By Rex Clementine

Prolific middle-order batter Kamindu Mendis is knocking on the door of the ICC top ten rankings for batters. In the latest Test rankings, updated on Tuesday after the Bangladesh-India Test series, Kamindu took a giant leap forward, climbing five spots. Now ranked 11th, he’s just a whisker away from making it to the prestigious top ten.

Kamindu has been on fire since his recall to the Test side earlier this year. The left-hander topped the run charts during the Test series in Bangladesh and was Sri Lanka’s standout performer in England, finishing second only to Joe Root in the three-match series. His sizzling form continued against New Zealand, where he once again emerged as the leading run-scorer, a feat that played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s 2-0 series triumph — their first series win over New Zealand since 2009.

During his unbeaten 182 in the second Test, Kamindu burst onto the scene like a hurricane joining Sir Don Bradman as the third quickest batsman in the world to reach the milestone of 1000 runs. Just as The Don had crossed the finish line in 13 innings, the don of Boosa followed suit, leaving a trail of awe in his wake.

Meanwhile, seasoned campaigners Dimuth Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva are ranked 16th and 17th, respectively, while Dinesh Chandimal sits at 20th after notching up a half-century and a century in his new role as the team’s number three batter.

On the bowling front, left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya is making waves, climbing to number seven in the ICC rankings for bowlers. The 32-year-old, who bagged 18 wickets in the two-Test series against New Zealand, was deservedly named Player of the Series in Galle. Speedster Asitha Fernando is also gaining ground, currently ranked 13th.

Sri Lanka’s Test outfit has hit a purple patch, winning their last three matches in the World Test Championship. They pulled off a memorable eight-wicket victory against England at The Oval — their first win on English soil in a decade — before sealing their first series victory over New Zealand in 15 years.

Now, Sri Lanka find themselves in prime position to make a push for the World Test Championship finals at Lord’s next June. They sit third on the points table, trailing only India and Australia.

With four Tests remaining in the current cycle, two against South Africa in Port Elizabeth and Durban next month, followed by two more against Australia in Galle, Sri Lanka’s destiny is in their hands. Win all four, and they’ll punch their ticket to the final, regardless of how the other teams fare. Even three wins could keep them in the hunt, but anything less might leave their fate dangling in the balance.