The poise of Sangakkara..

I have always rated Sangakkara as one of the most polished players to have wielded the cricketing bat in my generation so far. Left handers have a natural flair, a gift, an artistry which right handed batsmen belabor to achieve. I can, even after all these years, still stand transfixed, mesmerized by a David Gower cover drive when replayed on television. There is something so poetic about it transcending the mere physicality of the act to a sublime experience where aesthetics and talent mingle in divine unison. After Gower, I must admit, the only other left hander I have openly admired and enjoyed is the cultivated purity and elegance of Sangakkara. I write this short article in lieu of his retirement from the game this month .Here is a man, who could have done anything with his life. Born rich, bred well, educated meticulously - the young boy achieved all meritorious honors one is capable of acquiring in Trinity College, Colombo - one of the foremost elitist educational institutions in Asia. Cricket was just one more option to him when he was 12. And he picked it up so well... Probably, there is merit in the accusation that his family’s standing in society won him a berth in the national side; but there is no taking away anything from him after he got in. How well the young man acquitted himself is evident in his sporting record over the last decade and half! His country was in flames and red with blood, when he started playing; and cricket was the only glue that kept the Island together and on the global map as a nation worth reckoning. The humiliating loss of the world cup in 1999, after a glorious win in 1996 proved to be the right break. Old cronies were asked to leave and game rested on young shoulders like Sangakkara’s. From then on, there has no looking back. In every form of the game, the young lion excelled himself. His articulate demeanor on and off the field, the educated brilliance he bought to the game; controlled aggression and understanding captaincy - elevated his team (along with other greats like Jayewardene) to a league that few teams have managed to reach.

I just finished watching an interview on CNN recorded in November last year. In thirty minutes Sangakkara presents himself and his views in a manner that would have made a Steven Pinker proud. Clarity of thinking, conviction of purpose and above all - maturity that comes when a sport is played at the highest level was evident in every sentence he uttered. The impeccable oxford diction, teasing smile, rugged looks and a nonchalant confidence shone through his rationalization of why he thought Cricket was fundamental to Srilankan history during times when Civil war ravaged through his lands. The team was constituted from all castes, tribes and sections of its native population; and its solidarity was his prime concern. And also, in the famous (now historic) Cowdery lecture he delivered in 2011, he spoke beautifully about the political condition of Srilanka, and how its unabashed corruption tried its best to infiltrate the game of cricket. Such courage can only come when one has to nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Never before in the annals of cricket did a lecture so profoundly affect and move audiences’ world over. Coming a young man in mid-thirties, it seemed almost prophetic and true.

It is sad to see him leave the arena so young. One would have felt that there were more years in him to serve the game he truly loves. But again, a true champion knows when best to leave. That is a hallmark which distinguishes the greats from the extraordinary. I am sure, confident that as an ambassador of the game and its evangelist, he will continue to enrich our lives. He is too full of energy and zest to hang his boots so early...

God bless…

Yours in mortality,

Bala