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In sports, especially cricket, the shelf life of players can be very short. Moreover, not every player gets to be called the greatest or the best in the business.
Over the years, there have been many cricketers who have done their jobs in the most efficient manner possible. But they have mostly been overshadowed by superstars in their teams.
New Zealand wicketkeeper batter BJ Watling, who will retire after the WTC final against India, mostly remained under the shadow of Brendon McCullum throughout his career.
He played his first six Tests as a specialist batter before taking up the full-time wicketkeeper role in 2013. The right-handed batter was at his best when he stitched a record sixth-wicket partnership of 352 runs with McCullum against India in Wellington.
Watling's 124 in that Test was his first century against a top-eight nation. Since then, he has been at the heart of the Black Caps side without much recognition, thanks to the presence of Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and Ross Taylor, to name a few.
Nevertheless, players like Watling concentrate on their job, deliver the goods and leave the stage without yearning for much attention. On that note, let's take a look at the five most underrated cricketers of all time:
#1 Damien Martyn
Damien Martyn, a former cricketer from Western Australia, made batting look simple. For him, batting was like an exercise.
Martyn was an old-school batter and had almost every shot in his books, including a brutal reverse-sweep. His 88-run knock in the 2003 World Cup final was one of the highlights of his career. He batted with a broken finger to propel Australia to a massive total of 359, which put the game beyond India's reach.
He also had a magnificent 13-month streak where he accumulated 1608 Test runs at an average of 61. However, that wasn't enough to put him in the limelight due to the presence of superstars like Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.
Damien Martyn ended his international career with a Test average of 46.37 and ODI average of 40.8, but he never got the recognition he deserved.
#2 Shivnarine Chanderpaul
While the cricketing world was going gaga over Brian Lara's charisma and technique, Chanderpaul proved that one could succeed despite an unorthodox technique.
He thrived with his unique batting style, and by the time he retired in 2015, the left-hander had amassed over 11,000 Test runs under his belt, at an average of over 50. Most of these runs came at a time when West Indies were struggling and needed big partnerships.
Chanderpaul's greatest contribution was holding West Indies' fragile batting order after Lara's retirement. The batter from Guyana scored runs in all conditions and against all bowling attacks, mostly with minimal support from the other end.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul was at his peak in 2008, when he amassed 442 runs in three Tests against Australia at home. His performances were rewarded with the Wisden Cricketer of the Year and ICC Player of the Year awards that year.
Chanderpaul finished only 46 runs short of Lara's tally of 11953 Test runs.
#3 Rangana Herath
Rangana Herath, a left-arm spinner, carried the hopes of the Sri Lankan team almost single-handedly on his shoulders since Muttiah Muralitharan's retirement from international cricket.
Herath banked on his accuracy and ability to bowl long spells to win matches for his team. Not only in Asian conditions, he also proved his credentials on overseas pitches.
The left-arm spinner's match haul of 9 for 128 during Sri Lanka's 2011-12 tour of South Africa was key in his team's maiden victory in that country. The next year, he bowled exceedingly well in Australia, picking up wickets and keeping the runs in check, despite the fast bowlers struggling to exercise any control.
Herath ended his career with a tally of 433 Test wickets at an average of 28.07. Despite finishing as one of the legendary left-hand spinners, Ragana Herath deserved more recognition than what he received.
#4 Younis Khan
One of Pakistan's batting greats, Younis Khan, mostly thrived batting under pressure. He was not the most aesthetically pleasing of batters, but the former captain delivered the goods every time the going got tough.
Khan particularly thrived in the fourth innings on Asian wickets when they were at their most conducive for spinners. Among players with 1000 or more fourth-innings Test runs, Younis' average (50.52) is one of the best.
One of the highlight of his career came when Pakistan locked horns with Australia in the UAE in 2014. Younis Khan notched up two centuries and a double hundred to finish as the highest run-scorer against a mighty Australian bowling attack.
A Test average of over 50, the triple-centurion scored a double-century against India at their own den, which spoke volumes about his class and temperament. Yet, he was never regarded as one of the best among his contemporaries.
#5 Ajit Agarkar
Former India all-rounder Ajit Agarkar had all the ingredients to match up to Kapil Dev but lacked consistenct. Yet, he produced many match-winning performances throughout his career.
While he was not the most popular player around, Agarkar ended his career with a tally of 288 ODI wickets, the third-highest by an Indian after Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath.
He was also a very handy batter in the lower order and played some crucial innings for India. With his 21-ball 50 against Zimbabwe and a Test century at Lord's, Agarkar time and again proved that he was not just another tailender.
Agarkar's career faded during the late 2000s, yet he was an exemplary performer, especially in the early years of his career.
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