Test skipper Anil Kumble believes the superb form of Ajantha Mendis has contributed to India's poor batting show in Sri Lanka.

India have struggled against the Sri Lankans over the last couple of months - the downward trend beginning with a loss in the final of the Asia Cup in Pakistan.

Kumble's side then lost a three-Test series in Sri Lanka, while the one-day team suffered an eight-wicket defeat last week, although they hit back with a three-wicket victory in the second game of the five-match series on Wednesday.

Spinner Mendis has been instrumental in Sri Lanka's ascendancy and India have found him hard to deal with.

Mendis claimed six wickets in the final of the Asia Cup and followed up that performance with a haul of 26 wickets in the three-Test series.

He added three more to his tally in the first one-dayer at Dambulla, with his wickets helping to bowl India out for a paltry 146.

"It hasn't helped that our batsmen are not in the best of form," Kumble said.

"It's a lot easier to tackle bowlers when you're in good nick and Mendis is certainly different from the other bowlers you play at international level.

"It's probably the reason why our batsmen haven't really fired in the series," he added.

Leg-spinner Kumble created a similar impact himself on batsmen when he first arrived on the international scene, but reckons that Mendis is even more talented.

"The wicket-to-wicket line that he bowls and the trajectory is probably similar to what I bowl," he said.

"But he's a lot more accurate then me and he has far more variations than I had when I first started."

Kumble, however, has warned the Sri Lanka star not to become complacent as opponents will begin to adapt to his style.

"The challenge for Mendis would come when batsmen start picking him over the years," he continued.

"Whether he would be as consistent as he is now is something that remains to be seen."