia in 2016 that truly announced his arrival – a knock that set up a famous win and laid the foundation for a 3-0 whitewash.
From there, the journey veered off track.
There were flashes of brilliance, but consistency eluded him like a mirage. Worse still, off-field controversies crept in, culminating in a suspension that many believed was the final nail in the coffin. But fate offered him a lifeline – the ban was reduced and with it came another shot at redemption.
Credit must go to successive selection panels who saw the bigger picture. They didn’t toss him out with the bathwater, instead choosing to ride out the storm. That patience is now bearing fruit.
Since January, Mendis has not only been consistent but has begun converting starts into match-defining innings – a gear he seemed incapable of finding in previous years.
With each innings, Mendis is repaying the faith that’s been invested in him for a decade. And fans will be hoping that he produces more.
