But put him, as well as the cream of the world's wicket-keepers and close-catching fielders out on the pitch, the mind games begin.
Like it or not, sledging in cricket has become an art form all of its own; some jibes are witty, others obscure, some pornographic but with so much at stake in the World Cup, captains and players will use any means to get an edge.
And Sri Lanka's colourful Sangakkara is sharper than most. He has also become a star of the internet thanks to his taunting of former South African skipper Shaun Pollock at the last World Cup when the hosts were under pressure fighting for their lives.
Sangakkara's baiting of Pollock is now a mainstay of YouTube.
"How's the pressure, skipper,?" a smiling Sangakkara asked Pollock, taking guard.
"He's going to let his whole country down, lads. Oh, the weight of expectations. Forty-two million people depending on Shaun.
" Although Pollock made 25 before being run out, Sri Lanka won the match on the Duckworth/Lewis method and Po