Versatile and unstoppable – Kamindu Mendis’ star continues to rise

Rex Clementine in Galle

Just a stone’s throw from Galle lies Boosa, a place once infamous for its dark past during the second JVP insurrection in the late 80s. But now, it’s giving us something to cheer about – the rise of cricket sensation Kamindu Mendis, who hails from this very town.

Kamindu’s father once had a flourishing hardware business in Boosa, but he has since closed up shop and moved to Colombo, following his son’s cricketing success. In a family of three, Kamindu is the middle child, with both his elder sister and younger brother being university graduates. So, if you’re wondering where the young cricketer gets his smarts, the apple clearly didn’t fall far from the tree.

Watching Kamindu bat is like watching a master at work. And when he speaks to the media, it’s just as engaging – he offers deep insights, a commitment to always improving, and a fearlessness that promises even greater things ahead. It reminds one of Steve Waugh’s book, ‘Never Satisfied’, give it ten years, and Kamindu could be writing the sequel.

It’s a fool’s errand to start comparing young cricketers to legends of the game, especially when we’ve seen many promising talents get swept away by fame and fortune. But facts are facts – Kamindu’s Test start has outshone even Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara, two of Sri Lanka’s finest.

Spotted from a young age, Kamindu captained Richmond College, Galle, to victory in the All Island Under-13 Championship. At just 16, he was drafted into the squad for the 2015 ICC Youth World Cup in Bangladesh. By the next edition, he was leading the Sri Lankan side.

Back then, all the buzz was about Kamindu’s ability to bowl with both hands. Everyone harped on about his ambidexterity, but no one paid attention to his batting. We all missed the forest for the trees. Well, we’re catching up now, and it’s clear he’s no one-trick pony.

What sets Kamindu apart is his ability to play the ball so late, giving him more time than most to make his moves. Few can say they’ve gone to England on their first tour and come back with the Player of the Series award. We’ve got something special here, no doubt about it.

A hallmark of any great batsman is how they handle the short ball. You don’t have to be a master of the hook or pull shots, but you need a game plan. Take Aravinda de Silva, for instance – he took on the short ball with a hook or pull. On the other hand, Steve Waugh didn’t mess with it; he’d either leave it alone or take it on the body. The key is to have a strategy and stick to it, and that’s exactly what Kamindu does – he knows how to handle the short ball without a second thought.

Kamindu made his Test debut at 23 and notched up a half-century against a quality team like Australia. Yet, he was put on the back burner for two years. Turns out, it was a blessing in disguise. When everything is handed tofeayou on a silver platter, it’s easy to take things for granted – look no further than the other Mendis. Go figure. Sometimes being sidelined makes you hungrier, and Kamindu showed that by piling on runs in domestic cricket, forcing the selectors to give him another shot.

It’s like Adam Gilchrist, who thrived under pressure at number seven for Australia, knowing he had to carry the lower order. Kamindu has had similar success, and now, with his promotion to number five, he’s already scored a century. There’s even talk of moving him up to number three because that’s where the best batters belong. He’s already taking on the second new ball; why not let him handle the first? After all, Boosa is not known for the faint hearted.