KUMAR SANGAKKARA must have fulfilled all the criteria in order to be called the best Sri Lankan batsmen that their country has ever produced. Aakash Chopra, a former Indian cricketer, who has played against him, while speaking to merinews.com said, “He has achieved what no other Sri Lankan batsmen has achieved in international cricket”. His recent century against the South Africans would be testimony to the fact of him being a world-class player. He put up an impressive display to score his 28th Test century of his career recently. It was an innings in which he displayed an array of shots - ranging from straight drives to the deft touch against a strong-looking South African bowling line up.  

Kumar Sangakkara made his Test debut against South Africa in 2000. He has never looked back since then. He has received praises from several quarters in the game. Chopra said, “As a player he has evolved a lot and his record speaks about him as a great player”. As of now, he has played 105 Test matches for Sri Lanka and has scored 9278 runs at the international level. Chopra also refers to him as one of the most consistent batsmen of the modern era. Even when the rest of the Sri Lankan batsmen fail, he is always seen hanging at the crease and scoring runs. His batting record in the shorter format of the game (ODI) is also impressive. He has scored 9731 runs in 305 matches at an average just short of 40. He has scored 11 centuries too.

One look at his stats would reveal that he has scored centuries in all test playing nations across the world except West Indies in the longer format of the game. Though, boundaries are becoming shorter, bats are thicker, number of matches have been increasing, but still, scoring centuries in various countries around the world in different batting conditions is not an easy task. It is a hall mark of a great player.

He is a wicketkeeper-batsman, so these records look more special. In an ODI match, he has to keep wickets for 50 overs before walking to bat. He has batted in the Sri Lankan top order for most of his career. Hence, it also reflects well on his physical fitness, as this format takes a lot out of the player, as he is involved in the field for the longest duration, when compared to other batsmen or a bowler. One tends to remember huge partnerships that he has been involved with Jayawardene, Jayasuria, and many other players. It is his technique that makes it difficult for the bowlers to dislodge him and score consistent runs. He is a player who always loves tough challenges and stands up to be counted, when it matters the most.

He successfully stood up as a wicketkeeper to one of the best spinners in the world, M. Murlitharan under various conditions, under sweltering heat in his home country, Sri Lanka. Chopra calls him to be a very efficient wicketkeeper and says, “It is not easy to keep wickets in slow pitches in Sri Lanka, but he has been successful in it”. Chopra also does not like to compare him to other batsmen also, as he has an added responsibility with wicket keeping gloves in his hand and claims Sangakkara to be even better than Adam Gilchrist, which may be a subject to be debated upon.

Though the media does not talk about the player in such a high regard as Ponting, Hayden, Tendulkar, and Lara, but he is definitely respected all over the world for the feats he has accomplished. When he decides to hang his boots there would be many youngsters in Sri Lanka who will like to emulate him.