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On Thursday, September 26, Kamindu Mendis, the Sri Lanka cricketer, made history by becoming the first batter in Test cricket to put together 50+ scores in eight consecutive matches since debut. The world record feat from the left-handed batter was achieved in the Sri Lankan first innings during the evening session on day one of the second Test match against New Zealand at the Galle International Stadium.
After Sri Lanka were 221/3 in the 73rd over, Kamindu Mendis joined veteran Angelo Mathews in the middle, and they stitched together an unbeaten partnership of 85 runs at the close of play on day one. The 25-year-old, who made his Test debut in 2022 against Australia in Galle, notched up a fifty in his eighth Test match, in just 53 balls, to etch his name in the history books.
Kamindu Mendis had to wait over 20 months to play his second Test after debut in summer of 2022
Following his return to Test cricket in 2024, playing his second match in the format after being on the sidelines for 20 months, Kamindu Mendis grabbed his opportunity with both hands. He scored two Test hundreds in the same match against Bangladesh at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium before putting together a three-figure score on his first Test tour to England.
In the ongoing two-match Test series against New Zealand, Kamindu Mendis brought up his fourth Test hundred in the first Test in Galle. Earlier today, he managed to continue his rich vein of form, to get past a 50+ score in his eighth consecutive Test match, to put his name among some of the greatest players in history.
Here is the list of cricketers putting together 50+ scores in most successive Tests since debut:
8 Tests - Kamindu Mendis
7 Tests - Saud Shakeel
6 Tests - Bert Sutcliffe
6 Tests - Saeed Ahmed
6 Tests - Basil Butcher
6 Tests - Sunil Gavaskar
Kamindu Mendis can add to his overnight score of 51 off 56 with eight fours and one six on day two of the second Test match against New Zealand at the Galle International Stadium. The longer he manages to bat in the first innings, the better will be the chances for Sri Lanka to propel their current score of 306/3, to something far more substantial.
