Kumar Sangakkara, the dazzling, kind perfectionist Sri Lanka cricket will miss like mad - Paul Farbrace salutes the retiring hero in Wisden

What do you think? How it's looking? "Another training session was the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, and had Kumar Sangakkara also curious and conscientious than ever. Very accurate. He said he wanted his back to move from the center of the leg to the middle and outside. Do not forward or back - just a small part through, allowing his shoulders and hips to align when facing right-arm seamers.

I was in the first two stints with the coaches of Sri Lanka, as an assistant to Trevor Bayliss (A few years later I would like to come back as coach), and do my best to keep on top of the cycle. But I could see the Sangha and hit the ball well. "Wonderful," I said to him. "No problems at all." He was unimpressed with analytical forensic. "The first 10 balls that I faced, I moved my feet again in four or five different ways," he said. "If you ever ask you again, tell me the truth or do not tell me anything." It was a big lesson for me as a coach. He told me a lot about Kumar Sangakkara.

He was one of the first acts of Santa after he arrived in making 192 in Hobart after Australia had put us 507. We made 410 and was given Sangha by Rudi Koertzen, caught at slip off the shoulder and helmet: a foul. . That night we were in the hotel bar when the referees walked in there was a pause, then stepped forward Sangha: "Rudy! What can I get you to drink?"

If this is typical of it, so it was the way he used to roles for the best. More than a year later - that stage already has more than 6,000 test runs - we were in the boarding school at the State Security Court in Colombo. Sangha they could not quite get the right moves, so he wondered analyst We have to get the footage from Hobart innings. He wants to check the movement of his left foot with respect to step Brett Lee delivery. Once he'd absorb the information that you need, he was ready to bat again.Nothing distract him from his practice. There were times when, frankly, that make it a pain in the ass. Net sessions may last anything from 20 minutes to an hour. When he was wearing a head game, there he was selfish. But no one minded, selfish, because that was usually for the common good.

Every coach who worked with him know that you are finished you need to shoulder surgery reconstructive. The throwdowns your own to be accurate. I was giving him a few in Sydney, and in the previous game he had missed a couple of engines box, so I thought I'd throw one or two a little bit wider. The first left alone, and just looked at me. When I did the same thing again later a few balls, he stared back, then walked straight past me in the dressing room. We did not mention it again, but I got the message. Despite being a stranger, it has made always feel welcome. Payment of a number of dinner he and Mahela got a bit awkward, but this is the way the Sri Lankan. I remember well how they looked after some boys Yorkshire when they were in training camp in Sri Lanka. He called his wife, Yehali cooked dinner one night and a few more of us. He said he and Andrew Gale, who he'd never met before, spent two hours talking about being left-handers - how to hit over the top, and how to deal with the rough and the ball swings and different angles of attack. The Sangha do not thank me for saying this, but Al Ghurair cricket sense.

He put his brain on a large good use, although it would have been better if you were not on the receiving end. If ever in danger of losing the argument (which I think it has not happened yet), he would adopt one of two tactics: speak more loudly, or use words you never heard of. He dazzle you into submission. No wonder, once trained to be a lawyer. The aim of the owner of the best ski in Nasser Hussain in Sri Lanka in 2003-04, when they were playing England in Kandy. Nasser had called for Murali - hometown hero - different names, so the locals were not best pleased. It is fair to say that Nasser was a little angry with the same team as well. When he came in to bat, pipe Sangha with: "What it's like to be hated by both teams?" It was not offensive, but he knew how to get under your skin.

When I left Sri Lanka to join England in 2014, I was not very comfortable with the fact that I was the first series against the old team. The few people accused me of leaving for the money, which was not the case, but Sangha break the ice before the opening round, Twenty20 match at The Oval. As I was walking up the steps of the wing, and it was at the top. There were quite a number of journalists waiting around, and shouted down: "traitor! Traitor here. Do not talk to him, boys."

It was the Sangha to T: he was mischievous, quick-witted and charming, and everyone loved him for it. The Sri Lankan cricket miss it like mad.