EA released the last game in their cricket series, Cricket 07, back in 2006. Though the game is almost eleven years old, it is still played with mods and third party patches.
Cricket 07 was the most realistic cricket game of the time and was an instant hit amongst cricket fans in India. EA offered various formats in the game, a special mode being the Ashes series. Though EA lost licensing of most of the teams and player kits, they made sure to give similar names to generic players so they can be relatable to their real life counterparts.
Players in the game have been given skill ratings, which affects the overall gameplay of Cricket 07. Let’s find out how Cricket 07 rates the best Indian batsmen.
#5 V Lexington (VVS Laxman) – 86
V Lexington, or VVS Laxman, was a right-handed batsman playing in the lower middle order for the Indian team. He is known for his wonderful stroke play under pressure, making the bowlers think where to bowl him.
He had a rare ability to hit a ball on either on side or off side, similar to his idol Azharuddin’s batting style. In spite of his skill as a batsman, VVS, or ‘Very Very Special’, lacked consistency and many times returned to the dressing room for twenties and thirties.
Cricket 07 rates Laxman’s batting skill at 86, with batting strengths of straight drive, on drive, leg glance, glance off hips, and pull shot. He doesn’t have any batting weaknesses, nor has any special batting skill.
Also Read: 5 most underrated players in EA Cricket 07
#4 S Gungly (Sourav Ganguly) – 88
Saurav Ganguly took over reins of the Indian cricket team at a time when match-fixing allegations had marred the game of cricket in India. He is credited with bringing out class performances from young players while infusing aggression and passion in the Indian team.
The left-handed batsman is also known for his damaging partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar. Regarded as one of the greatest ODI batsmen, and India’s most successful Test captain in modern times, Saurav Ganguly has made a vast contribution to Indian cricket.
‘Dada’, as Sourav Ganguly is affectionately called, has a batting skill of 88 in EA Cricket 07. Critics say Ganguly has problems facing bouncers and Cricket 07 too puts his batting weaknesses on ‘short pitched bowling’.
The Maharaja of Cricket, as author Debashish Dutta terms Ganguly, has an innate skill for playing offside shots. His batting strengths in the game include- cover drive, square drive, straight drive, on drive, square cut, and back foot cover drive. He has a single special batting skill, ‘Slogger’.
#3 V Seway (Verandar Sehwag) – 88
Sehwag has been India’s most destructive opening batsman till date. He was known for his attacking style of batting and was described as the ‘most exciting opener in the world’ by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, in 2005.
Cricket 07 does justice to Sehwag’s potential, rating his batting skill at 88 and batting attack at 94. Viru, as he is fondly called, has batting strengths of cover drive, straight drive, on drive, leg glance, back foot on drive, and glance off hips.
The right-handed batsman’s special batting skill is ‘Slogger’, which complements his unorthodox style of batting to take risks. He is a top order batsman in Cricket 07’s India roster and an important part of the team.
#2 R Dravia (Rahul Dravid) – 94
R Dravia is a generic player based on the real life cricketer Rahul Dravid. Dravid, known for his defensive style of playing, is even hailed as ‘The Wall’ for his ability to stay on the crease for an extended period.
R Dravia has a batting skill rating of 94 in Cricket 07, and none of his ratings fall below 92. The right-handed batsman has batting strengths of - on drive, sweep, back foot cover drive, back foot straight drive, back foot on drive, and glance off hips.
His special batting skills in Cricket 07 include ‘Defensive Wall’ and ‘Spin Expert’. Dravid is the third highest run scorer in Test cricket and is regarded as one of the best batsmen in the history of the game.
#1 S Tendehar (Sachin Tendulkar) – 98
Sachin Tendulkar needs no introduction to a cricket fan, or anyone else for that matter, and is widely regarded as the best batsman of all time. Cricinfo columnist Sambit Bal describes Tendulkar as ‘the most wholesome batsman of his time’.
S. Tendehar, or Sachin Tendulkar, is the most skilled batsman in Cricket 07 with a skill rating of 98. The God of Cricket’s lowest rating is 95, and he delivers a wonderful gameplay in Cricket 07.
As expected of the star batsman, the Master Blaster has no batting weaknesses in the game, while his strengths include- square drive, cover drive, straight drive, on drive, square cut, leg glance, sweep, back foot cover drive, back foot straight drive, back foot on drive, glance off hips, pull and hook.
The right-handed batsman has special batting skills of ‘Driver’, ‘Demon Hooker’, ‘Slogger’ and ‘Spin Expert’.
Also Read: 5 most skilled batsmen in EA Cricket 07
