Kamindu Mendis’ stellar start to his Test career continued as he remained unbeaten on 182 during Sri Lanka’s first innings against New Zealand, and there are several other records in his sights.
The left-hander made his debut in July 2022, scoring 61 against Australia, but only managed to play his second Test after a gap of nearly two years. His comeback to the set-up has been spectacular with five hundreds in his next 12 innings. He is also the joint-second-fastest to 1,000 Test runs, equalling the record held by Donald Bradman, also becoming the quickest to the feat in the last 75 years.
Currently, Mendis has 1,004 runs after eight Tests, or 13 innings, averaging 91.27. He is one of four batters to average more than 90 after his first 13 innings, behind Neil Harvey (106.56), Bradman (99.67) and Sunil Gavaskar (91.80).
Besides the records Mendis has already broken, there are several other landmarks that will be within his sights whenever he walks out to bat in his next innings.
Records Mendis will look to break
Highest Test average after 14 innings since 1950
If he is unbeaten on 96 in his next innings or is dismissed for 196, his average will shoot up to 100, which will be the second-most any batter has averaged after playing 14 innings. Harvey averaged 103.30 after his first 14 innings. If Mendis gets to the average, it will also be the first time since 1950 that a batter would have averaged 100 in his first 14 innings.
Fastest to six Test hundreds
Mendis, who equalled Bradman’s record and reached his fifth Test hundred in 13 innings, will become the second-quickest to six Test tons if he registers another century in his next innings. Currently, Harvey holds the record of least innings taken to six Test hundreds - 13. While Mendis will not be able to break the record, he will surpass Bradman, who is second on the list after taking 15 innings to reach his sixth Test ton.
Most fifties in consecutive matches from debut
Mendis has played eight Tests thus far and has made at least fifty in all of them. He has four fifties and five hundreds thus far. If he scores another fifty in his next Test - against South Africa on November 27 - he will extend his lead at the top for most fifties in successive matches from debut.
He still has some way to go for most fifties in consecutive matches overall, though. That record is jointly-held by AB de Villiers and Joe Root, who have managed to do it in 12 consecutive matches.
Most runs after 14 innings
Mendis will need 207 more runs to surpass Bradman for most career runs after 14 innings. Bradman registered 1,210 runs after his first 14 innings. While the target remains stiff, Mendis will be one of the top five batters with most runs after 14 innings if he makes a run more in his next essay.
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