Sangakkara asked to review retirement: Reports

Sri Lankan veteran Kumar Sangakkara has been asked to review his retirement plans after he had told national selectors in April of hanging up his boots post the 2015 World Cup in Australia.

The 37-year-old left-handed batsman might still be keen on giving up ODIs after the 50-over World Cup but is learnt to be re-thinking his Test future after the request from the selectors.

According to ESPNcricinfo report, the opposition to Sanga's retirement stems from the fact that the team would be better served if Sangakkara remained in the Test side until it was more settled.

Sri Lanka have yet to play a Test since Mahela Jayawardene's retirement in August this year and, if Sangakkara also quits following the forthcoming New Zealand Tests as he had planned, the Islanders would find themselves without two of their senior batsmen.

The selectors have also viewed Sangakkara and Jayawardene as mentors for the young players within the side.

Having maintained an average of 78.21 this year, Sanga is leading the 2014 run-scorer's list by some distance from Younis Khan and still remains the team's batting mainstay.

Registering his first triple-century in February this year, and making three figures at Lord's and Galle, where he hit 221 against Pakistan, Lanka are sure banking on Sangakkara to stay on.

Image: Kumar Sangakkara

Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images