The final hurrah: India looking to spoil Sangakkara’s farewell series

The visitors have not won in Sri Lanka since 1993.

GALLE: India hope to end a 22-year wait for a Test series win in Sri Lanka when the three-match rubber marking Kumar Sangakkara’s farewell opens in Galle on Wednesday.

The Sri Lankan batting great, whose 12,305 runs make him the current Test cricket’s leading scorer, is due to quit international cricket after playing the first two Tests.

Indian captain Virat Kohli said his team plans to give 37-year-old Sangakkara a fond farewell, but also make sure they do not allow the prolific left-hander to pile up big scores. “[Sangakkara is a] great man and a great cricketer, he deserves a very good farewell and we will prepare accordingly,” said Kohli, who will be leading the line for the first time as full-time captain. “But hopefully we will also get him out cheaply.”

The tourists will not be distracted by the hype over Sangakkara’s farewell as they bid to end a barren phase in Sri Lanka since the 1-0 victory by Mohammad Azharuddin’s men in 1993.

India have played four series on the island since, losing in 2001 and 2008, while drawing in 1997 and 2010.

The five-year gap since their last series means that 11 of the 15 tourists, including skipper Kohli, have not played a Test match on Sri Lankan soil before.

India will be relieved at playing Test cricket in familiar sub-continental conditions after losing four series in a row in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia.

“We are here to play good cricket,” said Kohli, downplaying India’s poor overseas record. “History and records are sidelined when the focus is on playing good cricket.”

Sanga prepares to walk away

Sangakkara joked that 37-year-old Rangana Herath and Surrey teammate Gareth Batty were the only ones who matched him in age.

“The rest are mostly 26,” he said. “I feel like a dinosaur in their company. It convinced me it was time to go.”

Sangakkara, who is fifth in the all-time scorers list, is head and shoulders above other current Test batsmen. His 12,305 runs and 38 centuries far exceed second-placed Alastair Cook of England, who has 9,223 runs and 27 hundreds.

Defying age, Sangakkara has been at his best over the past year. He hammered 203 against New Zealand in January, after making 221 against Pakistan and 319 against Bangladesh.

Sangakkara, however, looked below-par in the recent home series against Pakistan in June, with scores of 50 and 18 in the first Test, and 34 and a first-ball duck in the second.

He begins the final leg of a remarkable career at one of his favourite venues in Galle, where he made his Test debut in 2000 and also scored the first of his 38 Test centuries — against India in August, 2001.

Sangakkara justified his decision to play in only two Tests against India, just as he had against Pakistan in June. “The reason for the two and two split, even though it is not ideal, was the agreement I had with the previous selection committee,” he said. “I had plans to retire after the World Cup, but they wanted me to play a bit more.”

Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews laughed when asked if he will persuade Sangakkara to play the third Test and also whether the series was locked at 1-1. “If I had my way, I would want him to play for two more years,” said Mathews. “But we have to respect his decision and it is now up to the younger players to make a name for themselves.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th,  2015.

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