Decoding fastest Sri Lankan batters to 1,000 Test runs
In the second Test versus New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis smashed an unbeaten 182, taking his side's first-innings total to 602/5d. Mendis became the fastest Sri Lankan and Asian to reach 1,000 Test runs, achieving the milestone in 13 innings. He also equalled Sir Don Bradman in terms of reaching the milestone. Here are fastest SL batters to 1,000 runs.
Kamindu Mendis: 13 innings
Mendis reached the 1,000-run mark with a six off Rachin Ravindra. He is the fastest player to achieve this milestone in the past 75 years. Overall, he has 1,004 Test runs in eight matches, averaging 91.27, with a highest score of 182*. England's Herbert Sutcliffe and West Indies' Everton Weekes (12 innings each) hold the record. Meanwhile, Bradman took 13 innings for the milestone.
Roy Dias, Michael Vandort, Dhananjaya de Silva: 23 innings
The joint second-fastest Sri Lankan batters to achieve the milestone are Roy Dias, Michael Vandort, and current Test skipper Dhananjaya de Silva doing it in 23 innings. Overall, Dias slammed 1,285 Test runs from 20 matches, averaging 36.71. Vandort smashed 1,144 runs in 20 Tests averaging 36.90. Meanwhile, Dhananjaya owns 3,881 runs in 59 matches averaging 40.42, with a highest score of 173.
Mahela Jayawardene: 24 innings
As per ESPNcricinfo, Mahela Jayawardene managed to hit the 1,000-run mark in 24 innings. He achieved the mark against Pakistan in 2000. Jayawardene took 2 years, 208 days, and 16 matches to do so, since his debut on February 26, 2000. Overall, he amassed 11,814 runs at 49.84 in 149 Tests. He owns 34 hundreds and 50 half-centuries. His highest score is 374.
