4 successful 'heavyweight' players in cricket

To be a modern-day cricketer and to represent the country, fitness has become a prerequisite. A highly controversial fitness test - The Yo-Yo test has become the ultimate test of fitness. Failing this test, a player howsoever talented and skillful, is not even considered for selection. Most of the top cricket playing nations have adopted the Yo-Yo test as the sole decider of an individual's fitness.

Had this been the case a few years back, cricket fans perhaps wouldn't have had the opportunity to see a few legends in action. These slightly bulky cricketers did not possess the same speed, agility, and flexibility but were instrumental in their team's success. These individuals did not have a chiseled body like modern-day cricketers have but they had an abundance of talent and skills which made up for their lack of agility.

The supreme significance given to Yo-Yo fitness test has been heavily criticized across the cricket community who believe in combining skills and fitness levels in order to take a practical decision.

Let us have a look at 4 such heavyweights who performed exceedingly well for their respective countries.

#4 David Boon - Australia

David Boon was remarkably athletic for a stocky man. He had a heart of a lion and a razor-sharp brain hard-wired to easily handle challenging situations. One of the finest examples of grit and determination - David Boon was neither delightful nor that entertaining with the bat but always attached a price on his wicket.

David Boon was stocky but athletic

Boon made his debut in 1984, and soon became an important member of the Aussie side in both Tests and ODIs. Batting at number 3 in Tests, he scored daddy hundreds - an astonishing 21 tons in 107 matches. Many of these knocks came in the all-important Ashes and against India as well.

The primary reason why Boon was so effective against India was his ability to play spin well. Being an Australian, this rare skill of his was instrumental in Australia's World Cup victory in 1987 which was played in India. A carefully built knock of 75 against England in the finals of 1987 World Cup that held the innings together for the Aussies turned out to be a match-winning one and Boon was adjudged the Man of the Match.

#3 Arjuna Ranatunga - Sri Lanka

Ranatunga was an individual with a 'large' frame, who barely ran quick ones and twos but his elegant shot play and deft touches while batting was enough to lead Sri Lanka to victories more often than not. As a captain, he was aggressive, shrewd and creative. These were the qualities that turned a humble cricket loving island into a force to reckon with.

His strategies like promoting Romesh Kaluwitharna to open the innings in order to take advantage of the 15-overs field restrictions and intelligent field placements in the 1996 World Cup led to the ultimate glory of lifting the trophy.

Arjuna Ranatunga played great deft touches

He amassed over 5000 runs in Tests and over 7000 runs in ODIs with a respectable average of over 35 in both the formats.

Ranatunga was often mocked by fit Australian players for his habit of calling for a runner on many occasions. But his contribution to Sri Lankan cricket is massive and will thus be remembered as a mighty legend.

#2 Shane Warne - Australia

The spin maestro Shane Warne made his debut as a chubby 22-year old and gained weight consistently throughout his career barring a few instances when he made cautious efforts to lose some pounds.

Warne made his debut in 1992 and quickly moved up the ladder becoming the greatest leg-spinner world has ever seen. He fooled batsmen around the globe 708 times in Tests with his square-turning leg-spinners and equally sharp googlies.

Shane Warne was a legendary spinner

He bowled a magical delivery to Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes which is regarded as 'Ball of the century'. A delivery that was pitched well outside leg went on to hit the top of the off stump - a visual that still reverberates in the minds of everyone who witnessed it and perhaps haunts Gatting till date.

Batsmen from South Africa and England had shivers down their spine on seeing Warne at the other end preparing to bowl at them. Warne loved bowling against these two oppositions picking up 325 off his 708 Test wicket against them.

Apart from being a genius with the ball, he was a great slip fielder, a pretty useful batsman, and an inspirational leader as well. He guided his team Rajasthan Royals to IPL glory in the first ever edition of the tournament.

#1 Inzaman-ul-Haq - Pakistan

A burly figure donning the Pakistan jersey, slowly and calmly walking towards the batting crease never seemed intimidating to the opposition until they saw him bat. Former Pakistan skipper and a legend Inzaman-ul-Haq had a tendency of being involved in comical run outs, either getting himself or his partner out on several occasions throughout his career.

His slightly bulky body did not give him the freedom to run as fast as his partner at the other end resulting in a series of chucklesome mixups.

Inzamam was a legend with the bat for Pakistan

Having scored over 8000 runs in Tests at an average of close to 50 and over 11000 runs in ODIs at an average of close to 40, perhaps runout was the only way to get the big man out. Apart from being an absolute genius with the bat, Inzaman was an outstanding skipper who managed to keep the team motivated and sailed them through storms of controversies.

Inzaman made his mark as a 22-year old youngster and an explosive batsman in Pakistan's historic 1992 World Cup campaign when he scored a blistering 60 off 37 balls in the semi-final encounter against New Zealand, snatching a victory out of the jaws of defeat.

25 centuries, 2 double centuries and a triple hundred is a testimony to the fact that Inzaman did have the strength and stamina to play long innings and that his slightly large frame did not hinder his run-scoring abilities.