The name Kumar Sangakkara is forever etched in the minds of the fans as a player who played the game in the most eye pleasing way. Sangakkara with the bat in hand was a sight to watch, specially his cover drives and cuts and pulls. By the time he walked off the field for the last time, he had gone down in the sport as one of the legends of the game. Sangakkara is now with Rajasthan Royals as the director of cricket, and his influence has been seen with the way the RR outfit has performed.Kumar Sangakkara was joined by his former Sri Lankan team mate and Rajasthan’s Bowling coach Lasith Malinga. Malinga asked Sangakkara which cricketer he would love to bat for his life. Sangakkara replied “Rahul Dravid, he’s unbelievable in that role. ‘The Wall’, there is a reason for that name’’. Rahul Dravid had a distinguished 16 year career for the Indian team. Dravid played 164 tests for India and scored 13288 runs with an average of 52.7. He scored 36 centuries and 63 half centuries. In 344 ODI games he scored 10889 runs with 12 centuries and 83 half centuries at an average of 39. Dravid also played for RR in the IPL after 3 years with RCB. In 89 IPL games, Dravid scored 2174 runs with 11 half centuries and a strike rate of 115.
Malinga reveals his favorite memory in the IPL –
Lasith Malinga is a name that every Mumbai Indians fan will take with a happy smile on his or her face. Malinga has played his entire IPL career for Mumbai Indians making him one of the rarest One Club Man. The former Sri Lankan cricketer said “ When I played my first IPL season in 2009 in South Africa, I got the first wicket on my second ball, caught in the slips by Sachin. This is my most memorable moment with the man”. Malinga retired from IPL in 2019 when he helped Mumbai win the title that year with a wicket of Shardul Thakur off the last ball. Malinga had won 4 IPL titles with Mumbai Indians and 2 champions league titles. Malinga is now the bowling coach of RR and is one of the all time leading wicket takers in the history of TATA IPL.