Kamindu Mendis in action for Sri Lanka vs New Zealand. (AP)
Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis continued his record-breaking Test streak, smashing his fifth hundred in only his 13th innings from debut during the second Test against New Zealand in Galle on Friday.
After becoming the first batter to record fifties in eight consecutive Tests from debut on Thursday, Mendis sprinted to his fifth ton and second in successive Tests against the Kiwis off 147 balls.
Mendis is the joint-third fastest to five Test hundreds from debut, equalling the legendary Don Bradman and George Headley in 13 innings. Only Everton Weekes (10), Herbert 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. Aravinda de Silva held the previous Sri Lankan record, having reached his fifth hundred in his 38th innings. Mendis also surpassed Joe Root (4) for most Test hundreds this year.
Mendis is also on course to become the fastest Asian to reach 1000 Test runs, having become only the seventh batter ever to cross the 900-run mark within 13 innings. India’s Vinod Kambli is the quickest Asian to the feat, having reached the mark in 14 innings.
Mendis began his Test career in 2022 at home in Galle and scored a half-century in his first innings at No. 6 against Australia. He marked his Test return earlier this year and went on a streak of 102, 164, 92* and 9 against Bangladesh in Sylhet and Chattogram, with consecutive hundreds batting at No. 7 and 8. The left-hander manned the lower-order one again on the tour to England, emerging as Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer with another hundred to his tally.
Mendis currently possesses the third-highest First Class average among active cricketers who have amassed at least 2000 runs in the format.
Fastest to five hundreds from Test debut (innings)
10 – Everton Weekes – 1948
12 – Robert Harvey – 1925
12 – Herbert Sutcliffe – 1931
13 – Don Bradman – 1930
13 – George Headley – 1931
13* – Kamindu Mendis – 2024
Most successive fifty-plus scores since Test debut
8* – Kamindu Mendis
7 – Saud Shakeel
6 = Sunil Gavaskar, Herbert Sutcliffe, Saeed Ahmed, Basil Butcher
