The talented top-order batter from Sri Lanka, Kusal Mendis, has turned 29, as he celebrates his birthday today. He has become the poster boy of Sri Lankan cricket because of his memorable performances on big occasions. He has evolved as a player and has become the most crucial batter in the Sri Lankan team currently.
Kusal Mendis’ journey in international cricket started in 2015 when he was given an opportunity to represent Sri Lanka in Test cricket. Kusal made his Test debut against West Indies at Colombo. The youngster did not have to wait for too long to make his mark in limited-overs cricket. In 2016 he went on to step in both ODI and T20I cricket, since then it has been a rollercoaster ride for him.
Big Hope
Sri Lankan cricket has been going through a tumultuous phase with transition for a long time and in this period Kusal Mendis has emerged as a potential star of the game in the island nation. There have been some disciplinary issues with the player but now it seems that he has worked on that and transitioned into a focused cricketer.
There is no doubt about Kusal Mendis’ potential and skills but his inconsistency has been a concern for the team management. In recent times he has improved but there is still a lot to be worked upon. The 29-year-old represented Sri Lanka in 60 Test matches scoring 3988 runs at an average of 36.58. In ODI cricket Mendis has played 124 matches where he has amassed 3638 runs at an average of 32.77. His average in the Test and ODI does not justify his talent and he must make rapid strides in improving this aspect of his game.
He has also been a part of the Sri Lankan T20I team with 58 caps to his name in the shortest format. Kusal has scored 1324 runs in T20Is and he would look to add a lot more to it. Now the time has come when the talented top-order batter translates his talent and assists the team with his consistent performances.