3 reasons why Sri Lanka recalling Kusal Mendis for the Oval Test vs England is the wrong move
Sri Lanka will take on England in the final Test of their three-match series at The Oval in London, beginning Friday, September 6. The hosts have been in commanding form, having already secured the series.
England won the first game by five wickets, with Joe Root leading the way with 62 not out while chasing a target of 205. Ollie Pope’s side maintained their strong performance in the second Test, achieving a convincing 190-run victory.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have shown glimpses of promise but need to perform cohesively as a team if they hope to win the series finale.
For the final game, the visitors have made two changes to their playing XI, with Kusal Mendis and Vishwa Fernando coming in for Nishan Madushka and Prabath Jayasuriya.
Sri Lanka's playing XI for the third Test vs England: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kamindu Mendis, Milan Rathnayake, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, and Asitha Fernando.
Kusal Mendis had a disappointing outing in the first Test and was omitted for the second one before being brought back for the final match. Here are three reasons why recalling Mendis for the Oval Test against England could be a wrong move.
#1 Kusal Mendis has a poor record vs England
The 29-year-old wicket-keeper batter has featured in 64 Tests for Sri Lanka, including eight matches against England. His record against the English has been underwhelming, with just 374 runs in 16 innings at an average of 24.93, along with two fifties and three ducks.
In four Tests played in England, he has accumulated only 180 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.71, including one half-century and two ducks. Despite his reputation, Kusal Mendis has underperformed both against and in England.
However, Sri Lankan fans will be hoping he can turn things around and deliver a memorable performance in the series finale.
#2 Disappointing record in 2024
Kusal Mendis is one of the senior batters in the Sri Lankan squad, but he has had a challenging year in Test cricket in 2024. In a one-off Test against Afghanistan earlier in Colombo, Sri Lanka won, but Mendis could only contribute 10 runs.
Subsequently, in a two-Test series against Bangladesh, Mendis had a lackluster performance, accumulating just 114 runs in four innings, with only one half-century. Overall this year, Mendis has managed 148 runs in seven innings across four Test matches, averaging 21.14 with a solitary fifty.
#3 Other players deserve more opportunities
Kusal Mendis is replacing Nishan Madushka, who has had a challenging series, managing only 24 runs in four innings. Madushka is still young at 24, and the Sri Lankan management could have given him another opportunity or considered bringing in Sadeera Samarawickrama.
Samarawickrama, who has played nine Tests and accumulated 308 runs, including a century, might have offered a fresh challenge to the English bowlers, who haven't faced him before in Test cricket. Ultimately, it remains to be seen if Mendis can step up to the plate and make a difference.