Sanga-Sri Lanka's greatest ever. Sri Lanka’s prolific batsman Kumar Sanggakkara to retire from Tests after the second match against India. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00The P. Sara Oval in Colombo will be remembered not for the second test which begins between
00:12India and Sri Lanka today, but for being the final curtain call of one of cricket's most
00:16distinguished, successful and emulated role models.
00:20Kumar Sangakkara will walk out to bat for his country, content in knowing that he has
00:24been assured of a place among the pantheon of the game's greatest servants.
00:28More than that, Sangakkara can be whatever he chooses to be in his native Sri Lanka,
00:32so deep-rooted is the respect and dignity for the man who has served his country selflessly
00:37as a wicket-keeper, batsman and captain.
00:40The countdown for Sanga's 15-year career begins tomorrow.
00:44His presence will be celebrated throughout the five days of this test which India will
00:48be hoping to win in order to draw level with the hosts in this series.
00:52All eyes, however, will be on Sri Lanka's favourite son, as he adds to his total of
00:5612,350 runs which came from 133 tests started with 38 centuries, which puts him in 5th place
01:06in the list of the game's all-time batsmen.
01:09Sangakkara is without doubt the most successful left-hander ever in terms of runs and centuries
01:14and boasts of a staggering 57.71 average.
01:18But not all of Sangakkara's talents can be restricted to cricket.
01:21A lawyer by profession, he is well-read and articulate.
01:24He is also one of the game's most effective sledgers, standing behind the stumps and slicing
01:29into the characters of established batsmen with well-chosen but morale-shattering observations.
01:35He could in time become one of the game's most respected statesmen.
01:39The truth is that Sangakkara has always worn his fame lightly.
01:42Perhaps he should, given that after he walks off the pitch, his appeal will be ten times
01:47more than it is now.