Kamindu and Dhananjaya are from the same school in Galle, though they didn’t play together there. Being in the same Test XI was a proud moment for him, Kamindu said, but when they got together at 57 for 5, nostalgia was far from their minds.
“Dhana aiya is someone that I looked up to as my senior. I’m really happy that I get to play with Dhana aiya now that he’s Test captain as well,” Kamindu said. “Being five down for 50-odd is something that can happen in Test cricket sometimes. Their fast bowlers bowled really well, in good areas. The wicket also supported the seamers, as well as the overcast conditions.
“At that time, the goal for us was just to get settled at the crease, and once we did that, to set about playing a long innings. And after that our partnership got settled and we were able to carry on.”
They both scored centuries, Kamindu’s first in Tests and Dhananjaya’s first as Test captain.
It however didn’t start well for Kamindu. Mahmudul Hasan Joy dropped a sitter from an edge first ball, which, had it been taken, could have finished Sri Lanka off, exposing the lower order.
Taking advantage, Kamindu counter-attacked. He started off with plenty of drives on the up, as he peppered the cover and point boundaries. The sixes were all off short balls, as he ramped one and pulled two. Dhananjaya was happy to hang back to use the fast bowlers’ pace and bounce to place the balls. He struck most of his fours in the arc between third and cover point, driving rarely.
“I know it’s very difficult to get an opportunity [in the Test side] because our Test team is very settled. In the last couple of years I worked tirelessly to get to this point”
Kamindu Mendis
Kamindu was in the 70s when Dhananjaya entered the 90s. But Kamindu got to his century first, before his captain got there in the same over.
“They were bowling a lot of short balls,” Kamindu said of the Bangladesh quicks after lunch. “I thought that the boundary on one side was short. I think if I can hit the short ball, it will be good for us. Their fast bowlers bowled well, but they also bowled some bad balls. Dhananjaya and I stayed positive.”
Kamindu replaced Sadeera Samarawickrama in the Sri Lanka XI, and might have done enough to warrant a place for a while.
“I’m very happy, this is my second Test match,” Kamindu said. “I know it’s very difficult to get an opportunity [in the Test side] because our Test team is very settled. In the last couple of years I worked tirelessly to get to this point.”
More than the runs, it was the way Kamindu carried himself under pressure that would have impressed the Sri Lanka selectors and team management. He took the pressure off Dhananjaya by scoring quickly, and when it looked like Bangladesh bowlers could re-enter the game, he shut it down with his free-flowing stroke play. A maiden century, in his first Test after almost two years, will give him a boost for sure.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84