Kumar Sangakkara- rank him

[Avada Kedavra]

This makes no sense.

SL is a top 8 test team and shouldn't have to settle for scrap tours/series thrown their way when Eng and Ind don't have anyone to play with.
This is why a fair a FTP is needed.

I agree that SL should be getting more opportunities....just saying that choosing the IPL over an English tour probably wasn't the wisest thing to do given their limited opportunities outside hom,esp.outside the SC.

 

[Furball]

Yes but then they can't really complain about not getting enough opportunities.

They certainly can when they've not played South Africa since 2006, and haven't played in South Africa since 2002.

They can complain when Jayawardene, who has had a 13 year Test career to date, and Sangakkara who has had a 10 year career, between them have played just 7 Tests in Australia - none of which have been in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney or Melbourne.

It's all very well looking at their records and picking holes in their records, but unlike their Indian counterparts, they get very little opportunity to rectify them.

 

[Avada Kedavra]

They certainly can when they've not played South Africa since 2006, and haven't played in South Africa since 2002.

They can complain when Jayawardene, who has had a 13 year Test career to date, and Sangakkara who has had a 10 year career, between them have played just 7 Tests in Australia - none of which have been in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney or Melbourne.

It's all very well looking at their records and picking holes in their records, but unlike their Indian counterparts, they get very little opportunity to rectify them.

I think I am being misunderstood.Let me try one more time.

I completely agree that they haven't got enough away tours.That being the case,they should have gladly grabbed the English tour they turned down for tom and jerry cricket aka IPL with both hands.

Ftr,I rate both Sanga and Jaya highly,higher than most in fact.

 

[Furball]

I completely agree that they haven't got enough away tours.That being the case,they should have gladly grabbed the English tour they turned down for tom and jerry cricket aka IPL with both hands.

No they shouldn't have. The Sri Lankan players were quite right to tell SLC to gagf over that issue.

 

[Migara]

only after he scores centuries in england, south africa and west indies

And, Sangakkara averages better in SAF than Dravid even if heplayed only during his early career. And has scored 98 too. Dravid averages 33 in SL, but still considered a great. Kallis averages 37 or less in SL too.

Sanga averages better than Dravid in AUS, PAK, NZ, SAF and ZIM. Dravid is better in BAN, WI and ENG.

In short, stats nit picking won't help. The fact is Sanga has done enough to be considered in same class with Dravid. If he retires with an average of 60 or higher, I have no problems considering him an equal or better with Tendulkar or Lara

 

[Migara]

True, when he batted well, we usually won matches because he turned things in our favour in tight situations and tough conditions on quite a few occasions, especially away.. Sehwag's approach is quite different but effective in its own way.

Sanga does what Dravid did for India, but at Tendular's pace!

 

[Migara]

I agree that SL should be getting more opportunities....just saying that choosing the IPL over an English tour probably wasn't the wisest thing to do given their limited opportunities outside hom,esp.outside the SC.

Agreed with this, but based on that making the SL players scape goats while the letting criminals who plan FTP go un-noticed is a bigger wrongdoing.

 

[vcs]

Sanga does what Dravid did for India, but at Tendular's pace!

He's certainly one of the greats but the SL Cricket Board need to ensure that the likes of Mahela and him get as many opportunities as possible to play away from the subcontinent.

 

[Migara]

Yes, ATMSLC is the whore of BCCI

 

[slowfinger]

Defo will be watching SL play away from sub-continent. Would just love to watch them adapt and play in places like England and NZ.

 

[Sir Alex]

Is a **** captain, and a whiner off the field, but by jove, when he wields the bat, it's something different altogether.

 

[bagapath]

And, Sangakkara averages better in SAF than Dravid even if heplayed only during his early career. And has scored 98 too. Dravid averages 33 in SL, but still considered a great. Kallis averages 37 or less in SL too.

Sanga averages better than Dravid in AUS, PAK, NZ, SAF and ZIM. Dravid is better in BAN, WI and ENG.

Well.... a great batsman would find ways to score centuries in different conditions. if sanga doesnt score hundreds in at least two countries out of england, south africa and west indies there will always be a question mark hanging above his stats in terms of greatness. of course he is very very good. he should tick those boxes. i think he can do well everywhere. he should just go ahead and do it. we can wait till then to elevate him to the next tier.

 

[vcs]

He'll need one hell of a purple patch to push that average up to 60.. something akin to what Ponting briefly managed in 2005-06 and Tendulkar in the late '90s and early '00s.

 

[Furball]

Well.... a great batsman would find ways to score centuries in different conditions. if sanga doesnt score hundreds in at least two countries out of england, south africa and west indies there will always be a question mark hanging above his stats in terms of greatness. of course he is very very good. he should tick those boxes. i think he can do well everywhere. he should just go ahead and do it. we can wait till then to elevate him to the next tier.

Easier said than done. Sri Lanka haven't toured South Africa for 8 years, and, assuming they're due to tour England next summer, will tour there for the first time in 5 years.

 

[bagapath]

Sri Lanka haven't toured South Africa for 8 years, and, assuming they're due to tour England next summer, will tour there for the first time in 5 years.

he has already visited each of those three countries twice. that is six overseas tours in all. he should have scored a hundred in at least two of those countries. two centuries in six series is not asking for much, honestly.

 

[Migara]

Well.... a great batsman would find ways to score centuries in different conditions. if sanga doesnt score hundreds in at least two countries out of england, south africa and west indies there will always be a question mark hanging above his stats in terms of greatness. of course he is very very good. he should tick those boxes. i think he can do well everywhere. he should just go ahead and do it. we can wait till then to elevate him to the next tier.

So what's the difference between a 101 and 98? The fact is he has done better than Dravid on foreign tracks and that is fact. Stat picking like number of centuries are brought to cover up the fact.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Problem with talented Sri Lankan batsmen like Sangakkara and Jayawrdene is the astonishingly low amount of cricket they play in South Africa, England and Australia..

You only get better by playing against the best attacks. Sangakkara hardly gets to face these attacks, so on those rare occasions that he does, its easy to see why he doesnt flourish as he should.

 

[Migara]

he has already visited each of those three countries twice. that is six overseas tours in all. he should have scored a hundred in at least two of those countries. two centuries in six series is not asking for much, honestly.

SAF once, England and WI was the places where he has a hole in his record. Out of these tours 3 of them he toured as the keeper batsman and during his early career. Clearly lacks opportunity to improve.

BTW he still have better away average than Dravid.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Oh yeah another thing..he needs to give up the gloves for good.. Leave it to the specialists like Prasanna.. Focus on the batting. He is the best batsman in the team..batting should be his number 1 priority.

 

[bagapath]

SAF once, England and WI was the places where he has a hole in his record. Out of these tours 3 of them he toured as the keeper batsman and during his early career. Clearly lacks opportunity to improve..

Wrong. he toured SAF twice.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

BTW he still have better away average than Dravid.

Wrong again. Dravid averages 55 away. Sanga averages 50.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com
Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

Listen, mate. Sanga is good. But not that good yet. no batsman who averages under 40 in four countries can be bunched with the very best of his generation. sanga has to pull his average over 40 in england, india, south africa and west indies. then we can have this conversation once again.