Colombo: HOW Mendis reacts under pressure was something cricket pundits were always keen to find out. For the first time, the freak spinner was under the cosh in his otherwise brief, brilliant career.

Romesh Kaluwitharana has not played with Mendis, but hailing from the same village in Moratuwa, he has keenly followed the spinner's performances. "It is how you measure up to pressure when things are not going your way that determines how far you will go.

"No doubt, batsmen will play him better with time but Mendis would have gained a lot of confidence from the start he has had because Indian batsmen are the best players of spin. The experience will stand him in good stead," said Kaluwitharana.

"He will do very well against other countries like South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and England who don't play spinners that well."