Better test bat: Dravid vs Sangakkara

[Silver Silva]

There are arguments for both and no wrong answer, but I don't think including Pakistan would particularly shift the balance in Sangakkara's favour. Dravid made overseas hundreds against Shoaib and Asif. Dravid dominated in Pakistan. Sanga just played in UAE unlike Dravid.

Kumar Sangakkara has dominated in Pakistan, he was only 24 years old when he smashed a double hundred at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in 2002 , I think it was 220/230 runs and prime Shoaib Akthar was playing in that match and he absolutely pummeled Akthar , Waqar Younis , Abdul Razzaq and Afridi especially.

Shoaib Akthar conceded like 100+ runs in 25 overs so Sanga had no problems with Shoaib ..
That was not even prime Sangakkara, the crazy selectors had him keeping wicket and batting at No.3 ..

The only other time he faced Akthar was in 2005 in Faislabad , he failed in the first innings but got a half century in the second innings and it didn't matter cause Sri Lanka won by over 200 runs ..

Sanga also has 2 other hundreds in Pakistan . 138 at the National stadium in Karachi , and again another test hundred at Gadaffi stadium in 09 ..

As for Mohammad Asif well his best year bowling average wise was in 2006 he averaged 18 with the ball that year , Sangakkara faced him in Sri Lanka , Mohammad Asif averaged under 20 with the ball in that series but Sangakkara still dominated him, he smashed 185 in Colombo , and in the second test in Kandy where Asif got a ten-for , Sangakkara made 79 off 98 balls in the first innings .. This also was not prime Sangakkara he was still keeping wickets and batting in the top 3 in fact he even opened in Kandy ..

So Sangakkara has pedigree against the two bowlers you mentioned that Dravid faced.

 

[BazBall21]

Kumar Sangakkara has dominated in Pakistan, he was only 24 years old when he smashed a double hundred at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in 2002 , I think it was 220/230 runs and prime Shoaib Akthar was playing in that match and he absolutely pummeled Akthar , Waqar Younis , Abdul Razzaq and Afridi especially.

Shoaib Akthar conceded like 100+ runs in 25 overs so Sanga had no problems with Shoaib ..
That was not even prime Sangakkara, the crazy selectors had him keeping wicket and batting at No.3 ..

The only other time he faced Akthar was in 2005 in Faislabad , he failed in the first innings but got a half century in the second innings and it didn't matter cause Sri Lanka won by over 200 runs ..

Sanga also has 2 other hundreds in Pakistan . 138 at the National stadium in Karachi , and again another test hundred at Gadaffi stadium in 09 ..

As for Mohammad Asif well his best year bowling average wise was in 2006 , Sangakkara faced him in Sri Lanka that year ...Asif averaged under 20 with the ball in that series but Sangakkara still dominated him, he smashed 185 in Colombo , and in the second test in Kandy where Asif got a ten-for , Sangakkara made 79 off 98 balls in the first innings .. This also was not prime Sangakkara he was still keeping wickets and batting in the top 3 in fact he even opened in Kandy ..

So Sangakkara has pedigree against the two bowlers you mentioned that Dravid faced.

Yeah for sure. Sangakkara was outstanding against Pakistan. Had success against Akhtar, Asif, Ajmal and has robust averages in both Pakistan and UAE. Removing Pakistan or including Pakistan doesn't really affect this.