Top 5 yesteryear players who were tailor-made for T20 cricket

Cricket, as a game, has evolved over the years. The dynamics of the game have completely changed and so has the approach of players.

Gone are the days when Cricket was about seeing the day out, giving respect to good balls or bowling the same line and length over and over again.

With the introduction of T20 cricket, flamboyance has replaced patience, and, aggression has taken the center stage.

T20 cricket has been a crowd puller. Subsequently, cricket boards all over the world have grabbed the opportunity with both hands to keep their finances soaring.

As a result, most of the Test playing nations have their own T20 leagues and every country has got T20 specialists.

Although cricket in the past did not demand aggression, there were a few players who could take the attack to any opposition and turn the game on its head.

Let us look at some players who would have excelled in T20 cricket.

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#5 Romesh Kaluwitharana

Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana can surely be called as the revolutionary cricketers.

This was the pair which changed the perspective of ODI batting around the world. More often than not, the two Sri Lanka batsmen took the attack to the opposition from the outset.

The right-handed batsman, along with Jayasuriya, was instrumental in Sri Lanka winning the 1996 cricket world cup.

His explosive batting often left the opposite teams bewildered. Moreover, he was an exceptional wicket-keeper.

The pocket-dynamite, as the commentators called him, would surely have made a perfect T20 player.

Interesting stats:

Romesh Kaluwitharana played the 1996 World Cup much like T20 with an unbelievable strike-rate. He had the highest overall strike-rate of 140.38 in the 6 games he played in the World Cup.

#4 Mohammad Azharuddin

Azhar had the best wrists in cricket

Born in Hyderabad, Azharuddin was an elegant stroke player on both sides of the field. He was known for his aggressive shot making.

He played multiple whirlwind innings even in Test matches. His most famous hundred came against England at Lords when he hit the three-figure mark in just 87 balls. He was world renowned for the use of his wrists in stroke-making through the leg side.

Moreover, Azharuddin was an exceptional fielder in the slips as well as the outfield.

The stylish batsman would have been the heartthrob of T20 leagues around the world for his match-winning potential and exceptional fielding.

Interesting Stats:

Although Azhar played some unbelievable knocks throughout his career, it was his 62-ball 100 against NZ in 1988 which stands apart. It was the then fastest century in ODI cricket, a record which stood for 8 years.

#3 Javed Miandad

Miandad had the perfect temperament for t20 cricket

Indian fans may have bitter-sweet memories of Javed Miandad. His last ball six against Chetan Sharma has a special place in Indo-Pak cricket rivalry.

Javed Miandad was a street fighter in his own rights. He was never intimidated by the opposition. In fact, he had a knack of getting under the skin of the opposition. He is often regarded as the best cricketer ever produced by Pakistan.

Miandad played numerous attacking innings throughout his career. It was his attitude that made him a legend. He would never go down without a fight.

Furthermore, he had the flair and the charisma to pull big crowds. Surely, he would have been an amazing entertainer had he played T20 cricket.

Interesting Stats:

Miandad had a special connection with the Indian team. Although he scored a plethora of runs against them, the innings of 119* off 77 balls at a strike-rate of 154.54 against India in 1982 was the most special.

It was the fastest ODI century at that time.

#2 Kapil Dev

Kapil was nick-named 'The Flying Jatt'

Probably the best fast bowling all-rounder India has ever seen, Kapil Dev had an aura of his own. The 1983 cricket world cup victory can be attributed to him.

India went into the tournament as underdogs. It was his brilliance with the bat and the ball, at different stages of the tournament, that helped India to lift the World Cup for the first time. His captaincy was highly praised in the tournament and it was his catch of Sir Vivian Richards in the final, that proved to be a turning point.

A genuine fast bowler, a hard-hitting batsman and an amazing fielder, Kapil had everything to excel in T20 cricket. He, surely, would have set the stage on fire in t20 cricket as well.

Interesting Stats:

Although the hard-hitting all-rounder always had his strike rate in the 90s (brilliant for someone who played a majority of his cricket in the 80s), the World Cups brought the best out of him. He had an impact in all the World Cups he played, scoring 669 runs at strike-rate of over 110, to go with 28 wickets in 22 matches.

#1 Sir Vivian Richards

Sir Viv Richards had his own swagger

Perhaps, the most explosive batsman of all time, Vivian Richards was way ahead of his time. A hard-hitting batsman, he could turn the whole game within a matter of few overs.

He was a devastating batsman and the bowlers never dared to sledge him. He has been hailed as the best batsman by many cricketers of his era.

It was his swagger that made him perfect for T20 cricket. Additionally, he was an excellent fielder as well as a quite useful off-spinner.

Fans across the world would die to see him play T20 cricket and bring the roof down. Perhaps, he was born to play T20 cricket. Perhaps, T20 cricket was born in the wrong era.

Interesting Stats:

Vivian Richards played all his cricket in the 70s and 80s. Yet his ODI figures, especially strike-rate of 90.2 in 18 matches, are staggering.