Kumar Sangakkara to rethink retirement after double ton against New Zealand
Sri Lanka star may go after Bradman's record after rescuing his team in second test against Black Caps
Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara is reconsidering retirement plans after his 203 against New Zealand on Sunday put him one behind Australian legend Don Bradman for the most double centuries.
The 37-year-old had indicated the second test in Wellington could be his last with the intention of retiring from all international cricket after the World Cup, which starts next month.
But after a match-changing innings of 203 to lead Sri Lanka out of trouble and put them in control of the test at the Basin Reserve, Sangakkara said the lure of overtaking Bradman meant he may extend his career.
I will have a chat [with the selectors] and reconsider to see whether there is a few more months of cricket in me test-wise
"I would love to," he said, reflecting on the impact his seven-hour innings had on a match where he engineered Sri Lanka's recovery from 78 for five to 356 all out and a first innings lead of 135.
"It just depends on how everything pans out after this World Cup. It's really hard to predict what will happen and what my thoughts will be at the end of the World Cup about my future.
"I've had a chat with the [Sri Lanka] selectors and promised them I will really have a chat and reconsider to see whether there is a few more months of cricket in me test-wise."
Sangakkara, the most prolific test batsman in the world last year with 1,493 runs, began this year by becoming the fifth player, and the fastest, to reach 12,000 test runs. He crossed that threshold when he reached five against New Zealand on Saturday in his 129th test, and went on to score another 198 runs before he was the ninth wicket to fall.
