5 Dream Battles Every Cricket Fan Would Have Loved To Watch

In the long and rich history of Test Match cricket, there have been several great players who have redefined their respective eras and given fans memories that will last a lifetime. With the transition from one era to another, there has also been a gradual change in the way the game has been played.

So, there are bound to be comparisons and the common question of, how a great batsman of one era would have fared if he were to play a set of bowlers of another era crops up.

So, let us take ‘Time’ out of the equation and actually look at the 5 dream battles which would have been mouth-watering to watch had they actually happened.

#5 Sachin Tendulkar vs Joel Garner

Joel Garner was part of a fearsome four-pronged pace attack of the mighty West Indies, widely acclaimed to be the greatest ‘pace quartet’ in Test Match history. At 6 feet 8 inches, Garner sent shivers down the spine of many great batsmen with his venomous pace and vicious bounce.

On the other hand, you have Sachin Tendulkar, a master with the willow, who for almost a quarter of a century captivated the cricketing world with his astounding stroke play. Tendulkar’s ability to pick the length early and play with the field made him the greatest player of his generation.

This battle would have been a classic one-the venomous pace of Garner against the mastery of Tendulkar.

#4 Sunil Gavaskar vs Shane Warne

Shane Warne

Warne was a magician, a conjuror of tricks who baffled many great batsmen he bowled to. His ability to get the ball to drift in the air and extract vicious turn off the pitch made him almost unplayable. Gavaskar, on the other hand, had a defence that was almost impossible to penetrate, a monk-like concentration and unflappable technique that made him the most prized scalp of his generation.

While one little master(Tendulkar) got the better of Warne in their classic duel, it would have been very interesting to see the magic of Warne against the original ‘Little Master’.

#3 Vivian Richards vs Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar

There is this one argument that says that Vivian Richards never played the fastest and the most fiercest bowlers of his era because they were all in his own team. So, this classic battle of Viv Richards taking on Shoaib Akhtar would have been a classic one.

Richards was a man who just dismantled bowlers and dismissed the ball from his presence with sheer disdain. His typical swagger combined with brutal power made him the most feared batsman of his generation. Shoaib Akhtar, on the other hand, was an express, a man who consistently bowled in the region of 95 Mph. He has rattled even the best of batsmen with raw pace. So, this battle of fire taking on fire would have been incredible.

#2 Virat Kohli vs Glenn Mcgrath

Kohli and McGrath

If there was one man who made the likes of Tendulkar and Lara uncomfortable, it was the great Glenn Mcgrath. His impeccable line and length coupled with his ability to make the ball move after it hits the deck made him a match winner for his team.

Virat Kohli, on the other hand, is a batting dynamo who has been plundering runs at will against every opposition. Kohli’s insatiable hunger for runs coupled with his intent to dominate has makes him undoubtedly the best batsman of the modern era. Mcgrath with his line and great control might have probably made things a lot tougher for Virat and made it a riveting battle to watch.

#1 Don Bradman vs Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram

Don Bradman is the ultimate batting divinity, a man whose greatness is beyond question. His average of 99.94 is considered the greatest achievement ever in the history of the sport. He was a man who plundered runs against the English during the era of the Great Depression and took batting to heights unmatched till today.

But maybe, a bowler of the caliber of Wasim Akram could have posed a question or two to the great Don. Known as the ‘Sultan Of Swing for his ability to make the ball talk, the great Wasim Akram was a master craftsman who bamboozled many great batsmen. His ability to bowl toe crushing in swingers and sharp vicious bouncers made Akram the greatest Left Arm Pacer ever, in the history of the game.

What a battle it would have been-‘The Don’ facing up to Akram.