Apr 27, 2004 04:38 PM
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(Updated Apr 27, 2004 04:45 PM)
We all love Cricket & the entertainment provided by some of the ?cricket geniuses?. All of us have witnessed many great players, But as they say ?Cricket is a batsmen?s game, I?am quite sure this saying would have evolved due to these players.
Note-All the mentioned batsmen are of current teams, as I haven?t witnessed any of the past greats that much myself??.coz I am just 16.
Ten of my favorite ODI batsmen & their divine shots are-
1. Verinder Sehwag-
Now-a days no one can forget Veeru, especially the opposition. No wonder he is a destructive batsmen & can win India matches at will. He can ruin a opposition in just 15 overs.. He is capable of giving many sleepless nights to the opposition with his fabulous talent & supreme confidence. His cricketing career is not too old but he has walked miles ahead of many great stroke players.
Best Shot- The Power-Cut over thirdman, Veeru style.
2. Adam Gilchrist-.
He cannot be erased from any of the ?Best ODI batsmen?s? list. He is such a gifted batsmen who does not mind keeping his wicket on the line to give his team a flying start. Some people may call him a ?slogger? but for me his sense of timing makes all his magical shots possible. He is a vital player for the Aussie team coz the starts he delivers while opening, sets the tone for the middle order to achieve huge totals. With such supreme talent he can demolish any bowling attack.
Best Shot- The Power Pull.
b>3. Brian Lara-
He is the only batsman who consistently bails his team out of trouble. He is the most gifted batsman of the era & maybe playing for the wrong team. He is a classy player who can force a submission from the bowlers when in full flow. His technique & stroke-play is different from any of the other players. He also has a great technique & his own way of playing Cricket. But the most lethal weapon he has is his determinationHe can fire some quick runs against the run of play that is the class of Lara.
Best Shot- For him there are many. The invincible flick to name just one.
4. Sachin Tendulkar-
The ?Little master? has achieved huge number of milestones, in his cricketing career. He may be out of touch for a while, but no one can ignore him. Even now the maestro of cricket brings his very own charismatic energy to the field when he comes to bat. He has more records to his name than any one else. He has changed his style of batting in the latter years from a arrogant, no fear type of a player to a ?team-man?. I believe he has dragged the Indian Cricket himself for several years to reach the position they are in, today.
Best Shot- Very straight drive.
5. Rahul Dravid-
He is the Indian ?Wall? whom most of the bowlers cant cross. He was living in the shadow of Sachin for many years & his own great performances were neglected but now times have changed & so as his approach. At the start of his carrier he was criticized for his slow batting in the ODI?s. But now a days he has changed his style for the ODI?s, when team needs quick runs he can innovate & when a player like Sehwag, is with him he can define technique. He is such a technically solid player that he can write a book on batting after his retirement??? But for now he will grind many more oppositions to dust.
Best Shot- The superb cover-drive.
6. Inzimam-ul-haq
He is the ?Cold face killer? who works very hard to achieve success but shows very less of his emotions on the field. Captain of Pakistan, he is that kind of a player who realize their talent & ability with added responsibilities. With intense concentration & ability of hitting the balls out of the field he makes it to this list. He is a very strong man who can muscle his way out of trouble if made a wrong decision. He has surely made adjustments in his running between the wickets, which was a chink in his Armour.
Best Shot- Lofted drive over Mid-on to spinners.
7. Ricky Ponting-
Another legend in the making, he is yet another batsmen who can dictate terms to even the greatest of the bowlers. Being the captain of the world champions, most of the batsmen would have faltered with added responsibility but not for this man. He has performed very well as a batsman & has led his team to victories on many occasions. With his superb stroke-play & never say die attitude he has won many hearts across the world (not the bowlers).
Best Shot- The superman flick over mid-wicket.
8. Jacques Kallis
Another master of technique who knows What to do? He is a middle-order batsmen for the South African team & does his work quietly without gaining much attention. His array of strokes is also unmatchable but coz plenty of hitters are around him he sticks to decent batting approach. He paces his innings very well & when the team needs him to press on the gas he does that in his own style. And he is not only a great batsman, but also a very efficient pace bowler, who deserves to be in this list with his all-round abilities.
Best Shot- His full-proof Cover drive
9. V.V.S Laxman-
He has a huge & I mean huge appetite for runs. He is also a legendry stroke-player who can hit even the good balls for boundaries. He can play all round the field & can irritate bowlers with his sublime shots. He is not a technician to the core, rarely his feet get to the pitch of the ball but the ?hand-eye coordination? is outstanding. He has his very own & effective way of batting. The only difference between Laxman & any other stroke-player is his conversion rate. He has converted many of his 50?s into 100?s at a rapid rate. No wonder he is Very Very special Laxman for India.
Best Shot- The standing still cover-drive.
10. Stephen Fleming
This guy is very different from rest of the stroke-players. He is more like ?Mr. Dependable? of New Zealand. He has limited strokes & restricted talent unlike others in the list but he makes use of it to 100%. He has a solid defense & countable boundary shots but the consistency he has is unmatchable. He is the captain of his team but he does not mind the added responsibility, which proves his mental strength. He is a pivot around which the NZ batting revolves.
Best Shot- Back foot punch to cover region.
Do not mind the order, all of them are better than others in some way or the other.
If I have missed some important player, write me in the comments section.
