06 August,2017 08:56 AM IST | Colombo | Jasvinder Sidhu
Centurion Kusal Mendis helped Sri Lanka put up fight in the second essay after the hosts were bowled out for just 183 in the first innings here on Saturday
Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis celebrates his century on Day Three of the second Test against India at the SSC ground on Saturday. Pic /AFP. (Inset) Aravinda de Silva
Centurion Kusal Mendis helped Sri Lanka put up fight in the second essay after the hosts were bowled out for just 183 in the first innings here on Saturday.
It looked like the hosts would face another batting collapse in the second innings after they lost the wicket of Upal Tharanga early with the scoreboard reading seven for one. But, one-drop batsman Mendis, had other plans. The right-handed batsman, who added 191 runs for the second wicket with opener Dimuth Karunaratne [92 not out], played some attacking shots, smashing 17 fours before being caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha off Hardik Pandya.
Mendis' 110-run knock impressed former Sri Lanka skipper Aravinda de Silva, "Kusal is the best [batsman] in the current lot," De Silva told mid-day on Saturday.
'Mendis has a great future'
De Silva, who scored 6361 runs in 93 Tests, and was nicknamed Mad Max, advised Mendis to avoid any unnecessary pressure. "He [Mendis] has a great future in Sri Lankan cricket, but I feel he should not take any unnecessary pressure," he said.
India spinner R Ashwin too lauded Karunaratne and Mendis for their fighting effort. "I thought they batted really well. Karunaratne complimented Mendis, he defended beautifully, and Mendis played a few extra shots that Karunaratne obviously didn't," Ashwin said at the post-day press conference on Saturday. "We tried reverse swing, we bowled cutters in the end. Pandya got the wicket with a cutter. We beat the bat a few times more than we should have for the nicks we got. Hopefully, we will try and nick them off tomorrow," Ashwin, who claimed his 26th fifer in Tests, added.
Well-executed plans
"Karunaratne and Mendis are great players. They executed the plans, used the crease and swept well. Mendis has been a brilliant player in his small career," Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella said.
