Kumar Sangakkara had planned to quit all formats of cricket after the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which starts next month, but is now reconsidering his decision to quit.
The Sri Lanka batsman came up with a brilliant double hundred against New Zealand at Basin Reserve to move to within one of Don Bradman's record of 12 double centuries. He scored 203 runs with 18 fours and 3 sixes in the epic knock.
No wonder the Lankan batsman values this double hundred, as it came in alien conditions with the team struggling at 78 for 5 at one point in the second Test match against the Kiwis.
The elegant left hander is very close to equalling Bradman's record, and that had made his reconsider his retirement plans.
Not many players in the history of cricket would even come to close to breaking this remarkable feat of Don Bradman, so it will not be surprising if Sangakkara plays the longer format of the game for a little while longer.
"I would love to equal Bradman," Sangakkara was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
He stated that he has promised the selectors he will have a chat with them and see if there are few more Test matches left in him.
"I actually think the desire is always there," he added. "It's never the lack of desire or the lack of pride you take in playing for your country that makes you take a decision to say: 'That's enough'.
"It's just a case of sometimes just knowing it. You could be staying at home, you could be playing with your kids, you could be talking with your family or having dinner somewhere, and the thought could hit you -- 'Maybe this is the right time.'"
Though, Sangakkara may have the desire and the passion for the game, he needs to act accordingly as well, for the left-hander's body has taken a huge toll after playing on the international circuit since 2000. He also needs to consider his age, 37, before making any plans to prolong his career.
''It's a really tough decision to make, but the important thing is that that window of opportunity to walk out on top is really small," added Sangakkara. "If you miss it, you don't know what will happen after that."
Sangakkara has been one of the finest batsman that the island nation has ever produced. He falls in the same bracket as that of Sanath Jayasuria, Aravinda de Dilva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Mahela Jayawardene.
His career stats are amazing and in fact one of the best among the present crop of the players plying their trade, irrespective of the format.
Sangakkara has played 129 Test matches, scoring 11995 runs with a healthy average of 58.22, while his ODI record also shows a similar success story with 13372 runs from 390 matches.
