Thilina Kandamby Acknowledges Overreliance on Star Batter
🏏 Sri Lanka vs Australia | ICC World Test Championship
Sri Lanka had a remarkable 2024 ICC World Test Championship campaign, securing five Test victories, including three away from home. Their impressive run kept them in contention for the 2025 WTC final. However, a closer look at their batting stats suggests a major concern—Sri Lanka’s success was largely fueled by the phenomenal form of Kamindu Mendis.
Kamindu Mendis: The Backbone of Sri Lanka’s Batting in 2024
Mendis was in sensational form last year, playing match-winning knocks, including:
✔ 102 & 164 in Sylhet
✔ 92 in Chattogram*
✔ 64 at The Oval
✔ 114 & 182 in Galle*
During Sri Lanka’s five Test wins, Kamindu Mendis averaged 123.33, scoring four centuries and two fifties. His consistent performances often rescued the team from collapses.
However, in recent games, Mendis’ batting form has dipped significantly. His scores of 15, 32, and 13 against Australia in the ongoing Australia tour of Sri Lanka have exposed vulnerabilities in Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.
Thilina Kandamby: “Mendis Covered Up Our Batting Failures”
Sri Lanka’s batting coach, Thilina Kandamby, admitted that Mendis’ stellar form in 2024 may have masked deeper issues in the batting order.
📢 “The top order hasn’t been firing in the last four or five innings. When the ball is hard, bowlers have the upper hand, especially in conditions like South Africa [where Sri Lanka recently lost 2-0].”
He also highlighted how Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva were the key players carrying Sri Lanka’s batting last year:
📢 “When we toured Bangladesh, we were 57/5, and then Kamindu and DDS turned things around with twin centuries. Back then, the middle order was reliable. Unfortunately, that consistency hasn’t continued in this series.”
Even Dhananjaya de Silva, though outstanding in parts of 2024, averaged slightly under 50 in Sri Lanka’s Test wins. With Mendis struggling, Sri Lanka’s batting frailties are now fully exposed.
Sri Lanka’s Struggles in the Current Test vs Australia
In the Sri Lanka vs Australia Test, the hosts managed 229/9 on a spin-friendly pitch. While this total might be competitive given the conditions, Kandamby believes they fell short of an ideal 350+ score.
📢 “Targeting 350 would have been ideal, but we’re already nine down. Hopefully, Kusal Mendis can add a few more runs to push us to 275.”
What’s Next for Sri Lanka?
With the Australia tour of Sri Lanka ongoing and the ICC World Test Championship race heating up, Sri Lanka must find ways to compensate for Kamindu Mendis’ recent slump. If their top-order struggles continue, their WTC final hopes could be in jeopardy.
Will Kamindu Mendis bounce back and lead Sri Lanka to victory again? Or will their batting vulnerabilities cost them crucial matches?
🔔 Stay tuned for the latest updates on Sri Lanka vs Australia and the ICC World Test Championship!
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