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Kumar Sangakarra

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SriLankanCat

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Bit biased of course but was wondering what does everyone think of Kumar Sangakarra's standing in the game?

Was interested in seeing the Channel 9 commentators talk about Sangakarra. I wasn't aware how good his stats were actually. I always seem him score big centuries but didn't realise how many runs he had and didnt realise how high his average was...

Averages 58 plus and has played over 120 odd matches and scored nearly 13,000 test runs. You gotta also remember he has always been a number 3 and was a keeper for a big part of his career. Has scored 10 doubles, 2nd behind the great Don Bradman (ok bulk of those have been on the subcontinent), he did score 190 odd in the fourth innings in Hobart...and has scored a few 150s away in NZ which is a hard thing to do...

In my view if he played for the big 3 ( Australia, England, India) he would be touted as one of the all time greats, up there with Tendulkar, Lara , Ponting etc.

I realise what goes against him is that Sri Lankan haven't pulled of a lot of notable victories but he has performed away from home and against solid opposition.

I know his stats against the lesser teams are higher than against other teams but you would expect that?????

What do you all think?
 
He is a very, very good player.

Whether he deserves to be ranked with Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting is an interesting one. In some ways it is difficult to compare statistics directly because the schedules of the small Test nations are so different to the big ones. For example, Sangakkara has played 20% of his matches against either Zimbabwe or Bangladesh - for the other three the number is more like 3-7%. Take out all his matches against those countries and his average drops about 6 points - for the other three it doesn't make much of a difference.

I generally look at where players struggled to score runs. Sangakkara averages less than 40 in three places - India, South Africa and the West Indies. In contrast, Tendulkar averages over 40 everywhere. Ponting averages over 40 everywhere except India. Lara averages over 40 everywhere except India and NZ, but IMO he also played in tougher batting conditions than the other three given the slight generational difference.

Given all that I'd put Sangakkara a bit below the other three, but not by much.
 
He's certainly a great player and deserves to be ranked with other modern greats.

I would rank him below Tendulkar and Ponting but there is no shame in that.

What he has achieved for Sri lankan cricket is immense and how handy would someone like that be as an Aussie top order or opening batsmen be right now.
 

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Caesar said:
He is a very, very good player.

Whether he deserves to be ranked with Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting is an interesting one. In some ways it is difficult to compare statistics directly because the schedules of the small Test nations are so different to the big ones. For example, Sangakkara has played 20% of his matches against either Zimbabwe or Bangladesh - for the other three the number is more like 3-7%. Take out all his matches against those countries and his average drops about 6 points - for the other three it doesn't make much of a difference.

I generally look at where players struggled to score runs. Sangakkara averages less than 40 in three places - India, South Africa and the West Indies. In contrast, Tendulkar averages over 40 everywhere. Ponting averages over 40 everywhere except India. Lara averages over 40 everywhere except India and NZ, but IMO he also played in tougher batting conditions than the other three given the slight generational difference.

Given all that I'd put Sangakkara a bit below the other three, but not by much.
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It's actually just over 15%.

Personally to me there is absolutely no doubt he is up with the other three you mentioned. To me the biggest difference is the amount of hype and publicity received.
 
Great player but stats probably boosted by playing in favourable home conditions a lot. He hates it when the ball wobbles about a bit.
 
Buzzasto DaSilva said:
His innings in Hobart was one of the best I have watched and that was in far from favourable conditions.
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That pitch was pancake flat. Australia's batsmen went haywire on it. Kumar struggles away from his flat home tracks. No denying he is an all-time great though. No doubt his average would not be near 58 if he had not had so many innings on the flat Lankans pitches.
 
Sea fog said:
That pitch was pancake flat. Australia's batsmen went haywire on it. Kumar struggles away from his flat home tracks. No denying he is an all-time great though. No doubt his average would not be near 58 if he had not had so many innings on the flat Lankans pitches.
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there was stats posted somewhere pointing out his Home vs Away average. His away average was far lower than his home average
 

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bombersfan4000 said:
there was stats posted somewhere pointing out his Home vs Away average. His away average was far lower than his home average
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As is the case with pretty much every batsman ever. That said
Caesar said:
He is a very, very good player.

Whether he deserves to be ranked with Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting is an interesting one. In some ways it is difficult to compare statistics directly because the schedules of the small Test nations are so different to the big ones. For example, Sangakkara has played 20% of his matches against either Zimbabwe or Bangladesh - for the other three the number is more like 3-7%. Take out all his matches against those countries and his average drops about 6 points - for the other three it doesn't make much of a difference.

I generally look at where players struggled to score runs. Sangakkara averages less than 40 in three places - India, South Africa and the West Indies. In contrast, Tendulkar averages over 40 everywhere. Ponting averages over 40 everywhere except India. Lara averages over 40 everywhere except India and NZ, but IMO he also played in tougher batting conditions than the other three given the slight generational difference.

