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Kumar Sangakkara is one of the greatest batsmen to play the game. His record at Test and one day level tells a story that couldn’t possibly be argued against.
He has just posted 12,000 career runs and his 38th Test hundred, including his 11th double-ton, in the Test match in Wellington against New Zealand.
He had a rare double failure in the previous Test on the new Christchurch ground, but as usual he regained form at the right time, after the first five Sri Lankan wickets fell for under 80.
The 37-year-old star went onto score 203, showing he still has plenty to offer in Test cricket.
With the retirement of Mahela Jayawardne and Tilekeratne Dilshan, Sangakkara is now the main man in Test cricket in Sri Lanka and very rarely does he let his country down.
Many left handers are graceful to watch and he may be the most graceful. Those cover drives are an art.
You have to remember too that for many years he batted at number three and was wicketkeeper and then captain. He is one of the most eloquent speakers ever heard in the game, player-wise, and he is also a lawyer. Is there anything this man can’t do?
If the Indian, Australian and English administrative monopoly of the game can be reduced, Sangakkara has the potential to be an excellent CEO of the ICC. In fact he could be the right man to break that dominance.
In the discussion as to whether he is the best left-hander of all time, his case has plenty of merit.
There are of course West Indian great Brian Lara and South African Graham Pollock, whose Test career was curtailed by apartheid in the 1970s and 80s. They were both sensational players, as was long time West Indian captain Clive LLoyd.
David Gower of England was probably a level below with his average in the mid 40s compared to Sangakkara, whose average is hovering around 60, but Gower was like Kumar, beautiful to watch when on song.
Some critics say Sangakkara has played much of his career on the slow subcontinent wickets, and dined out more than most against the weakest Test playing nation, Bangladesh. But you can only play who you come up against, and Sangakkara has certainly taken advantage of Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka have been in Test cricket now for 30 years and continue to produce stars. Muttiah Muralitharan was prolific, especially on wickets that suited him, but for pure consistency and brilliance, take a bow Kumar Sangakkara.
There will probably not be a better batsman come out of that country.
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