Sangakkara glad of Pietersen's England exile

Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara has said the tourists are glad not to be facing the "amazing" Kevin Pietersen in a two-Test series against England starting at Lord's on Thursday.

Pietersen, England's all-time leading run-scorer across all formats, was dramatically axed from the national side following their 5-0 Ashes thrashing, even though he was the team's top-scorer in Australia.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have suggested that a "distracted" and "disinterested" Pietersen, an ex-England captain, was not conducive to dressing-room harmony.

But Sangakkara, himself a world-class batsman, said it took all types of characters to make a successful side."I don't know the reasons for KP's exclusion but the fact remains that he's an amazing player," Sangakkara told Monday's edition of online magazine Wisden EXTRA.

"I've watched him, admired him and he is undoubtedly an out-and-out match-winner. Of course, as an opposition player I'm not disappointed he's not around. We know what damage he could have done to us, and the damage he has done to us before," said Sangakkara.

The 36-year-old left-hander added Sri Lanka had always valued individuality, with 'slingshot' seamer Lasith Malinga a case in point.

"For us, it's been like that with Lasith. He is very different in the way he looks, and as a person. Not everyone gets on well with each other in a team. There are certain people you might not have dinner with, but that doesn't take away from the fact they will be valuable players in a national cause, going out trying to win matches," he said.

"Without going into details, we've had our own issues and difficulties over the years inside the dressing-room and outside it. "We've dealt with that very well as a side, and having 11 similar players is definitely not a positive thing," Sangakkara insisted.

Earlier on Monday, Pietersen said he felt a sense of "relief" at no longer being involved in the England set-up, although he was saddened by the end of his international career.

South Africa-born Pietersen, 33, said he believed the writing was on the wall when reports emerged that then England coach Andy Flower wanted him axed at the end of the Ashes.

Meanwhile Pietersen, who said he wanted to establish a series of cricket academies around the world for disadvantaged children, joined Sangakkara in citing Malinga as another example of an unorthodox player who'd had international success.

"Look at Lasith Malinga. How the hell does he get wickets bowling like that? But his technique works for him. If he was a young England player he would probably have drifted out of the game."