Joe Root is not just incredibly experienced, the way he connect with other players is magnificent: Kumar Sangakkara

“This is crucial. In addition to his immense skill and experience, Joe Root brings a wealth of information and expertise to the club. He also fosters amazing relationships with other players on the team. When he joined us in the IPL, I witnessed this firsthand,” Sangakkara said.

Jos Buttler pulled out of the 2025 SA20 because he wanted to dedicate himself to his country’s cricket team, therefore the Paarl Royals needed to find a strong offensive batsman to fill his place on the roster and replace the England white-ball skipper. Prior to the auction, they undoubtedly signed a prominent overseas player of high calibre in the shape of former Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik.

The second player to whom Sangakkara was referring above was none other than England’s great batsman, Joe Joe Root.

The former Lankan legend made a remark about the likeable qualities of the former English captain.

Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara, who is currently the Rajasthan Royals’ director of cricket, talked about the importance of Karthik’s acquisition and went into great detail to explain why he believed the former Bengaluru player for the Royal Challengers would be a great addition to the team.

“Again, Dinesh Karthik excels in the latter stages of an innings. He’s one of the world’s top finishers in T20 cricket; he’s explosive and capable. His experience and presence are invaluable. We’ve divided that duty between two players, equally skilled and deadly, since Jos, who usually performs at the highest level, is departing. “I believe we have a better balance than we did previously,” Sangakkara said, as reported by India Today.

I think this year we’re more prepared: Kumar Sangakkara

The Paarl Royals, according to Sangakkara, are more evenly matched for the forthcoming season than they were for the previous two. The seasoned campaigner went into further detail about what was required to cross the finish line in high-pressure conditions, aside from technical proficiency.

It’s about knowing when to act and being prepared for those important occasions. The challenge will be encouraging the players to stand up when it matters most, especially with David Miller leading the South African team and doing an incredible job for us. Merely possessing expertise is only one aspect of the game; the other involves applying that skill under duress when the tournament is at stake.

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It all boils down to mentality and flexibility. Regretfully, we haven’t been able to capitalise on those opportunities in the past, but this year, I think we are more prepared,” Sangakkara continued. Even though Sangakkara and Root have previously collaborated during the IPL, this will be the first time they share a dressing room.