4 captains who batted left-handed and bowled right-handed

If one compares the number of players who bat right-handed, to the number of players who bat left-handed, it is easy to understand that there is a clear disproportion. The number of players who bat right-handed are way greater than the number of players that bat left-handed.

Now, combine the number of players that bat left-handed and bowl right-handed. This is a rare combination.

Here, we look at four popular captains who batted left-handed but bowled right-handed in the international cricket.

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#4 Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle is one of the all-time greats of West Indies. He has represented the country in 281 ODIs and scored 9585 runs at an average of 37.01 with 15 centuries and 37 half-centuries. He is third on the list of highest number of sixes hit in ODIs.

He has also played in 103 test matches, scoring 7214 runs at a breath-taking average of 42.19 with 15 centuries and 37 half-centuries. On his day, he is the worst nightmare for bowlers and is capable of winning matches single-handedly.

A career filled with full of accolades, he is the first batsman to score a century in each of International cricket's three formats of the game. Gayle is also the first batsman to score a triple century in test cricket, double century in ODI format and a century in T20.

He captained the West Indies in both ODI and Test formats, and was captain of the test team in 20 matches. The Windies only won 3 of them, lost 9 and drew 8. During his 53-match captaincy career, the team won 17, lost 30 and 6 of those ended in a no-result.

Gayle is a right arm off break bowler and bowled regularly. He picked up 165 wickets in the ODIs and also has 73 victims to his name in test cricket.

#3 Arjuna Ranatunga

Arjuna Ranatunga

Arjuna Ranatunga is widely acclaimed as the greatest captain of Sri Lanka and led the team to World Cup title in 1996. He has featured in 93 tests for the country and scored 5105 runs at an average of 35.70 with 4 centuries and 38 half-centuries. He also played for the team in 269 matches, scored 7456 runs at an average of 35.85 with 4 centuries and 49 fifties.

He captained the Sri Lankan Cricket Team in 193 ODIs and the team 89 of those, lost 95, 9 ended in no-result. During his time as the skipper of the country's test team in 56 games, the team won 12, lost 19 and drew 25.

He bowled right arm medium, and in ODIs, he picked up 79 wickets while in Tests, he scalped 16 wickets.

#2 Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith was the first player to lead in 100 Test matches. A legendary cricketer who enjoyed the same success even as captain, Smith has scored 9265 runs at an average of 48.26 after playing in 117 test matches. Smith was also a regular feature in the ODI team and played 197 matches, scored 6989 runs at an average of 37.98 with 10 centuries and 47 half-centuries.

Smith has captained in 149 ODIs and 109 tests. His team enjoyed a great success under his captaincy. He is widely acclaimed as the greatest test skipper of all time.

He bowled right arm medium, as a part-time bowler to break the partnership and has 18 wickets to his name in the ODI format. He also picked up 8 wickets in test cricket.

#1 Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly is one of the greatest skippers of all time. Gangulyfeatured in 113 Test matches and 311 ODIs for India, and scored more than 18000 international runs under his belt.

Ganguly led India to some of its greatest victories. He captained India in 147 ODI matches, where India won 76 of those, lost 66 and 5 ended in a no-result. He also enjoyed similar success as the captain in Test format. He captained the team in 49 tests, where the team won 21 of those, lost 13 and drew 15. India scaled new heights during Ganguly's captaincy.

Ganguly bowled right arm medium and was a useful sixth bowler in the bowling line up. He picked up 32 wickets in the Test format and also had 100 victims in the ODIs.