5 times a player achieved a superhuman run of form

AB de Villiers has mastered all three formats of cricketForm is temporary, class is permanent – so goes the saying. However, the class of a player is defined by the form he goes through and the time-frame of its richness. Anyone can be a one-match or one-season wonder, but the true class of a player is judged by the consistency in form.Not every player can play at top form always. However, there are some players whose prolonged consistency with unreal from forces the fans into believing that the said player is beyond human – something superhuman.And here are 5 such players who went through or are going through a superhuman patch of form…

#5 Kumar Sangakkara

Sangakkara is the first player to score consecutive in CricketWorld Cup

While Mitchell Starc is the most in-form bowler in the world right now, Kumar Sangakkara is the batting equivalent of it. Whenever he comes to bat, we can all be assured that he is going to stick to the pitch for a long time. And he almost always does that.

Sometimes, it is hard to understand whether he is actually a human made of mere flesh and bones and his current form adds more question marks to that.

Since 2014, he has scored 14 centuries in both Tests and ODIs and 2015 is yet to be over. The way he plays his shots, there’s no other left-hander is the world that can replace his technique. Even though he is on the wrong side of 30s, he is still going strong and can be counted to do well in every innings that he bats.

And this is why he is the Superhuman from Sri Lanka.

#4 Ricky Ponting

Ponting holds the record for highest win rate as a captain

Perhaps the greatest Australian captain of all-time. Ricky Ponting was the leader personified for the Kangaroos. Not only was he a brilliant captain, but he was also an exceptional batsmen whose superhuman form in the 2006-circa.

In the calendar year of 2006, ‘Punter’ hit a mammoth 7 centuries in Tests and 2 in ODIs. He was absolutely unstoppable as Australia won the ICC Champions trophy – the competition whose glory eluded them until that point.

Then came 2007 – the year where he scored 5 centuries in ODIs and played a crucial role in Australia winning the World Cup for a record 3rd time.

In those times, it was easier to find Voldemort’s Horcruxes than an innings where this man didn’t do well. This type of inhuman form is what brings his name to the discussion of the greatest batsmen in world cricket.

#3 AB de Villiers

AB is the most versatile cricketer right now

What is the point of a list that accumulates superhuman form and doesn’t have de Villiers’ name in it? That list is no list at all.

The South African has almost always been in superhuman form. However, 2012-2013 were the pinnacle years – they were like the moon among the bunch of stars.

Many claim that he is no normal human, that he is a mutant – and his form those years is perhaps when these claims started to echo. Scoring a total of 14 centuries in both Tests and ODIs, de Villiers made himself known as the most fearful middle-order batsmen in the world.

The fact that almost all of those centuries came while batting at number 5 makes this achievement all the more superhuman.

#2 Hashim Amla

Amla has the ability to perform on every pitch

Ever since his introduction to international cricket, this man has always been in superhuman form. The fastest player to reach 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 runs in ODI cricket. The fastest player to hit 20 centuries in the same format. He is basically the fastest.

One can only wonder what could have been had he arrived earlier at the scene. Perhaps most records set by Sachin Tendulkar would have been eclipsed by this great player.

His greatest year was undoubtedly 2010. That year was his superhuman year as he was unbeatable in both Tests and ODIs. He scored 10 international centuries, 5 in each format of ODIs and Test, and looked unstoppable. He scored a 1000 runs in both the formats, wowing the world with his unreal consistency and class.

#1 Mitchell Starc

Starc played an important role in Australia’s 2015 WC victory

We start off with the player who is currently going through the type of form that borders on inscrutable.

Mitchell Starc is unplayable. Bowling at around 150kmph with a height of 1.96m, he is a nightmare for every batsman. Added to that, he is a left-arm pacer – his biggest strength – and can create awkward angles for the batsmen to deal with.

After playing 41 ODIs, the Australian has taken 83 wickets with an average of just over 18. Just a little over 2 wickers-per-game – these stats are nothing less than insane and it doesn’t look like they will wane anytime soon.

The sheer fear he inflicts on batsmen when he runs in to bowl at them is one of the reasons for this superhuman form. Very few bowlers have done what he is doing and very few ever will.