Kumar Sangakkara- rank him

[Hurricane]

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

Batting averages over the past 5 years. Kumar in second place. Probably the best number 3 going around at the moment.

Cricket needs a world championship for test matches so that Kumar can score a double century to win the crown for SL and go down as a legend if he isn't one already.

 

[Shri]

A Flower (Zim)
HP Tillakaratne (SL)
DPMD Jayawardene (SL)
S Chanderpaul (WI)
RT Ponting (Aus)
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)
BC Lara (ICC/WI)
V Sehwag (ICC/India)
Younis Khan (Pak)
Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICC/Pak)
R Dravid (ICC/India)
VVS Laxman (India)
GP Thorpe (Eng)
G Gambhir (India)
KC Sangakkara (SL)
MJ Clarke (Aus)
ML Hayden (Aus)
MEK Hussey (Aus)
DR Martyn (Aus)

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

 

[chicane]

Sanga clearly ranks in the company of Kallis and Dravid. Also great to watch, but would put the ability of Lara, Tendulkar, Ponting and even DeSilva above his.

 

[Noble One]

Ironic that on the same day a thread is created about him, Kumar looks set for a big score. WAG, talk about performing under pressure.

 

[Cevno]

A Flower (Zim)
HP Tillakaratne (SL)
DPMD Jayawardene (SL)
S Chanderpaul (WI)
RT Ponting (Aus)
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)
BC Lara (ICC/WI)
V Sehwag (ICC/India)
Younis Khan (Pak)
Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICC/Pak)
R Dravid (ICC/India)
VVS Laxman (India)
GP Thorpe (Eng)
G Gambhir (India)
KC Sangakkara (SL)
MJ Clarke (Aus)
ML Hayden (Aus)
MEK Hussey (Aus)
DR Martyn (Aus)

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

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

1)Are you seriously just using averages suggesting that Hashan Tilakratane was better than tendulkar over the last decade?

2)Why exclude Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and not then remove the likes of west indies then?
I seem to remember Inzamam scoring a a big match winning knock against Bangladesh and also Sachin scoring half runs out of 240 in the first innings when India was in trouble against them . Does it not count?

 

[zaremba]

Has he done enough to be put in the same category of Tendulkar, Lara, Ponting, Kallis and Dravid?

Difficult to say, but tbh I'm not massively hung up about that. The comparison isn't easy to make because he's played so much as a wicketkeeper and they haven't. And just as importantly it's not just about his runs and keeping - two things which are equally important in making him a great player is the style with which he makes his plays, and the part he has played in SL cricket.

 

[zaremba]

Ironic that on the same day a thread is created about him, Kumar looks set for a big score. WAG, talk about performing under pressure.

genuine

 

[Himannv]

Ironic that on the same day a thread is created about him, Kumar looks set for a big score. WAG, talk about performing under pressure.

Couldn't have put it better.

 

[Shri]

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

1)Are you seriously just using averages suggesting that Hashan Tilakratane was better than tendulkar over the last decade?

Yes

2)Why exclude Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and not then remove the likes of west indies then?

I don't know. I like Wi better.

I seem to remember Inzamam scoring a a big match winning knock against Bangladesh and also Sachin scoring half runs out of 240 in the first innings when India was in trouble against them . Does it not count?

No.

 

[Briony]

It's probably unfair to be always removing the Bangers from the equation because some players don't perform well against them.

Sanga is a very good player but perhaps more tons in Aussie and SA conditions would help. He made a big ton against oz on the last tour but that was on a super flat pitch in Hobart. He also played against them in the top end. Can't seem to see him playing against them in Perth or Brisbane for instance.

Not a big surprise he made a ton today with the attack that India is fielding and on a SL track at that.

 

[Kylez]

I would deafinately put him in my World Test XI. He is such a classy and consistent batsmen and performs on all pitches and conditions, had a golden run from around 2007 - late 2008.

Got to love that video of him sledging Shaun Pollock to.

 

[Furball]

Difficult to say, but tbh I'm not massively hung up about that. The comparison isn't easy to make because he's played so much as a wicketkeeper and they haven't. And just as importantly it's not just about his runs and keeping - two things which are equally important in making him a great player is the style with which he makes his plays, and the part he has played in SL cricket.

It's also difficult to say because of how little cricket Sri Lanka get against the top sides, particularly away from home. Mahela Jayawardene has just penned an excellent piece on cricinfo, where the following quote is lifted from:

This current FTP has been a lop-sided one. If you want to have Test championships and want to see where the teams stand, you need to give equal opportunity to all teams. I have played Test cricket for 12 years, but only four Tests in Australia and none at the MCG, the SCG or the WACA. I would love to challenge myself there before I leave the game, but where is the opportunity?

4 Tests in Australia in 12 years. Whereas you look at guys like Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman, and they've had plenty of chances to shine and be remembered Down Under - Jayawardene and Sangakkara suffer in comparison.

 

[weldone]

A very good batsman. I rank him after Sachin, Lara, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Dravid, Kallis, Hayden among batsmen in the last 20 years and in the same ranks with Inzamam, Gilchrist, Sehwag etc. as a batsman (though Gilchrist was the better wicketkeeper-batsman without a doubt).

 

[Jezroy]

I think the main thing against him is that he gets less opportunity to play epic innings in England, Australia, and SA - a lot of recognition comes from there as well as his great innings in the subcontinent. Sort of like when you read "Yeah, but how has Kallis done against Australia", or "Yeah, but how many wickets did Murali take against Bangladesh", people will always find reasons to cut someones record down, as well as reasons why they are champions.

Mind you, as long as he keeps going at this rate, then either those innings will come, or it will be hard to argue with the numbers anyway. Not his fault he has hardly played in Aus - mind you surprisingly his most played opposition is ENG. Either way, this is one heck of a record.

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

 

[SRK]

Jayawardene 9/10
Sangakkara 8/10
Jayasuriya 7/10
Aravinda De Silva 9.5/10

 

[Jezroy]

Jayawardene 9/10
Sangakkara 8/10
Jayasuriya 7/10
Aravinda De Silva 9.5/10

I'm aware that this is personal opinion... But is that the same rankings system that the ICC use? Or is it a Duckworth Lewis affected one?

 

[SRK]

I'm aware that this is personal opinion... But is that the same rankings system that the ICC use? Or is it a Duckworth Lewis affected one?

It's actually my own ratings and also a measure of whom i like the most.Do you agree with me or whats yours?

 

[Migara]

A very good batsman. I rank him after Sachin, Lara, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Dravid, Kallis, Hayden among batsmen in the last 20 years and in the same ranks with Inzamam, Gilchrist, Sehwag etc. as a batsman (though Gilchrist was the better wicketkeeper-batsman without a doubt).

Sanga is a better batsman than Gilchrist and Sehwag both.

ATM he's behind Sachin, Ponting, Lara, Waugh etc. but expect him to be in the top tier when he retires.

 

[Spark]

Sanga is a better batsman than Gilchrist and Sehwag both.

ATM he's behind Sachin, Ponting, Lara, Waugh etc. but expect him to be in the top tier when he retires.

Impossible while FTP remains the way it is.

 

[slowfinger]

I would deafinately put him in my World Test XI. He is such a classy and consistent batsmen and performs on all pitches and conditions, had a golden run from around 2007 - late 2008.

Got to love that video of him sledging Shaun Pollock to.

AWTA