Kamindu Mendis in action against New Zealand in Galle. (AP)
Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis on Friday became the fastest Asian batter and the joint-second quickest overall to record 1000 Test runs during the ongoing match against New Zealand in Galle.
Mendis waltzed to the mark in his 13th Test innings, surpassing the Asian record held by former India batter Vinod Kambli who reached the mark in 14 innings. Mendis also equalled Don Bradman as the second fastest batter to 1000 Test runs, only behind Everton Weekes and Herbert Sutcliffe who reached the mark in 12 innings.
The left-handed Mendis reached the feat as he crossed 178 during his first-innings knock against New Zealand.
Mendis had made headlines on Thursday during the opening day of the second Test as he recorded fifty in his eighth consecutive Test from debut, surpassing Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel. Earlier in the day, Mendis slammed his fifth Test ton in only 13 innings from his debut in 2022, making him the third-quickest to the mark alongside Bradman. Only Weekes (10), Sutcliffe (12) and Robert Harvey (12) have scaled the mark quicker than Mendis. Mendis thereby eclipsed the previous Asian record held by Pakistan’s Fawad Alam, who reached his fifth century in 22 innings.
Fastest batters to 1000 Test runs
| Inns | Player | Opposition | Ground | Match Date | Debut |
| 12 | Herbert Sutcliffe (ENG) | v Australia | Melbourne | 13 Feb 1925 | 14 Jun 1924 |
| 12 | Everton Weekes (WI) | v India | Brabourne | 4 Feb 1949 | 21 Jan 1948 |
| 13* | Kamindu Mendis (SL) | v New Zealand | Galle | 27 Sep 2024 | 8 Jul 2022 |
| 13 | Don Bradman (AUS) | v England | Leeds | 11 Jul 1930 | 30 Nov 1928 |
| 14 | Robert Harvey (AUS) | v England | Brisbane | 1 Dec 1950 | 23 Jan 1948 |
| 14 | Vinod Kambli (IND) | v West Indies | Wankhede | 18 Nov 1994 | 29 Jan 1993 |
| 16 | Len Hutton (ENG) | v West Indies | Lord’s | 24 Jun 1939 | 26 Jun 1937 |
| 16 | Frank Worrell (WI) | v Australia | Adelaide | 22 Dec 1951 | 11 Feb 1948 |
| 16 | Lawrence Rowe (WI) | v England | Port of Spain | 30 Mar 1974 | 16 Feb 1972 |
| 16 | Yashasvi Jaiswal (IND) | v England | Dharamsala | 7 Mar 2024 | 12 Jul 2023 |
