Sri Lanka
keepcalmandplaycricket: Interesting last year this man has had. Pushing the memory banks back to the MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture at the beginning of the England series in May 2011, Kumar delivered one of the most controversial speeches to be seen in the sporting community. In short, he essentially challenged his own governing system and called it corrupt. However he was unable to follow those words with large contributions in the series apart from his match saving (and captains knock) hundred at The Rose Bowl, only averaging 30.66 in the series. Sri Lanka then returned home for the Test series against Australia and, in home conditions, Kumar began to return to form and scoring runs once again averaging 38.33 for the series. His run of good form continued into the UAE when Sri Lanka toured Pakistan, however despite his efforts (526 runs at 87.66 in 6 innings) they came out of that series on the losing side of a 1-0 result after three hard fought Tests. Sri Lanka then journeyed to South Africa where, despite earning their maiden Test victory in South Africa, they lost 2-1 and Kumar once again struggled with an average of exactly 30 and only one innings of note; 108 at Durban. Since that series against South Africa they have had only one Test series, the home Test series again England (result 1-1) in which Kumar averaged only 8.75 after 4 innings. Kumar Sangakkara (alongside Mahela Jayawardene) is identified as the most successful batsman to have ever played for Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan team is currently going through a major period of transition with a young and inexperienced bowling attack and an unreliable batting lineup. The expectation on him would have been to hold them steady while they build a team around him and Mahela. Unfortunately for himself and Sri Lanka, he has been unable to perform to his and his country’s expectations, this also shows in Sri Lanka’s recent results in the test format of the game having won only 2 tests in the 14 Tests in the period of time since the beginning of May 2011. Sri Lanka will hope he can find form to help restore their side, as do the spectators, because we all know there is nothing more elegant in cricket than the sight of Kumar Sangakkara in full flight.

keepcalmandplaycricket:

Interesting last year this man has had.

Pushing the memory banks back to the MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture at the beginning of the England series in May 2011, Kumar delivered one of the most controversial speeches to be seen in the sporting community. In short, he essentially challenged his own governing system and called it corrupt. However he was unable to follow those words with large contributions in the series apart from his match saving (and captains knock) hundred at The Rose Bowl, only averaging 30.66 in the series.

Sri Lanka then returned home for the Test series against Australia and, in home conditions, Kumar began to return to form and scoring runs once again averaging 38.33 for the series. His run of good form continued into the UAE when Sri Lanka toured Pakistan, however despite his efforts (526 runs at 87.66 in 6 innings) they came out of that series on the losing side of a 1-0 result after three hard fought Tests.

Sri Lanka then journeyed to South Africa where, despite earning their maiden Test victory in South Africa, they lost 2-1 and Kumar once again struggled with an average of exactly 30 and only one innings of note; 108 at Durban. Since that series against South Africa they have had only one Test series, the home Test series again England (result 1-1) in which Kumar averaged only 8.75 after 4 innings.

Kumar Sangakkara (alongside Mahela Jayawardene) is identified as the most successful batsman to have ever played for Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan team is currently going through a major period of transition with a young and inexperienced bowling attack and an unreliable batting lineup. The expectation on him would have been to hold them steady while they build a team around him and Mahela. Unfortunately for himself and Sri Lanka, he has been unable to perform to his and his country’s expectations, this also shows in Sri Lanka’s recent results in the test format of the game having won only 2 tests in the 14 Tests in the period of time since the beginning of May 2011. Sri Lanka will hope he can find form to help restore their side, as do the spectators, because we all know there is nothing more elegant in cricket than the sight of Kumar Sangakkara in full flight.

(Source: )