Given all that I'd put Sangakkara a bit below the other three, but not by much.
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I agree with this post entirely. Sangakkara has both benefited and lost out from playing for Sri Lanka, in that had he played for a bigger test side he would be better known but his stats would be much worse. I would rank him just a half step below Lara/Ponting/Tendulkar in the same way someone like Crawford is just a bit below Hird/Voss/Buckley.

Amazing player though, one of my all time favourites.
 
Would be in my top 10 for batsmen I've seen since I started watching the game in 1976. An wonderful talent, but I think his average is inflated by playing against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh many times more compared to others I rate.
 
Buzzasto DaSilva said:
Second best test batsman in history, only behind Bradman.
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I believe he will start getting this kind of recognition if he keeps up the standard for just two more years. The vast bulk of his runs have come at 3 as well. Was just checking when Sri Lanka were due another test series in Australia today and unfortunately it is too far down the line.

Is a player I would like to see live at least one more time and take my children to see.
 
DEVO said:
Would be in my top 10 for batsmen I've seen since I started watching the game in 1976. An wonderful talent, but I think his average is inflated by playing against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh many times more compared to others I rate.
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And on flat pitches.
 
bombersfan4000 said:
there was stats posted somewhere pointing out his Home vs Away average. His away average was far lower than his home average
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Kumar Sangakarra test average at Home: 63.17 Away: 54.09
Tendulkar Home: 52.87 Away 54.75
Lara Home: 58.65 Away: 47.80
Ponting Home: 56.98 Away: 46.40

Only Tendulkar has the higher away average of the four and not by much.
 
bombersfan4000 said:
there was stats posted somewhere pointing out his Home vs Away average. His away average was far lower than his home average
Click to expand...
BORK said:
Kumar Sangakarra test average at Home: 63.17 Away: 54.09
Tendulkar Home: 52.87 Away 54.75
Lara Home: 58.65 Away: 47.80
Ponting Home: 56.98 Away: 46.40

Only Tendulkar has the higher away average of the four and not by much.
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So Sangakarra only averages 54 away from home? What a crab. :p
 

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I was going to say it's hard to place him alongside Tendulkar and Lara given he just hasn't played against top-quality opposition often enough. But you look at the stats and he has played 22, 17, 21 and 11 games against England, South Africa, Pakistan and Australia respectively - probably the best bowling attacks over his career. He averages 53.07 against these attacks. Pretty much 56.00 against the same attacks in their backyard. I reckon that's substantial enough evidence to put him up there. He did love playing Pakistan though...
 
DEVO said:
Would be in my top 10 for batsmen I've seen since I started watching the game in 1976. An wonderful talent, but I think his average is inflated by playing against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh many times more compared to others I rate.
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The total number of innings, not outs, runs, and average against those two sides in test cricket for Sangakkara, Tendulkar, Lara, and Ponting are as follows:

Sangakarra: Innings 27, NO 2, Runs 2352, Ave 94.08

Tendulkar: Innings 23, NO 5, Runs 1738, Ave 96.56

Lara: Innings 6, NO 0, Runs 395, Ave 65.83

Ponting: Innings 9, NO 2, Runs 550, Ave 78.57

Removing those two teams from the records of Tendulkar, Lara, Ponting and Sangakarra their test averages in order from highest to lowest are as follows:

Sangakarra: 53.83
Lara: 52.53
Ponting: 51.11
Tendulkar: 51.02
 
An underrated statistic to analyse the contribution that Sangakarra, Tendulkar, Ponting, and Lara made to their respective sides is runs per innings. Removing the not outs that may help pad the average. When removing the not outs(not the runs scores in those innings just the NO) from the records of those for players their average RPI for each player reads:

Sangakarra: 54.24 RPI

Lara: 51.52 RPI

Tendulkar: 48.39 RPI

Ponting: 46.61 RPI
 
Must say not many people would argue for Lara over Tendulkar even though many would agree he was the most naturally talented. Yet when looking at some of the statistics such as removing tests against minnows and not outs etc Lara is elevated and a solid case can be made.
 
BORK said:
An underrated statistic to analyse the contribution that Sangakarra, Tendulkar, Ponting, and Lara made to their respective sides is runs per innings. Removing the not outs that may help pad the average. When removing the not outs(not the runs scores in those innings just the NO) from the records of those for players their average RPI for each player reads:

Sangakarra: 54.24 RPI

Lara: 51.52 RPI

Tendulkar: 48.39 RPI

Ponting: 46.61 RPI
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Don't rate that stat at all. For one a not out from a top order batsman enhances their credentials imo. It also unfairly punishes players for making a quick fire <50 not out in the second innings before a declaration.
 

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