Michael Clarke believes Kumar Sangakkara could quite easily be regarded as the best cricketer ever.
Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene may be playing their final games against Australia on Sunday, with both men retiring from one-day cricket after the World Cup.
Both have been outstanding servants to Sri Lankan cricket – Sangakkara since 2000 and Jayawardene since 1997.
Both are ranked among the best batsmen in the world by many astute judges, but Clarke went a step further on Saturday.
“He’s certainly as good as any player I’ve played against. He’s a wonderful batsman,” Clarke said of Sangakkara.
“His statistics show that in both Test and one-day cricket.
“He’s an absolute gentleman.
“Kumar and Jacques Kallis are probably two guys I’ve looked up to and I think that if they played for different countries … they could quite easily be regarded as the best ever.”
Sangakkara was hesitant to reflect on his standing in the game, but suggested he was enjoying a fourth and final World Cup campaign.
“We’re working hard at training, but relaxing off the field,” Sangakkara told AAP.
“It’s been pretty good. We were trying to string some wins together and we’ve managed to do that.
“Every World Cup feels different. This just feels really nice.”
Jayawardene agreed.
“We just want to enjoy ourselves, both Kumar and myself, being our last World Cup,” he said.
Sangakkara, who averages 41.68 against Australia from 45 ODIs, suggested his teammates know exactly what to expect from the co-hosts.
“They’re one of the top teams in the tournament … we will play as the underdogs,” he said.
The 37-year-old added it would be foolish to spend too much time dwelling on that fact.
“There’s no use thinking too much about the strengths of the Australian side. It’s better for us to look at ourselves,” he said.
KUMAR SANGAKKARA
12,203 Test runs at 58.66
13,961 ODI runs at 41.55
1382 T20I runs at 31.40
MAHELA JAYAWARDENE
11,814 Test runs at 49.84
12,625 ODI runs at 33.57
1493 T20I runs at 31.76
