The biggest compliment that Mendis can get comes from wicket-keeper Sangakkara who, after years of reading Murali, now has a new challenge.

“The Asia Cup isn’t just a test for Mendis who will be bowling against sub-continent batsmen who are used to facing spinners, but for me too,” he says. Sangakkara says reading Murali is easy since it is only a matter of judging if the ball is an off-spinner, doosra or top-spinner. “All I need to do when keeping against Murali is to get an idea of how much the ball is turning. But it is different against Mendis, who bowls six different balls in an over,” he says. Sangakkara says that the first time he faced Mendis as a batsman, it was tough to guess the variety he is dishing out. “I played him in a game. He didn’t get me out and that’s because I was mostly at the non-striker’s end,” he says in half jest. Sangakkara goes on to explain the strength of the rookie. “He is a private in the army and that means he is a very tough character. He is very consistent and has a great temperament.”

But the final word on the new sensation comes from the original master Murali. “I really look forward to bowling with him. I’m sure he will do well. But the real test for such unusual bowlers comes in the second year. By then the batsmen are used to playing them, besides he would have been video analysed extensively. One needs to redefine oneself constantly to be effective,” he says.

... contd.