5 batsmen who redefined the role of attacking play

The cricketing world has gone through abundant changes since it's inception. From the gears used for playing to the invention of colour clothing. From the reduction of balls per over to the increasing amount of runs scored in the power-play. There are some batsmen who are breath-taking stroke players, making the viewers feel their goosebumps with their dexterous shots.

On the other hand, there are some who have revolutionized the game with their explosive batting in the initial overs. Here we take a look at some players who have reinvented the gentleman's game with their attacking persona.

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#5 Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag is widely regarded as one of the most destructive batsmen of all time. Virender Sehwag is known for an extremely attacking style of play and his formidable opening partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. Sehwag holds the record for the fastest triple century as well as the fastest 250 in test cricket. His highest One day score of 219 off 149 deliveries came against West Indies.

Sehwag was given the title “Sultan of Multan” when he scored the first triple century by an Indian. His score of 309 in the first test against Pakistan in Multan helped India garner a score of 675 which lead India to a win in that test. Undoubtedly, Virender Sehwag led the way to the onslaught from the word go and has sown the seeds for the current generation of Indian batsmen to play an attacking brand of cricket.

#4 Sir Viv Richards

Viv Richards

Viv Richards was arguably the greatest West Indian batsman of his time. He was voted one of the five cricketers of the century along with Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs and Shane Warne.

Viv Richards used to send waves of intimidation into the bowlers' minds for his attacking and aggressive although a relaxed persona. For this reason, the word “swagger” is frequently used to describe his batting style.

Viv Richards's highest one day score of 189 came against England at Old Trafford when he rescued his team from a vulnerable position. Viv Richard's herculean innings included 21 fours and five sixes which led West Indies to a daunting total of 272. The menacing bowling attack of West Indies made sure that West Indies win the match comfortably.

Viv Richards's One-day batting average of 47 is a testament to the fact that he was one of the greatest One-day players of all time. His thunderous ability to thwart any bowling attack always gave West Indies the edge, besides having batsmen who were capable of retaining the composure when needed.

#3 AB de Villiers

Abraham Benjamin De Villiers

Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is one of the greatest modern day and the most reputed cricketer in the world. Having made his debut in 2004, his initial role was of a wicketkeeper-batsman. However, for most of the career, he played solely as a batsman. De Villiers currently holds the One-day international record for the fastest 50, 100 and 150.

He is also known as the most innovative batsmen in world cricket, capable of playing shots at every corner of the park. De Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket on 23rd May 2018. De Villiers's only unfulfilled dream at the international arena was winning an ICC tournament which South Africa were deprived of owing to succumbing in every knockout game and the lack of winning crucial group games.

AB de Villiers is by far the greatest batsmen South Africa has ever had. He will be sorely missed by South Africa for the upcoming 2019 World Cup since he is a one-man wrecking crew who can turn the match on its head.

#2 Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist

The man who was sitting right at the stroke when Australia's dominance in world cricket was about to be unleashed. Adam Gilchrist redefined the role of a wicketkeeper-batsman by forming an explosive opening pair along with Matthew Hayden. Adam Gilchrist is the only player to hit 100 sixes in test cricket.

He has maintained a strike rate of nearly 82 in test cricket which is very uncommon for a wicketkeeper-batsman along with plundering 17 centuries. Adam Gilchrist's attacking play had been one of the factors in Australia's three successful world cup campaigns. He has a distinction of scoring at least 50 runs in three successive World Cup finals.

Gilchrist's whirlwind innings of 149 against Sri Lanka in 2007 World Cup final sealed the third successive World Cup for Australia. Adam Gilchrist is also the most successful wicketkeeper for Australia in Test cricket with 379 dismissals. Australia have had relatively less success in finding an attacking wicketkeeper-batsman since Gilchrist's retirement.

#1 Sanath Jayasuriya

Sanath Jayasuriya

The man who was decisive in Sri Lanka's rise to power in international cricket. Sanath Jayasuriya was an all-rounder, who had an international career that spanned over two decades, playing a staggering 445 ODI fixtures. He is the only player to score over 12000 runs and take more than 300 wickets in One-day international cricket.

He brought into play, the powerful striking and credited for having drastically revolutionising one-day international cricket with his turbulent batting display in partnership with Romesh Kaluwitharana. Jayasuriya was adjudged the man of the tournament in 1996 World Cup. As part of his all-round performance, he took 7 wickets and scored 221 runs at an average of 36.83 with a strike rate of 131.55. Glenn McGrath cited Jayasuriya as one of the toughest batsmen to bowl to since his fiery innings from the outset lead them to go back to the drawing board.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Jayasuriya along with Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were the "Big Three" and the pillars of Sri Lankan cricket. Sri Lankan cricket has struggled post their retirement to maintain the standards of competitive cricket.