Kusal Mendis

[randycricfreak]

Why is Mendis regressing so fast?

He started off pretty well, hitting valuable runs.

I wonder what wrong has happened in in his game.

He's a valuable player. I hope he corrects his game, and give himself bit of a time at the crease initially before going for shots.

Kid is 23 now and has played 31 Tests averaging only 35.

54 ODIs averaging only 27.72.

What are your thoughts?

 

[jimmy101]

Give him time. He got pushed into the team whilst being still rather young. Doesn't help that most pitches in SL these days are full of gremlins.

 

[randycricfreak]

Give him time. He got pushed into the team whilst being still rather young. Doesn't help that most pitches in SL these days are full of gremlins.

He had a FC average of 30 and one century, having completed only one season of domestic cricket, when he got selected as an opener for the WI home series in 2015.

Let's see how he comes though. Not enough runs in the last 4 Tests in Sri Lanka.

I honestly don't know what's wrong with him.

He doesn't play with the same freedom as he used to do when he first started on.

 

[jimmy101]

He had a FC average of 30 and one century, having completed only one season of domestic cricket, when he got selected as an opener for the WI home series in 2015.

Let's see how he comes though. Not enough runs in the last 4 Tests in Sri Lanka.

I honestly don't know what's wrong with him.

He doesn't play with the same freedom as he used to do when he first started on.

Well there you go. Thrusted into the national team perhaps a tad early and has been playing for SL almost non-stop since then. Players' form is always going to vacillate when they're running the never-ending treadmill of international matches like that.

He may very well have been told by the coaches/captain that they need him to play more of an anchor role in the lineup. Could explain why he's not playing with as much freedom as he used to.

 

[Dan]

Yeah he'll be right.

 

[Borges]

His would have done a lot better if he was plying in a stronger batting team; for instance if he had played a fair number of his initial games alongside Mahela and Sanga.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

That 176 was one of the best test innings I have seen in recent years, on that alone I wish Mendis a long and fruitful career. I would tend to agree he seems unsure of his best role, looks to be caught in two minds a lot leading to him losing his natural freeflowing strokeplay

 

[morgieb]

I think it's just a rough patch. He's still only 23 after all.

 

[TheJediBrah]

IMO

1) He was never really that good, just in great form when he was first selected. Expecting to be averaging 45+ in the long term was always probably a bit optimistic.
2) His stats aren't even that bad. Averaging 35 for a young batsman isn't terrible, and IIRC Sri Lanka have been playing on more bowler-friendly than usual surfaces over the last couple of years

 

[Flem274*]

at a similar age and number of tests im pretty sure kane averaged less than 30. steve smith took a few goes to get going too, though being behind the likes of ponting and clarke meant he wasn't rushed in las much mendis has been.

being a young guy rushed into your team on talent because your team has big holes in it is probably the toughest job in cricket

 

[Daemon]

Didn't realise he was only 23. He's played more match defining innings than most cricketers play Tests by this age.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Haturasinghe promoting him to open bat in limited overs was the best thing for SL

 

[Migara]

He has to discipline himself more, practice more, and stop chasing cougars.

 

[cnerd123]

He has to discipline himself more, practice more, and stop chasing cougars.

disagree

 

[randycricfreak]

He has to discipline himself more, practice more, and stop chasing cougars.

whaaat?

 

[mr_mister]

He's been playing too much RDR2

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Hot mamacitas for young Kusal?

 

[Maximas]

He has to discipline himself more, practice more, and stop chasing cougars.

unreal

 

[Starfighter]

He has to discipline himself more, practice more, and stop chasing cougars.

I must say, this is one of the more unintentionally funny things I've seen on here for a while.

 

[Himannv]

Chasing cougars?