⚔️HEAD-TO-HEAD
Joe Root vs Kusal Mendis: Who Is Better? International Stats Comparison
Joe Root has the edge on the headline numbers: Joe Root leads on T20I batting (893 runs, avg 35.7). Full T20I, ODI, Test and IPL stats are below.
Joe Root (England) has 893 T20I runs at avg 35.7 in 32 matches. Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka) has 2,198 T20I runs at avg 25.6 in 90 matches. Head-to-head batting, bowling & fielding across T20I, ODI & Test.
Full season · batting · bowling · fielding · MOTM · form
Joe Root vs Kusal Mendis · Stat Comparison Table
Head-to-head numbers at a glance. Higher value is highlighted in green (lower is better for economy and bowling/batting averages).
| Statistic | Joe Root | Kusal Mendis |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 20 | 19 |
| Avg fantasy points | 55 | 68 |
| Best fantasy score | 122 | 200 |
| Runs | 707 | 714 |
| Strike rate | 87.7 | 106.6 |
| Fours | 72 | 61 |
| Sixes | 3 | 34 |
| Half-centuries (50+) | 6 | 5 |
| Centuries (100+) | 0 | 1 |
| Highest score | 99 | 121 |
| Wickets | 2 | 0 |
| Economy rate | 8.32 | 0.00 |
| Best spell (wkts) | 1 | 0 |
| Catches | 9 | 15 |
| Total dismissals | 10 | 17 |
| Statistic | Joe Root | Kusal Mendis |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 32 | 90 |
| Runs | 893 | 2198 |
| Batting average | 35.72 | 25.56 |
| Strike rate | 126.3 | — |
| Half-centuries (50+) | 5 | 17 |
| Wickets | 6 | 0 |
| Bowling average | 23.17 | — |
| Economy rate | 9.93 | — |
📋 Format by format
T20I. Joe Root has played 32 T20Is and Kusal Mendis 90. Joe Root has 893 runs at 35.7 (strike rate 126.3), against 2,198 at 25.6 for Kusal Mendis, so Kusal Mendis has scored more. Joe Root also bowls: 6 wickets at an economy of 9.93, while Kusal Mendis has not taken a T20I wicket.
ODI. Joe Root has played 195 ODIs and Kusal Mendis 148. Joe Root has 7,903 runs at 50.7, against 4,697 at 35.3 for Kusal Mendis, so Joe Root has scored more. Hundreds: Joe Root 20, Kusal Mendis 6. Fifties: 48 and 34. Joe Root also bowls: 31 wickets at an economy of 5.91, while Kusal Mendis has not taken a ODI wicket.
Test. Joe Root has played 169 Tests and Kusal Mendis 73. Joe Root has 14,278 runs at 50.5 (strike rate 57.8), against 4,757 at 36.9 (59.4) for Kusal Mendis, so Joe Root has scored more. Hundreds: Joe Root 41, Kusal Mendis 10. Fifties: 69 and 22. With the ball, Joe Root has 74 wickets at an economy of 3.37 and Kusal Mendis 1 at 5.36; Joe Root has more wickets.
International numbers up to 27 August 2026.
Did you know: Joe Root
- He is England's leading run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs, and second on the all-time Test list.
- His highest Test score is 262, made while sharing a 454-run stand with Harry Brook, a world record for the fourth wicket.
- He holds the record for the most Test catches by a fielder who is not a wicketkeeper.
- He was England's top scorer at the 2019 World Cup, which they won, and is their leading World Cup run-scorer.
🧠Quick quiz: Joe Root and Kusal Mendis
2 questions, answers explained. No sign-up needed.
- 1. Who is the only player with more Test runs than Joe Root?
- 2. Who shared Root's world-record 454-run fourth-wicket stand?
Joe Root vs Kusal Mendis · T20I is a highly-debated cricket matchup. Below are their T20I career highlights.
T20I career: Joe Root has scored 893 T20I runs in 32 matches at an average of 35.72, with 5 half-centuries. He has also taken 6 T20I wickets at an average of 23.17 with an economy of 9.93.
T20I career: Kusal Mendis has scored 2,198 T20I runs in 90 matches at an average of 25.56, with 17 half-centuries.
Fantasy Impact: From a pure fantasy perspective, Kusal Mendis is the stronger pick with an average of 68 pts per game in recent fantasy cricket. Always check the playing XI and toss before locking in your captain.
Stats are sourced from international career records. Compare more players using our Player Comparison Tool.
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SETTLE IT IN A GAME
Numbers only get you so far. Pick a side, Joe Root or Kusal Mendis, and see who actually delivers.
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