Kumar Sangakkarra under-rated

[Richard]

Because IMO there will soon be something broken - Sangakkara. He'll have been broken by trying too much. Batting three and keeping wicket is not something many people have managed in an extended career. It beat as fit and strong a man as Alec Stewart.
There is something to say that Sangakkara having a long career will benefit Sri Lanka, if you ask me.

 

[Eclipse]

Yes, and then he scored 0, 0, 14, 18.

That kind of shows my point about him being hit and miss I would say.

Yes but he was screwed around a bit he scored a very good 61 in the first match then they droped him down the order.

And it had been along time since he had made a string of low scores like than in ODI's.

Since the start of the VB series against England & Sri Lanka he has been easly one of our more consistant batsman in ODI's and in that time he has improved his strike rate as well.

In 2003 he made 1098 runs at 37.83 and so far in 2004 he has 596 runs at 45.85

Over that time his strike rate is about 110 thats an incredable scoring speed considering his impressive avrage.

 

[Andre]

Kalu is a brilliant wicketkeeper, Sangakkara a very good one, so when they do both play, Kalu takes the gloves.

From memory, it's the fact that Sangakkara is a superior fielder than Kalu that Kalu takes to gloves in the matches they play together.

The Sri Lankan management recognise Sangakkara as a far better gloveman than Kalu, who at times can be nothing short of dismal.

 

[Gaijin-san]

From memory, it's the fact that Sangakkara is a superior fielder than Kalu that Kalu takes to gloves in the matches they play together.

The Sri Lankan management recognise Sangakkara as a far better gloveman than Kalu, who at times can be nothing short of dismal.

Much the same way Gilly didn't last long in the slips when he started his ODI career!

 

[Craig]

Gilchrist at slip? that I got to see...

 

[Craig]

Beyond question Kaluwitharana is a better wicketkeeper than Sangakkara. Kalu's wicketkeeping is seriously good - Sangakkara's is merely acceptible (unlike 3 and 4 years ago when it was substandard).
Given that Kalu's record in both game-forms is as poor as it is, there is every argument for Sangakkara keeping wicket. But IMO Kalu too is a good enough batsman to make the team on that alone, it's just a crying shame he's never shown it. If they are both in the team as batsmen, Kalu is without doubt the one you want to take the gloves.
And Prasanna Jayawardene cannot be considered for Test-cricket unless he seriously improves his batting. Otherwise Kalu is always a better option.

Why not pick Prasanna Jayawardene purely for his wicket keeping prowess and let Sangakkara concentrate on his batting?

He is good to make the team with the bat.

 

[Mister Wright]

From memory, it's the fact that Sangakkara is a superior fielder than Kalu that Kalu takes to gloves in the matches they play together.

The Sri Lankan management recognise Sangakkara as a far better gloveman than Kalu, who at times can be nothing short of dismal.

Yeah, that's what I thought, I can't see how Kalu is even close to Sangakkara in the keeping stakes.

 

[Richard]

From memory, it's the fact that Sangakkara is a superior fielder than Kalu that Kalu takes to gloves in the matches they play together.

The Sri Lankan management recognise Sangakkara as a far better gloveman than Kalu, who at times can be nothing short of dismal.

Yeah, that's what I thought, I can't see how Kalu is even close to Sangakkara in the keeping stakes.

I really must question how much you two have seen of the two of them.
Sangakkara is no more than acceptible with the gloves and Kalu is brilliant. He wouldn't have played for as long as he has if he weren't. Of course Sangakkara is a better outfielder too, but how on Earth anyone can call Sangakkara a brilliant wicketkeeper and Kalu dismal I don't really understand.

 

[Richard]

Why not pick Prasanna Jayawardene purely for his wicket keeping prowess and let Sangakkara concentrate on his batting?

He is good to make the team with the bat.

Sangakkara does play as a batsman; he just keeps because everyone else has failed so badly with the bat.
Picking Jayawardene and, sadly, Kaluwitharana recently, has proved simply a waste of a place because they don't score anywhere near enough runs.

 

[Craig]

But why not pick them for purely for their 'keeping iebat at 8 or 9?

So you wouldnt of favoured Jack Russell's selection when he was in the England set up?

 

[marc71178]

But Russell was a more than capable number 7, far better than people give him credit for.

 

[Richard]

But why not pick them for purely for their 'keeping iebat at 8 or 9?

So you wouldnt of favoured Jack Russell's selection when he was in the England set up?

Because you can't justify picking someone as a specialist wicketkeeper if they're not going to make much of a contribution with the bat.
Though Russell was, as marc points-out, better than most people give him credit for, Alec Stewart was much the better option - a World-class batsman who could nonetheless keep wicket to a more than acceptible standard.
Why settle for a brilliant wicketkeeper who's a no-more-than average batsman when you can get a very good wicketkeeper who's a brilliant batsman?

 

[Craig]

So isnt Tatendu Taibu not good enough for Tests? Best 'keeper in the world, but isnt much with the bat.

I guess you can bat a specialist 'keeper at 8 or 9, and play the 'keeper who can bat as soley as a batsman.

Unless this upsets team balence.

 

[Adamc]

So isnt Tatendu Taibu not good enough for Tests? Best 'keeper in the world, but isnt much with the bat.

I guess you can bat a specialist 'keeper at 8 or 9, and play the 'keeper who can bat as soley as a batsman.

Unless this upsets team balence.

I actually think Taibu is one of the better Zimbabwean batsmen, at least in terms of consistency if not talent.

 

[Craig]

Ok what has Taibu done with the bat?

 

[Neil Pickup]

599 Test Runs @ 23.96, 4x50
640 ODI Runs @ 22.06, 3x50
1484 FC Runs @ 25.15, 1x100, 7x50
1148 List A Runs @ 24.42, 5x50

That's enough for me.

 

[Craig]

Not for me.

I wont accept anybody with the bat (playing as a wicket keeper batsman) to average in the 20s.

As far as I am concerned, Taibu makes the team with the gloves. If it werent for his keeping I wouldnt say he is good enough to play international cricket.

 

[marc71178]

Not for me.

Except the point is people are rating him as one of the better batsmen in the side, and when you look at the competition, that's not far from the truth, whether you like it or not.