Ask Jayawardene about Mendis and he gets a twinkle in his eye that is the prerogative of someone hiding an ace up his sleeve. “It’s really exciting to have a spinner like him in the squad. In Sri Lanka, the anticipation is similar to the one that was during Murali’s early days,” he says. And that’s saying a lot since the comparison happens to be with the highest wicket-taker in the world.

The man at the helm of affairs when Murali was taking his first step in international cricket, Arjuna Ranatunga, has one request that could ensure Mendis’s initiation in international cricket is smooth. “We never had a problem replacing our pacers but we had a tough time getting quality spinners. Finally, we have Mendis. Though it doesn’t seem like Murali will retire soon, it will be good if he sticks around for at least two years. It will be great if Murali is around to guide Mendis,” says the former Lanka captain and the present chairman of the board.

Another Sri Lankan superstar, Aravinda de Silva, who has had a long association with Murali, speaks about the advantage of having an unconventional bowler in the ranks. “Murali is a freak that one should understand. Right now I don’t want to compare Mendis with Murali. But having a bowler like him will be big for any captain as batsmen take time to adjust to such bowlers,” says Aravinda (in picture below), who, as a talent-spotter for the board, has picked several unorthodox spinners over the years.

... contd.