Michael Clarke vs Kumar Sangakkara: Who Holds the Edge?

 

Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke retired within a day of each other. 

Michael Clarke Career Stats

Tests                    ODI's

115                       245

Runs 8643             7981

100's 28                 08

50's 27                   58

Topscore 329*       130

Average 49.10        44.58

  

Kumar Sangakkara Career Stats

ODI Debut July 05,2000 Vs Pakistan 
Last ODI Vs South Africa on March 18,2015

• ODI's -404
• Runs -14234
• 100's -25
• 50's   -93
• Topscore -169
• Average -41.98
• Catches/Stumpings - 402/99

Test Debut July 20,2000 Vs South Africa
Last Tebut Vs India in P Sara Oval Colombo Aug 20-24,2015

Tests -134
Innings 234
Runs  12400
100's  - 38
50's    - 52
Topscore -319 Vs Bangladesh
Average 57.40

T20 Debut Vs England June 15,2006
Last T20 Vs India April 06,2014

• T20's -56
• Runs -1382
• 100's -Nil
• 50's -8
• Topscore -78
• Average -31.40
• Catches/Stumpings -25/20

 

While both these batsmen are considered 'greats' of the game, a look at the career records seem to suggest that the Lankan left-hander holds an edge over the Aussie right-hander. 

 A total of 20,978 runs from 237 Tests* at an average of 78.15. In 649 ODIs, 22,215 runs at an average of 43.24. These are the combined numbers of Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke. 

On August 20, 2015, both these players will play their final Test match. When the Tests in P Sara Oval in Colombo and The Oval in London end, the two legends of the game will leave the cricketing world poorer. 

 Michael Clarke made a memorable start. On his Test debut against India in 2004, he played a knock that established him as a once in a generation cricketer. He tackled the likes of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in such spectacular fashion that his 151 put Australia on the path where they would conquer the final frontier after a gap of 35 years. Clarke's display in Bangalore had made him the golden boy of Australia

For Kumar Sangakkara,it took one knock of 98 against South Africa in tough conditions in 2001, one year after he made his debut in 2000, to give him necessary assurance and confidence

When it came to run-scoring, both batsmen outclassed each other several times. While Sangakkara amassed big scores, including a magnificent 287 in a record partnership of 624 against South Africa in 2006, Clarke was scoring centuries but they were not big hundreds.

While Sangakkara's big appetite for big runs eased, Clarke responded with four double-tons in one year. When Michael Clarke scored 329 against India in Sydney, it took Kumar Sangakkara two years to respond with 319 against Bangladesh in 2014. 

Both players almost outdid each other when it came to guts and determination.  

If one has to weigh the barometer of success in big tournaments, Clarke holds a slight edge over Sangakkara. Clarke was part of an all-conquering Australian team that dismantled oppositions clinically. They won the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2009 Champions Trophy. Even when the team was in decline, Australia had enough resources to pull of their fifth World Cup triumph at home during the 2015 edition. 

This was not the case with Kumar Sangakkara.Kumar Sangakkara has been part of four heart-breaking ICC tournament finals. In the 2007 World Cup, Sri Lanka were blown away by a blitz from Adam Gilchrist. In the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, it took an inspired Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi to give Pakistan victory. In the 2011 World Cup, MS Dhoni shattered their dreams while in the 2012 Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, it took a freakish innings from Marlon Samuels to break millions of Sri Lanka hearts

A look at captaincy suggests that both Sangakkara and Clarke had mixed results. In Sangakkara's case, captaincy dented his batting while for Clarke, he had a purple patch with the bat. Both these players took over when the team was in transition. Clarke took over from Ricky Ponting when the Australian empire was crumbling while Sangakkara was shepherding a Sri Lankan team that was dealing with the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan.
A look at Test results suggest that both Sangakkara and Clarke have been home bullies while struggling abroad. In Sangakkara's tenure, Sri Lanka failed to win a single Test abroad while under Clarke, their overseas record has been poor. With the exception of Sri Lanka and South Africa, Clarke's record overseas in the last couple of seasons has been woeful. A 4-0 whitewash at the hands of India, a 2-0 thrashing by Pakistan and four consecutive Ashes series losses in England are a damning indictment that Clarke failed to lead from the front overseas.

Both men have been involved with controversies in their cricketing career. Sangakkara had his run-ins with the Sri Lankan cricket administrators while Clarke has often been at loggerheads with the selectors and also for his role in the 'homeworkgate' scandal during the India tour.