Kumar Sangakkara

Colombo: Kumar Sangakkara is a Buddhist all right, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting attacks of different hues to the sword. Indeed, the Indians must be relieved that the Sri Lanka vice-captain fell cheaply in the first innings of the opening Test.

Sangakkara, who has over 6,000 runs in both Tests and ODIs, spoke to The Telegraph for around an hour in the lead-up to the newest India-Sri Lanka series. He was, among other things, refreshingly candid.

The following are excerpts

Q You’ve been remarkably consistent for quite some time now. Is there something special?

A (Grins) Conditions around the world have been getting better for the batters and one should take advantage. At the same time, nobody is guaranteed an X number of runs... I know my game a lot better now, know how to train to make my game better... I carry forward the confidence gained while training...Also, I now know what to do in certain situations... One evolves as a cricketer.

How long did it take you to know your game better?

Took a few years... Then, it took a few more years to work out how to improve my game... It doesn’t happen overnight, though some players can do things quickly... I took some time.

What’s different in the way you train?

I work on the shots I’m likely to play in the match... Whatever be the duration of the training, I use the time fruitfully... It’s about being confident and, then, taking that confidence into the match.

How do you go about selecting the shots? Is the exercise influenced by the attack and/or the conditions you’re likely to face?

One has an idea of what the bowlers will be doing and, so, one begins the mental preparation... I mean, one wouldn’t play certain shots against certain bowlers... Of course, you’ve got to keep expanding your repertoire, but the selection of shots could also depend on one’s form... I guess a batter has to be smart in choosing his shots...

You’re regarded as one of the more cerebral cricketers. Does that make things easy?

It’s never easy... In fact, in cricket, it doesn’t really matter how cerebral you are... For, at the end of the day, it takes just one ball to get you... The smartness of a cricketer depends on how he handles himself, how he prepares and how he executes his game plan... Being cerebral or not is not the issue... You’ve got to have the desire to excel and, if you’re a batter, you need to be hungry for runs... You’ve got to have that single-mindedness... You’ve got to put in the hard work, do those long hours...

No.3 in Tests and an opener in ODIs... What’s your preferred position?

I’m most comfortable at No.3, but I’ve been most successful, I think, at No.4 in ODIs.

Is your preparation different for different positions?

Not really... I do face a lot of the new ball... One could be a little more watchful at the start of the innings, but that doesn’t mean one would be negative in one’s thoughts.

You always wear two hats in ODIs. Are you then under much more pressure because you’ve also got to ‘keep?

Actually, it works the other way...It eases a lot of the pressure because I’m contributing in two areas... If I don’t bat well, I can make up by ‘keeping well and vice-versa... Yes, one could get tired, but that would mean one has both kept and batted well... It’s good to have two strings in one’s bow.

Would you say you’ve been a natural ‘keeper?

I wasn’t born a ‘keeper, but whether you’re a natural or not, nothing stops you from working hard and becoming good at the job.

Has somebody inspired you?

Not really, but no ‘keeper-batsman has been better than Adam Gilchrist. He has set a benchmark... Today, ‘keepers need to be allrounders and there’s pressure, in a good way, on those who are specialists.

What’s your take on Mahendra Singh Dhoni?

He’s fantastic. What’s remarkable is the way he has changed as a batter... Nowadays, he plays smartly... He’s canny... He’s tempered his flamboyance.

Generally, who influenced you the most when you were young?

My father (Kshema), who used to coach me... He was quite an athlete and also coached me in tennis till I was 16... That’s the time I had a reality check and chose to focus on cricket. Also Sunil Fernando, who still takes care of my batting...I learnt by playing alongside some very good players at the Nondescripts Cricket Club... Initially, however, I couldn’t get a berth in the XI. It had such a good team.

Didn’t you idolise anybody?

I loved watching (Sir) Viv Richards... Brian Lara... Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva were brilliant in the 1996 World Cup... (After a pause) Our World Cup win made me realise that cricket was definitely a career option.

How do you handle the expectations-driven pressure?

It’s best not to pay any attention to it... Of course, you’ve got to accept that pressure will be there... It’s there on individuals and on teams. There’s pressure on all sportspersons.

You’ve featured in some big partnerships and have posted big knocks...

When you’ve got yourself in, then you should make the most of it... Get that innings to count... I like batting for a long time, though I don’t look at the scoreboard that often.

What’s the top memory of your record-rewriting 624-run partnership for the third-wicket (in 2006-07, versus South Africa) with Mahela Jayawardene?

Watching Mahela bat from the other end... I was very disappointed when he didn’t get to 400 (getting out on 374)... In my view, he’s Sri Lanka’s best batsman.

Are you conscious of records and rankings?

Conscious of records, yes... Any batter worth his salt should be... It’s important to realise what you’re trying to achieve... Try to get to 10,000 Test runs... Try to get to 10,000 ODI runs...One should be conscious of records and make an effort to match and surpass them… I’ve inherited a legacy and, hopefully, I’ll be able to enhance it while passing it on... That’s my approach... Basically you’re the captain of your own ship… It will be great to be remembered as a nice guy and a good cricketer.

Any superstitions?

Not till now.

You’re the vice-captain. What’s the kind of inputs you give?

I think the vice-captain’s is a highly overrated role... A team doesn’t need one because it’s the captain who makes all the decisions... Anybody could give him inputs, it doesn’t have to be the vice-captain. My belief is that everybody should be a leader on the field. It’s not that everybody has to take decisions, but somebody or the other could do something leader-like... That way, leadership is situational... A rigid framework isn’t needed and the more rigid things are the more boxed in you get... Everybody in the XI has a distinctive role to play and how each one steps up and puts in that something more makes a difference.

At some point, you’ll be leading Sri Lanka. Have you looked up to any captain?

Arjuna... Sanath (Jayasuriya), for example, was an instinctive captain... Most of the time that’s a great way to lead... Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh were excellent captains and Stephen Fleming was very good... Going back in time, Mike Brearley was outstanding and I’ve read his book — The Art of Captaincy... One could get influenced but, at the end of the day, it’s all about who you are and how you accept the responsibility... How you’re not afraid to take decisions... How you’re not afraid of failing... As I’ve already told you, one keeps evolving.

You’ve played a fair bit against Australia. What separates them from the other teams?

Their ability to apply pressure for a much longer period... By doing so, they ensure that the opposition cracks first.

Some have expressed the fear that the batsmen will pick up the bad habits of the Twenty20 game and carry them forward into Test cricket. Your thoughts?

(Laughs) I hope the batters pick up the good habits and take them forward into Test cricket! With Twenty20, you could now find batters scoring a lot more runs a lot quicker... I’m not sure what the bad habits are, though... If somebody is playing all three forms, then it means he can adapt... Test cricket, however, will remain the No.1 format.

You’re a big fan of Roger Federer, but do you have favourites in other sport?

Tiger Woods and somebody who has quit — Michael Schumacher... Formula One isn’t the same for me after he left the scene (two years ago)... It takes some courage in deciding when to quit and, I guess, the sportsman himself knows the best time.

The final one: What have eight years of international cricket taught you?

That nothing comes easy... That there will be failures, but that the successes can be a lot more... That you need to have some interest outside cricket... It won’t work if you eat, drink and sleep cricket... You need to take your mind off the game... Need to move away from it for a while... Talking of myself, I’m going to resume studying law (for a bachelor’s degree at the University of Colombo)... I love being at home and that environment helps me take my mind off the game.