Kumar Sangakkara versus Virat Kohli in the Test format

[mominsaigol]

I am confused the point you are trying to make here. I am not comparing Ponting to Sanga or debating the greatnes of Miandad.

I was responding to statement,

" Only in India can a player like him continue to play on his reputation and brand name, despite having tailenderesque numbers for the past four years."

Ponting and Miandad were examples to show posters that his assumption is not correct.

I agree with you, however Miandad cones from a completly different era.

Their wasn't any social media heat on him for his removal. And such stats went unnoticed. Their wasn't any Internet to monitor data accurately at the time. Hence selectors didn't take this into account.

Pointing should have been replaced though.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Sometimes it is not just about win or loss. Quality matters a lot. Sanga’s 192 at Hobart was in losing cause too.

Kohli’s knock at Adelaide 2014, Melbourne 2014 and Perth 2018 were his three best knocks in Australia. The hundred he got last game was in winning cause but nothing special.

The Adelaide knock was special. The knock at Perth was pretty good too, considering it came on a spicy surface. I don’t entirely remember the Melbourne knock—I might have missed that Test match. But my point isn’t that he doesn’t have great numbers and knocks in Australia; it’s just that his sterling record in Australia is often discussed without much context. In my opinion. In my opinion, Pujara, Pant and Rahane's contributions with the bat far outweigh Kohli's because those knocks directly led to test match wins which in-turn lead to series wins.

As for Sanga, maybe if he had gotten the opportunity to play 14 Tests in Australia instead of 5, he could have made more of an impact. His 192 at Hobart was an outstanding innings though that I still remember all these years later. It started off as a scratchy knock, but by the end, he was toying with the Australian bowlers. The sad part is that he wasn’t even out. He never came close to touching the ball, but Koertzen made a howler of a decision, for which he later apologized to Sanga after the match.

 

[Buffet]

I agree with you, however Miandad cones from a completly different era.

Their wasn't any social media heat on him for his removal. And such stats went unnoticed. Their wasn't any Internet to monitor data accurately at the time. Hence selectors didn't take this into account.

Pointing should have been replaced though

I think Ponting and Virat are too noticeable due to how they played earlier, otherwise we have lots of players having 25-30 tests like that. As recently as like last few years.

Warner in the last 28 tests : Avg 31 with 2 tons

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

The most amazing thing about Sanga is that he has been able to achieve this level of greatness despite being a Sri Lankan player. And whether people want to admit it or not, Sri Lanka as a team has always had to struggle with the perception of other teams not considering them a top team. You can go all the way back to their infamous test match and series win in England in 1998, after which England never invited them for a one match test series again.

Even in Australia they have never been invited to play anything more than a 2 match test series, eventhough they had an excellent side in 2007. It's a shame Sanga pulled his hamstring in a tour game prior to the start of that series, which led to him missing the first test. Because that Sri Lankan side had a really good core group of players with Jayasuria, Atapattu, Jayawardena, Vaas, Murali (eventho he had a horrible record in Oz) and Sanga too was in rich form at that time.

 

[Romali_rotti]

that's why I say if Kohli wants to stand with the greats in Australia like the Hammonds and the Hobbs and the Huttons and the Vivs and the Sachins, he needs some match winning knocks on spicy wicket, this series is a perfect opportunity.

I'll try your tip, thanks.

He has 2 x 100s in Perth. The last 100 being a match winning one I don't know much spicier you need to get.

 

[W63L35]

Here is an Asian batsman (Asif Iqbal) who scored 8 test hundreds in WENA (when W was better than S)....

 

[BouncerGuy]

Asif iqbal is not the relevant person in this thread but he did score more centuries away as he has played more games away as well.

BACK TO THE TOPIC:

People from both sides will come up with some logic to prove Virat is great or Sanaga is great. This is not gonna end.

 

[kron]

you know what kohli's decline has been so bad. i will give it to sanga. Thats how bad kohl has been in the last 4 5 years.
despicable.

although peak wise i still rate kohli higher overall
sanga better player in terms of consistency

 

[starpain]

Sangakkara>Kohli in Tests

12k runs @ 57 > 9k runs at 47

There is no further stats gymnastics required when the difference is huge.

Also IIRC Sangakkara never had his place questioned for his side unlike Kohli where several fans are calling to drop him.