Cricket, as a game has been revolutionised over the past few years. With the advent of T20, we have seen a shift in the style of play. Batsmen have become more adventurous with extravagant shot-making, whereas bowlers have become a little more cautious and introduced a few more variations into their bowling.
Over the past decade or so, there have been a few players with a “superhuman” ability to turn a match on its head. There have been instances where one particular player has produced an outstanding performance on the field to take their team home.
The knocks by these “supermen” of cricket are what makes the game even more exciting than what it usually is. The variations in shot making, ability to handle pressure so easily or their pure hard hitting is a sight to behold for cricket fans around the world.
Over the past few years, these few players have changed the definition of batting with their majestic performances and their ability to take the match away from various oppositions.
In this article, we take a look at the 5 “Supermen” in the world of cricket.
#1 AB de Villiers
Who better to kick start this list than Mr. 360 himself? AB De Villiers is arguably one of the most complete cricket player in the world right now. One of the most destructive batsmen currently, bowlers find it extremely difficult to dismiss him as he as a wide range of shots ranging from traditional to unconventional shots. Apart from being a destructive batsman, he has also shown his incredible defensive ability, most recently in the test match in Nagpur, against India.
His ability to play shots all around the wicket is what gained him the nickname Mr. 360. He averages over 50 in both Test and ODI cricket and is also considered as one of the greatest fielders in the world. He has also played as a wicket-keeper and has even picked up wickets with the ball in hand. He currently holds the record of the fastest 50,100 and 150 in ODI cricket.
His contribution towards the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL is nothing short of stunning. Who could forget his heroics in the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League this season where he single handedly took RCB into the finals.
His ability to perform in any given situation and take on the best of bowlers with ease, along with his brilliant fielding and personality is what gives him the title of a “superman”.
#2 Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is arguably the best batsman in the world right now. He has become the most dependable batsman in the current Indian cricket team.
His performances this year have been majestic, having slammed 381 runs in the five-match ODI series against Australia before piling 199 runs from three innings against them in the three-match T20 series, after which he produced a string of magical performances in the t20 world cup, single-handedly taking India to the semi-finals of the event.
He has performed well as the captain of the Indian test team as well and has matured a lot as a player, since his debut.
His adaptability to any type of situation, pitch or bowler is what sets him apart from other batsmen, and his ability to perform under crunch pressure situations is what makes him so special. His passion towards his country and towards the game of cricket is something every cricket fan cherishes.
#3 Andre Russell
West Indies have a knack of producing destructive all-rounders. After the likes of Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, they have produced another one in the form of Andre Russell.
Over the years, Russell has flabbergasted bowlers with his hard hitting and destructive nature with the bat and has proven to be immensely successful with the ball as well – opening the bowling many times for his team.
He came into the limelight during the India-West Indies series in 2011, where he scored an unbeaten 94 of 62 balls in the first ODI after West Indies were in a spot of bother at 95-7. His effort went in vain as India won the ODI with 22 balls to spare. Since then, he has not looked back as he has produced match winning performances time and again.
Most recently, he produced a magical innings scoring a 100 of 42 balls in the Caribbean Premier League.
His ability to produce match winning innings with the ball and the bat is what sets him apart from the other players and gains him a place on this list.
#4 Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world today. Despite being quite inconsistent with his performances, he is one of the most feared batsmen. He is known for his raw hitting ability and for his extravagant shot-making as well.
His performances in the recently concluded T20 series against Sri Lanka were breathtaking, scoring 145 and 66 in the 2 matches that were played. Due to his incredible ton in the first match, Australia went on to score the highest t-20 score, matching the record of the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
On his day, this man can take the match away from any opposition under any circumstance. There is absolutely no stopping him once he gets going. His ability to smash the ball all around the park against the best of bowlers is a sight to behold. This fearless ability of his is what makes him so special and makes him a “superman”.
#5 Jos Buttler
Over the years, England has not produced too many quality finishers with the ability to hit the ball into the stands with ease. In the form of Jos Buttler, it looks like they have finally found the right man for the job.
Since making his debut, he has enjoyed immense success, especially in the shorter formats of the game. His performances translated into him getting elected as the Vice-Captain of the England ODI side.
Jos Buttler has helped bring England's limited-over’s batting into the 21st century and his contributions towards England’s’ success have been massive. Most recently he had England's three fastest one-day hundreds to his name which included a hundred against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and topping the list with a 46-ball onslaught against Pakistan in Dubai.
His raw hitting ability is what makes him stand out and gains him the title of a “superman”
