Kumar Sangakkara might retire after first Test against India
Veteran Sri Lankan will retire as country’s most successful Test batsman
Colombo: Veteran Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara is likely to retire from international cricket after the first Test against India in Galle later this year. Sangakkara has had a talk with SLC officials regarding his swansong Test and his willingness to play two Tests against Pakistan and the opening game versus India besides his county commitments with Surrey, reported 'ESPNcricinfo'.
The India series, which is slated for an August 18 start in Galle, was already supposed to be Sangakkara's final hurrah, but the left-handed batsman was expected to play all the three Tests against India.
Read: ‘I’ve been on my knees asking Kumar Sangakkara not to retire’
This means that Sangakkara will not be able to bid adieu in Kandy, but there is a chance that his farewell Test could be moved to his hometown. The 37-year-old former captain had originally intended to retire from all formats following the World Cup, but was convinced to stay on for two more series by the former selectors and captain Angelo Mathews, among others.
With 12,203 Test runs, 38 Test hundreds and an average of 58.66, Sangakkara will retire as Sri Lanka's most successful Test batsman. Incidentally, another Sri Lankan great, Muttiah Muralitharan, had called time on his career after playing only the first Test of the series in Galle, in which the off-spinner completed a Test haul of record 800 wickets.
Sangakkara will get a chance to build on his prolific Test record before retirement when familiar foes Sri Lanka and Pakistan contest their fourth series in two years from Wednesday.
He has not responded to media speculation that he will play three more home Tests -- two of the three matches against Pakistan and one against India in August -- before ending his 15-year-career.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have already played six series in as many years, the last of which also took place on the island a year ago. The hosts won both Tests, leaving Pakistan without a win in Sri Lanka since 2006.