Class, Elegance and Consistency: 20 facts about Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara is arguably one of the greatest Sri Lankan player of all time. Sangakkara’s achievements on the field are pretty spectacular. He has scored a Test ton every 2.8 games since losing the gloves – unheard of in the modern era. Against every nation Sanga averages more than 43 and has posted triple-figures against every opponent. With a fabulous average of 58 he has more than 12000 Test runs. Over 14000 ODI runs from 404 games also prove he is not a one format wonder. His cover drives are unmatched, and his delicate touches a treat to watch. Let us have a look at some of the interesting facts about Sangakkara and his career:

1. Sangakkara became the youngest person to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey lecture at Lord’s. He was the first active international player to deliver that lecture, which was widely praised by the cricketing community for its outspoken nature.

2. Sanga is the partner of Foundation of Goodness, a charity launched by former team-mate and close friend, Muttiah Muralitharan.

3. He represented Sri Lanka Schools in Tennis before switching to the gentleman’s game.

4. Kumar Sangakkara won three ICC awards in 2012 – Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year and People’s Choice award.

5. In 2012, he became the second Sri Lankan after Mahela Jayawardene to get to the 10,000-run mark in Tests. He became the joint-fastest batsman to get to the landmark.

6. Along with teammate Mahela Jayawardene he has recorded the highest partnership for any wicket in Test cricket scoring 624 runs for the 3rd wicket against South Africa in 2006.

7. Kumar Sangakkara was named the ICC ODI player of the year in 2013.

8. Sangakkara is the first batsman to score four centuries on the trot in ODIs.

9. As a specialist batsman only Don Bradman has a higher average than him.

10. Among his many credentials Sangakkara is the quickest batsman of all time to grasp 8,000, 9,000, & 11,000 runs in Test cricket.

11. Home (averaging 61) or abroad (averaging 54), Sangakkara’s runs have been evenly distributed, and in no foreign destination has the ex-captain averaged less than 44.11.

12. Starting in 2002 with 230 against Pakistan in Lahore, he has amassed 11 double-centuries, of which one exceeds the 300 mark.

13. With 501 victims behind the wicket, he surpassed Adam Gilchrist’s 472 ODI dismissals by quite a margin.

14. Sangakkara also leads the chart with the highest number of ODI stumpings – 99.

15. Sanga is the second highest run scorer in ODI matches after Sachin Tendulkar.

16. Kumar is an all round sportsman who besides cricket takes interest in Golf and Tennis and is a good swimmer. He represented Sri Lanka schools Tennnis and could have pursued a professional career in it but at the age of 17 he decided to focus on cricket, his first passion.

17. Kumar has played cricket from the age of 7 years, when he joined Sunil Fernando’s private coaching classes. Sunil also used to coach Muttiah Muralitharan during the after school classes.

18. He explored a wide range of subjects and hobbies at school. He was a chorister and also learned to play violin. He was the winner of the prestigious Trinity Lion Award at his school, an award for outstanding sportsmen.

19. As a boy Kumar was a dedicated reader, a hobby he still enjoys with his favourite author being Oscar Wilde.

20. Sanga was a key member of the team that won the 2014 ICC World T20 and was part of the team that made the finals of 2007 and 2011 ODI World cups, and the 2009 and 2012 T20 World Cups.