Related Links : Kumar Sangakkara : Bangladesh in Sri Lanka 2007
He talks sense, he keeps well and he bats splendidly. Yeah, I am talking about the batsman who hit another double hundred in two consecutive Test matches. Yeah, probably and arguably the best wicket-keeper batsman of this current set of affairs, Kumar Sangakkara. Although, terminology of cricket make you feel as if wicket-keeper batsman is someone who can bat to a moderate extent, and holds great command on keeping, rather a wicket-keeper who can bat a bit. But Sangakkara is someone who earns this tag on the basis of his first class efforts in both departments, certainly not only on the expertise in his job behind the wickets. We can safely say that he is a safe man behind the stumps and even safer and consistent in front of them.
Cricket scene is blessed extensively these days in having one of the finest talents of wicket-keeper batsmen at world stage. But one distinction which Sanga holds in his favor is his merit of being in the pedigree of genuine batsman which other wicket-keepers around the world fail to have it with their names, on that account even Gilchrist does not qualify for that bracket. I know many of you will find this comment about Gilchrist hard to digest, but genuinely I believe the Aussie wicket-keeper is not in the same shelf where we can place Sanga when it comes to the comparison of their batting skills.
Sangakkara, if you allow me to dare, that after these two recent knocks which both yielded in excess of 200 runs each time, he has to be somewhere in league of Dravid and Kallis. It is an exceptional league of batsmen who not only score heavily, but they disallow bowlers to scathe their teams from one end. Test batting is hugely different than any other form of batting. In this, you have to do three to four tasks at the same time and batsmen who do all these multifarious tasks consistently and masterfully feel free to claim for the title of genuine Test batsman. The task of making big runs, the task of making them at a pace which tire out opposition, the task of having immaculate defense to make one end safe and lastly to do it all three in pressure situations are the requirements from a top class test batsman.
Sangakkara has been doing it match after match with kind of ease, composure and confidence that he seems to be a far more reliable batsman in the Sri Lankan batting line up in spite of the presence of Jayawardene who is another gem but definitely in a different mould. It is always good to see the batsman who knows his limitations and makes most of the opportunities that come his way. Sangakkara definitely knows his game and most often than not gauges the level of intensity of his opponent which is the quality that certainly distinguishes him from others.
The recent 200 not out at Colombo and 222 not out at Kandy may have come against the toothless Bangladeshi attack but things will become far clearer when he encores the same against all other top teams as well. But for the time-being he is the toast of the Sri Lankan cricket and probably one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen of our time.