Ajantha Mendis
- Date of Birth 1985-3-11
- Role bowler
- Batting Style right-hand bat
- Bowling Style right-arm offbreak
Debut Matches
| Format | Match | Date |
|---|---|---|
| TEST | SL vs IND | 2008-07-23 |
| ODI | SL vs WI | 2008-04-10 |
| T20 | ZIM vs SL | 2008-10-10 |
Recent Performances
Batting Statistics
Matches
19
Innings
19
Runs
213
Average
16.38
Strike Rate
46.81
Highest Score
78
100s
0
50s
1
Fours
25
Sixes
1
Catches
2
Bowling Statistics
Matches
19
Innings
31
Wickets
70
Average
34.77
Economy
3.08
Strike Rate
67.5
Best Figure
6/99
4 Wickets
5
5 Wickets
4
Balls Bowled
4730
Runs Conceded
2434
Batting Statistics
Matches
87
Innings
42
Runs
188
Average
8.17
Strike Rate
71.48
Highest Score
21*
100s
0
50s
0
Fours
16
Sixes
2
Catches
15
Bowling Statistics
Matches
87
Innings
84
Wickets
152
Average
21.86
Economy
4.8
Strike Rate
27.3
Best Figure
6/13
4 Wickets
7
5 Wickets
3
Balls Bowled
4154
Runs Conceded
3324
Batting Statistics
Matches
39
Innings
8
Runs
8
Average
2.66
Strike Rate
47.05
Highest Score
4*
100s
0
50s
0
Fours
1
Sixes
0
Catches
6
Bowling Statistics
Matches
39
Innings
39
Wickets
66
Average
14.42
Economy
6.45
Strike Rate
13.4
Best Figure
6/8
4 Wickets
3
5 Wickets
2
Balls Bowled
885
Runs Conceded
952
Batting Statistics
Matches
163
Innings
88
Runs
870
Average
14.74
Strike Rate
83.49
Highest Score
71*
100s
0
50s
2
Fours
71
Sixes
22
Catches
36
Bowling Statistics
Matches
163
Innings
155
Wickets
287
Average
19.46
Economy
4.52
Strike Rate
25.8
Best Figure
7/23
4 Wickets
14
5 Wickets
5
Balls Bowled
7413
Runs Conceded
5586
Batting Statistics
Matches
129
Innings
49
Runs
214
Average
6.68
Strike Rate
86.99
Highest Score
27*
100s
0
50s
0
Fours
16
Sixes
7
Catches
29
Bowling Statistics
Matches
129
Innings
128
Wickets
170
Average
19
Economy
7
Strike Rate
16.2
Best Figure
6/8
4 Wickets
5
5 Wickets
2
Balls Bowled
2767
Runs Conceded
3230
Ajantha Mendis reintroduced mystery to spin in the era of video analysts and super-slow-motion replays. Much like the original mystery spinner, Jack Iverson, and the other practitioner of the "Iversons", John Gleeson, Mendis stunned the world with his finger-flicked legbreaks. His Iversons came with a new name, the "carrom ball", taken from the way the striker is flicked in the popular board game in the subcontinent.
His first, most famous, and most comprehensive victims were the most prolific middle order of his time: Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. Following closely on the heels of a six-for in the 2008 Asia Cup final against India's ODI side, Mendis made a sensational Test debut. He took eight wickets in his first Test and 26 in his first series, two more than Alec Bedser's record for a three-match debut series at the time.
The early success was built as much on his variations - offbreaks, topspinners, carrom balls, googlies, ones that did nothing - as it was on accuracy and Muttiah Muralitharan's company. As the mystery wore, though, much like with Iverson and Gleeson, the world caught up with him, and Mendis failed to live up to the early promise. By the time Murali retired, Mendis was not ready to take over as the leading Sri Lankan spinner, a vast change from when he could have emerged as the leading spinner in the world.
Mendis continued to be an effective spinner in shorter formats where batters didn't have much time to adjust. During the 2012 T20 World Cup, he set the record for best innings figures, with 6 for 8 against Zimbabwe, and finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker as Sri Lanka reached the final. But when they finally won the trophy in 2014, Mendis took only four wickets from three games. He played his last international match, an ODI in Christchurch, a year later, going wicketless at nearly ten an over.