5 most undervalued things in cricket

Every dimension of cricket has something which is ignored, and their importance may not be daunting on the face of it, but they act as catalysts in taking the game forward. They can be easy to disregard, but pruning them will leave the game in shambles.

Undervaluing doesn’t devalue the prominence that these things present to the contest between bat and ball.

The following is a list of five aspects of the game that undeservingly don’t get their dues from the game.

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#1 The wicket-keeper

The wicket-keeper’s role in cricket has changed dramatically over the years

Wicket-keeping is a thankless job which attracts criticism, but not appreciation. If a catch gets spilled, then it’s the wicket-keeper who has given a lease of life to the batsman. On the contrary, if a keeper dives full length and catches a blinder, then it’s the bowlers who get the better of the batsmen and showered praise.

During the first half of the 1990s, the primary job of a keeper was to show his prowess behind the wickets. Batting used to be a secondary skill-set for a keeper. As we moved along and in the age of ODIs and T20s, the role of a keeper somewhat altered. In order to focus on the depth in the batting line-up, wicket-keeping turned out to be secondary.

In short, the concept of the wicketkeeper-batsman gradually turned into batsman-wicketkeeper. The job is no less efficient than being a batsman. Reflexes aren’t the same for everyone and it’s a necessary ingredient for being a keeper. M.S Dhoni’s lightning fast stumpings are inflicted by quick reflexes.

A wicket-keeper needs to concentrate for the entire length of an innings and the worst part is to come and bat after keeping for long hours. The job deserves accolades and should never be discounted as an unimportant role.

#2 The short-leg fielder

Courage and Concentration: The two C’s of short-leg fielding

Audiences stand on their feet when fielders pull off screamers in the outfield to send batsman packing; the crowd goes berserk when slip fielders pluck the ball out of thin air, but when short-leg fielders pouch the ball, then it’s the bowlers who are given credit for the dismissal through his guile and trajectory.

Short leg fielding is undeniably an under-rated aspect of the game. Whenever batsmen wind up to smash the leather through the leg side, short-leg fielders, at times, get struck and injured. The short leg is a specialist position which requires immense concentration and bravery to take blows and yet stand up tall to face the music.

Renowned short-leg fielder Eknath Solkar was India’s best bet in that position, someone who rarely let an opportunity go begging. The fact that they didn’t have helmets and shin pads back in the day made it a menacing task to stand close in. The courage is worth a standing ovation and the position deserves value in the game.

#3 The night-watchman

Jason Gillespie frustrated bowlers as a night-watchman

The night-watchman’s role is to play out the end overs of a day’s play in a Test match. It’s a strategy to protect the new batsman either from hostile bowling or from the fading light in the evening. At times, the recognised batsman turns the strike over to protect himself and expose the night-watchman to the bowling.

Bowlers try and get past the defence of the night-watchman, but it is the duty of the night-watchman to add to the agony to the bowlers by defending everything with a dead bat. If they go on to score a few runs, then it piles the agony on the fielding unit besides adding bonus runs to the glee of the batting side.

Jason Gillespie’s double ton at Chittagong in 2006 is one of the greatest knocks by a nightwatchman, coming in at number three and registering his highest individual score. In the process, he also became the first double-centurion as a night-watchman in the history of Test cricket. It’s an important aspect which rightfully deserves attention.

#4 A slow runner at the non-striker’s end

Chris Gayle, rather than running between the wickets, thrived on muscling the ball

It’s imperative for batsmen, especially in limited overs cricket, to convert singles into two and three runs. Running between the wickets is one of the crucial and important aspects of modern day cricket, but there are batsmen who aren’t the swiftest and don’t actually enjoy sprinting from one end to the other. Rather, they look to make it up through big shots.

Nevertheless, if the other batsman on the crease runs like a gazelle, then the chance of miscommunication is uncommon. A batsman running along with the likes of Chris Gayle or Inzamam-ul-Haq would have to put the brakes on and curb their natural instincts.

Running along with a slow runner turns out to be frustrating as there are missed opportunities in scoring runs and also puts less pressure on the outfielders. Somewhere down the line, its importance is high because a comedy of errors resulting in a run-out of either batsman can turn a match on its head.

#5 The drinks carrier

Drinks carrier may not score runs or take wickets but can re-energise players to do so

The drinks break is indeed a refreshment break for players, but there’s a lot more that a drinks break is used for. When a batting team is rollicking along and the batsmen on the crease are nearing a landmark, (century, double-century, triple century) then a message is floated through the man carrying the drinks.

In the first Test between West Indies and Pakistan, Misbah-ul-Haq waited for Azhar Ali to get to his maiden triple ton and then declared the innings. A man with the drinks was constantly hurrying on to the field to send out messages to the batsmen out in the middle.

The same goes to the bowling unit, whereby tactics from the coaching staff can be relayed to bowlers and the captain for a breakthrough.

It’s required to keep the players afresh all along the match. Playing under the scorching sunrays leads to dehydration, which can be detrimental to the player’s health. The break is one of the crucial elements of the game, which shouldn’t be overlooked.