In his few appearances alongside Test cricket's leading wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis is proving the perfect complement for Sri Lanka. The youngster is already proving to be an enigma in the cricketing world and seems to have created an indelible and incredible impact even on the great personalities in the world of cricket. An avalanche of words has already been poured and while critics are hopeful that he will "be sorted out", the batsmen ponder as to what action or techniques they should use to confront a bowler with many variations up his sleeve.
The Indian captain Anil Kumble admits Mendis remains a puzzle for some of his batsmen. "He is still a mystery to us. It is hard to read his deliveries," he says. In just two tournaments, Mendis has flummoxed some international batsmen, who have played spin well in their careers. The Indians were clueless against him in the Asia Cup final, where Mendis netted 6-13 in only his eighth one-day international.
The Indian coach Gary Kirsten adds: "You just cannot read him. He is a fantastic find for Sri Lankan cricket and he will take wickets anywhere in the world." Mendis took 17 wickets in last month's Asia Cup in Pakistan, marking a record for the tournament. He has taken 18 wickets in only two Tests so far. Mendis is officially classified in a unique way of right-arm off-break and leg-break bowler. What remains unsaid is that he is a spinner who can bowl googlies, off-breaks, top-spinners, flippers and leg-breaks.
Batsmen have been confounded by his variety of deliveries and are at a loss to figure out what his stock delivery is. The Mendis debut in the Caribbean has grown in stature, particularly his "flicker" or the Carrom Ball which he releases with an unusual snap of his fingers, but with total control. Kumar Sangakkara, who has the envious task of picking up his deliveries from behind the batsmen's stumps, feels Mendis has wasted no time in showing how exciting a prospect he is for the island nation.
"In the first Test he played a supporting role to Murali, but in the Galle Test he bowled so well that he became our main strike bowler." says the Sri Lanka vice-captain. "He may have made a few mistakes, but that is often the case when you are an attacking bowler and a wicket-taker. "The Indian batsmen are still struggling to read him and his success is the great variation and excellent control. "Just as encouraging as his on-field exploits, has been his character.
"He has been unfazed by the sudden jump from not-so-much first class cricket and into the international arena. He has also coped well with the media frenzy. He is an amazing discovery." Mendis hails from Moratuwa on the outskirts of Colombo. He went to St Anthony's College, a village church school, and later enrolled into a government school, Moratu Vidyalaya, where he could pursue his passion to play alongside his role model, Muralitharan.
Mendis, being the third in a family of three boys and three girls, was encouraged by his father to play cricket for one of the leading clubs in Colombo, the Sinhalese Sports Club. Unfortunately, his father did not survive to witness his son's glory as he died from a heart attack four years ago. On his father's seventh day alms-giving, he was spotted by army personnel when he played a match against them for Old Boys' of Moratu Vidyalaya.
Impressed with his talent, he was invited to play for the army. Jobless and helpless without his mentor and supporting father, Mendis joined the army against his mother's wishes. The scope to pursue his passion and the attached financial stability pushed him further into the spotlight and towards inclusion in the national pool of talent. His mother is overjoyed at his success, but Mendis is not getting carried away like many others.
"I am not getting carried away by the media limelight," he says. "I go back to my family after every match." With a sensible head on his shoulders and a golden arm to roll with, Mendis, 23, has a remarkable future and is heading towards celebrity status in the cricket-crazy nation. @Email:apassela@thenational.ae