As Sri Lanka's highest run-getter in Tests, Kumar Sangakkara plays one final time for his country in the longer format from Thursday, tributes have not stopped pouring in to celebrate his glorious career.

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It is at the P Sara Oval in Colombo where he will play his 134th and last Test, a venue in which he averages 50.29 and has scored 855 runs in 11 Tests and 18 visits to the crease. It is also at the Sara Oval where he has failed to open his account in each of his last three Tests – England, April 2012; New Zealand, November 2012 and Pakistan, June 2015. However, Sangakkara has scored one of his 11 Test double hundreds at this venue, 200* against Bangladesh in July 2007.

Among those to pay rich accolades to the retiring Sri Lankan is former India captain Anil Kumble. In the six Tests that Kumble has played against Sangakkara, the former Indian leg-spinner has dismissed him on three occasions. Twice Kumble trapped him leg before wicket – for 30 in Chennai and for 17 in Ahmedabad, both in 2005 – and once having him caught behind by Parthiv Patel at P Sara Oval in Colombo but only after the Lankan had scored 144.

When asked about the challenges he faced while bowling to Sangakkara, Kumble, who celebrated his silver jubilee of his Test debut last Sunday, told dna: “Bowling against Sri Lanka as a spinner was perhaps the toughest challenge that I faced. Be it (Arjuna) Ranatunga, Aravinda (de Silva), (Sanath) Jayasuriya, (Roshan) Mahanama in the earlier era and followed by Sangakkara and Mahela (Jayawardene) later on. It was always a challenge.”

Kumble, whose 619 wickets in 132 Tests included 74 from Sri Lanka in 18 matches, added: “Sanga is someone very special. Over the last few years, he has taken batting to the next level. I don't think he has anyone behind him in terms of international cricket, the way he has been batting. Over the last two years, he has scored runs all over the world. For a wicketkeeper to do that, it is never easy. That goes to show his fitness levels, his concentration levels and also his passion for the game.

“It is not easy for a wicketkeeper standing behind the stumps and coming back to bat at the top of the order and holding the innings together, sometimes winning single-handedly. It is not easy. Hats off to him.”

Sangakkara, on his part, has has amassed 1,302 runs at an average of 54.25 against India in 16 Tests with five centuries and a highest of 219 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in 2010.

Kumble prayed Sanga will take it easy against the Indians in his final Test series. In fact he scored 5 and a crucial 40 in his penultimate Test. “I have followed his career closely and have played against him. I know he has scored a lot of runs (against India) but in his last two Test matches, I hope he will be kind on India,” Kumble joked.

Kumar Sangakkara against India:Tests: 16Innings: 26Not out: 2Runs: 1,302Average: 54.25100s/50s: 5/2Catches: 21Stumping: 1