Top 3 all-condition players in modern cricket

Unlike other sports, cricket is greatly governed by the conditions. Both the nature of the pitch and atmospheric conditions play a vital role in ever match.

There are vastly different conditions in different countries, which influence the contest between bat and ball. Pitches in the subcontinent favor spinners whereas those outside the subcontinent generally aid the faster men.

In India and Sri Lanka, one encounters low and slow pitches. On the other hand, pace and bounce are chief characteristics of surfaces found in Australia, South Africa, England etc.

A cricketer needs different sets of skills to transcend the conditions. Along with technical efficiency, one has to be defiant, tenacious and stubborn to score runs or pick wickets in foreign lands.

Very few cricketers are equally proficient in all conditions. In this article, we will shed a light on 3 such modern cricketers:

1. Virat Kohli

Indian Captain Virat Kohli has proven himself in every condition

Virat Kohli is currently the best batsman in the world. Ranked number one in both the Test and ODI rankings, Kohli has scored runs all around the globe.

Kohli has scored a Test century in every country he has played so far barring Bangladesh, where he has played only one match. His maiden century came against Australia in Adelaide. Away from home, Kohli averages 46.77 whereas on home turf he is averaging 64.68.

The only blot on Kohli’s career was the poor phase which he experienced in England in 2014 – managing to score only 134 runs across 10 innings. But last year, he laid that ghost to rest too by scoring 593 runs on English soil which included 2 centuries.

From the spin of Mumbai to the swing of England, from the bounce of Australia to the pace of South Africa, Kohli has conquered every type of conditions.

2. James Anderson

Anderson has 575 test wickets to his name

A stalwart of English cricket, James Anderson is a proven match winner in a variety of conditions. Known as “king of swing”, Anderson is England’s highest wicket taker. His 575 Test wickets have come at an average of 26.93 and with a strike-rate of 56.20.

In English conditions, Anderson is absolutely lethal. He has claimed 368 wickets on home soil, which is traditionally swing friendly.

But he is also very effective away from home, having picked up 207 wickets in overseas conditions. Anderson was the highest wicket taker when England won the 2010 Ashes in Australia. He was also the chief architect of England’s victory on Indian soil in 2012.

In the latter series, he outdid the Indian batsmen with conventional and reverse swing to help England achieve their first series win in the country after 28 years. Over the years, Anderson has shown that he equally capable both in home and overseas conditions.

3. Steven Smith

Steven Smith's unorthodox style has helped him in accumulating runs around the globe

Former Australian captain Steven Smith is one of the most versatile cricketers of the modern era. His willow has manufactured runs and churned up centuries in every kind of conditions.

Ever since he has started his exaggerated shuffle, his career has taken an upswing. His maiden Test century came in demanding English conditions where he resisted the swing and seam of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Smith boasts an average of 77.25 in Australia. Away from home he averages 50.97.

He also churned out a huge amount of runs when Australia visited Indian shores in 2017. It was due to Smith’s brilliance with bat that Australia gave India a tough fight in spin-friendly conditions. His hundred on rank turner in Pune was one of the greatest knocks played by a foreigner in India.

At times, Smith looks invincible between the 22 yards irrespective of the color of the strip. Be it hard, green or brown, Smith finds his own method to succeed.