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by Richard Dwight

Kumar Sangakkara, the 25 year old left handed Sri Lankan wicket keeper batsman is quite a character - for he is a cricketer, law student, with a fondness for literature, all rolled into one.

Having his priorities and perspectives right, he does manage to keep all three interests going on an even keel which is indeed commendable.

Born on October 27, 1977, Kumar has a sense of belonging to Kandy his home town and Trinity College, which guided him on the lines of a 'Healthy mind in a healthy body'. As a member of an esteemed family enjoying a privileged upbringing he does not carry an air of arrogance, with unassuming ways and is good company.

He had the benefit of strong sporting ties, his grandfather Dr. Sangakkara was a cricketer at Trinity (whose demise brought much sadness to Kumar) his elder brother Vemindra represented Trinity at Cricket, his sister Saranga was the national women's tennis champion until she emigrated to USA, while his father is a leading lawyer, a double professional, the footsteps of which Kumar is keen to follow.

The cradle of Kumar's cricket was Trinity, where he was of the view that studies and sports must go hand-in-hand, one complementing the other. He cracked a scintillating 198 against S. Thomas' College in 1996, and went onto make five centuries that year, to go past the 1000 run mark.

He captained the college the following year and had the satisfaction of being adjudged the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year and the added pleasure of being the recipient of the most coveted, prestigious Trinity Lion.

These achievements of his and the valid contributions made by him for his club NCC made him a rising star in the Sri Lankan cricket firmament.

And with time in the year 2000/01 he was selected to the international squad for both Test matches and one dayers.

This he reminisces as the happiest moment in his life. In the preliminary matches he was entertaining enough to be impetuous, moving down the wicket to pull, hook or lift overhead in gay abandon.

But has since mellowed down to mix caution with aggression in just the right way to keep the scoreboard ticking. Amongst the many runs churned out by him his 202 against Pakistan in the Asian Test Championships at Lahore stands out.

The question that is at times being asked, is as to whether there has been a cricketer who averages over 50 in Test cricket with four hundreds as Kumar and, not having made a century in domestic cricket, his test average of 50 is better than his 'one dayers'.

Away from cricket he concentrates on law at the Colombo University and found to be a voracious reader, comfortable with the works of Oscar Wilde, Salman Rushdie, Anton Chekov, Leo Tolstoy and yet others.

He is found to be forthright and outspoken, with the firm belief that everyone is entitled to their opinions. He has gone on record of having said "If I am labelled a trouble maker, then so be it ..... sledging is part of the game, but it has to stay on the field."

Kumar is a symbol of cricket's resurgence here, with a mind of his own, whose pleasing batting is as good as his inner self.   [Back]

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