Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Player Kamindu Mendis made an impressive IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on Thursday, April 3.

ipl-2025why-is-kamindu-mendis-trending

The 26-year-old ambidextrous bowler created history by becoming the first player in IPL history to take a wicket while bowling with both hands.

Mendis struck in his very first over, dismissing KKR's Angkrish Raghuvanshi (50 off 32 balls). His unique ability to bowl both off-spin (right-handed) and left-arm spin (left-handed) was on full display as he switched bowling styles depending on the batter.

Watch The Video Here 

What made Mendis' performance even more special was his ability to switch bowling styles depending on the batter. He started with left-arm spin against right-hander Angkrish Raghuvanshi and immediately switched to off-spin when left-hander Venkatesh Iyer came on strike. His adaptability and skill were on full display as he conceded just four runs in his first over while making an immediate impact with the ball.

Mendis has now become the fourth Sri Lankan cricketer to play for SRH, following in the footsteps of Kumar Sangakkara, Thisara Perera, and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth. His rise in international cricket has been impressive, having won the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award in 2024 after scoring 1,458 international runs that year. 

He made his Test debut against Australia in 2022, scoring 61 runs in his first innings, but had to wait nearly two years for his second Test match, which came in March 2024. Despite the long gap, he has already notched up five Test centuries, including a memorable one against England in Manchester.