5 batsmen from cricket history who have always given the fans their money's worth

In the list of best batsmen in the world, there are some regular names that are always at the top. These are the batting legends; their style of play is admired by many people, and even their fellow cricketers praise their batting.

Virat Kohli is unarguably one of those batsmen, and he is approaching the age of 30 as the most relentless and popular performer the cricket world has seen in recent times. He is one of the best batsmen to have ever played cricket; he is a run-machine for India and the backbone of the team.

There is no better batsman than Kohli in chases. He says targets allow him to think clearly and pace his innings. He has slammed 19 tons in successful chases which is the highest in the world.

But in addition to Kohli, the sport of cricket has produced a few other players who have been an absolute treat for the eyes. Let's have a look at five batsmen who anybody would pay to watch:

#1 AB de Villiers (South Africa)

AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers is often called Mr. 360 because of his ability to strike the ball anywhere against any bowler. De Villiers is one of the most prominent players of all time, and is a treat to watch for the fans.

The 44-ball 149 that he scored against West Indies is one of the best ODI innings of all time. When he comes in to bat, everything seems to be under his control. He is the record holder for the fastest 50(16), 100 (31), and 150(64) in ODI history.

#2 Sachin Tendulkar (India)

Sachin Tendulkar

Probably the biggest cricket icon the game has ever known, Tendulkar is a man whose brilliance and greatness cannot be defined in mere words.

His career was based on defying the odds, and he redefined the benchmarks for brilliance, consistency, and length of service.

Tendulkar is the leading run scorer of all time in international cricket. His record in ODIs (463 ODIs, 18,426 runs and 49 centuries) remains unmatched to this day.

#3 Chris Gayle (West Indies)

Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli

If Chris Gayle is in the mood, then the bowlers experience suffer nightmares, and the fans are in for a Gayle-storm of sixes. Gayle is known for his hitting prowess, and has destroyed many bowling attacks over the years.

Gayle has scored the most runs in T20s (11,737 runs and counting), most hundreds (21), and fastest century (30 balls in IPL).

He is considered one of the greatest batsmen of all time in limited-overs cricket and is also regarded as arguably the best T20 batsman ever.

#4 Sir Viv Richards (West Indies)

Sir Viv Richards

At a time when quick scoring was not a prerequisite for the batsmen, Viv Richards smashed the bowlers to all parts of the ground. His batting was a devastating sight for the opposition bowlers.

But Richards was not a slogger. 8,000+ Test runs at a 50+ average with 24 centuries cannot possibly have come from mere slogging.

Richards used to hook the ball exceptionally well, often without wearing a helmet, and he was equally comfortable against pace and spin.

He is widely regarded as the father of modern-day aggressive batting, and his records were far and away the best of his time.

#5 Steve Smith (Australia)

Steve Smith

Steve Smith started his career as a leg-spinner who could bat a bit. However, his batting talent was such that after a few years he was named Australia's captain, and he also became the number one Test batsman in the world.

Arguably the best Test batsman at present, Smith has mastered the art of scoring runs. He is considered a modern legend, and has been plundering runs at will in the last few years.

In his 64 Test matches, Smith has scored 6199 runs at an exceptional average of 61.37 with 23 centuries to his name.