Kumar Sangakkara, in Sight of Sobers' Record, Gets Emotional Guard of Honour in Farewell Test
Determined to slam a ton in his final Test appearance, Kumar Sangakkara received a rousing reception at P Sara Oval Stadium when he came to take the field against India in the second Test. Another 132 runs will help Sangakkara finish with better batting average than West Indian legend Garry Sobers.
Kumar Sangakkara got an emotional guard of honour when he came out for his final Test match, against India at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Thursday. The Sri Lanka legend is playing his 134th Test match. (Scorecard | Day 1 Blog)
Compared to two of the greatest of the game - Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar -- Sangakkara will end his career as one of only six batsmen to have a career average of 57 or above among the 86 who have scored at least 5000 Test runs. Another 132 runs will actually make Sangakkara finish with better average than Caribbean legend Garry Sobers. (Also read: Sangakkara and Clarke - two greats drift off into the sunset)
Sangakkara was the first to make his way out after India opted to bat first in the second of three Tests. The entire stadium erupted in giving their hero a rousing reception even as Sangakkara himself walked under bats raised by children - a thumbs up sign and the gentleman was ready for the game at hand.
© BCCI
The island nation has come together in the build-up to Sangakkara's final hurrah after a career spanning 15 years. Known as much for his watertight technique and positive strokeplay as for his genial nature on and off the field, Sangakkara has indeed been one of the most affectionate cricketers in recent years.
Little wonder then that even the Indians at the other end of the field applauded his achievements. Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Anurag Thakur presented Sangakkara with a memento on the occasion.
The celebrations may continue through the course of the five days of Test cricket but Sangakkara is expected to play as he always has - with dogged determination to have his team on top.
"From what I can see, he just wants to score a hundred tomorrow," Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had said on the eve of the Test. "He's worked extremely hard and is so determined to do that." If he indeed reaches the three-figure mark in his final Test, it will be his 39th ton in the longest format of the game.
In a career which has seen him amass 12350 Test runs, Sangakkara will continue to be celebrated as the run machine with a heart of gold - a fact well observed by former India cricketer Rahul Dravid.
"To replace Sangakkara the man will be a bigger challenge than to replace Sangakkara the cricketer. Not that it is going to be easy replacing Sangakkara the cricketer," Dravid told a cricket website.