There are several players in cricket who have achieved success by playing in their own unique style. However, there are a few who play, or at least have modelled, their game in the same manner as these greats.Here’s a look at 5 current players who remind you of some of the greats of the game:
#5 Tagenarine Chanderpaul (Shivnarine Chanderpaul)
If you think that only Shivnarine Chanderpaul could bat the way he does, well, you may have to think again. 18-year-old Tangerine Chanderpaul, son of the great left-hander, is another who seems to bat in a slightly unorthodox manner.
Here’s a video of Junior Chanderpaul batting in a domestic match.
You may not find the similarities if you compare his stance to the current stance of his father’s. But when you move back in time and watch the old clippings of Shivnarine, you would understand why I think so.
Chanderpaul Sr., later changed his stance to prevent falling over, a technical adjustment.
#4 Kane Williamson (Rahul Dravid)
Having started out as a 20-year-old four years ago, Kane Williamson has gone on to become Mr. Consistent for the Kiwis. The talented No.3 has shown that not only can he score runs consistently in Test cricket but can be equally effective in the shorter form of the game, as well.
The most impressive aspect of his batting is that he gets his runs by playing correct cricketing shots, and this is reminiscent to the manner in which another No.3, Rahul Dravid, got his runs. Known for his simple batting methods, the Banglorean relied on playing cultured shots to get his runs, and a similar trend can be observed in Williamson’s batting, as well.
#3 Yasir Shah (Shane Warne)
Despite being relatively new to international cricket, Yasir Shah has looked similar in many ways to the champion leg-spinner from Australia. A simple action, nice loop and the ability to pick wickets and contain the run-flow as per the requirement have earned the leggie praises from several quarters, including Shane Warne himself who tweeted in praise of him.
#2 Kushal Perera (Sanath Jayasuriya)
Prior to the 1996 World Cup, teams generally tend to bat conservatively in the first 15 overs of an ODI game. However, all that changed when Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana came out with the mindset of making the initial overs count in the tournament; they tore the opposition attack to shreds. Jayasuriya, in particular, was at his devastating best, taking all the bowlers to the cleaners and bringing in about a refreshing change in approach to the initial part of the innings.
Little did anyone know that roughly 18 years later, we would be talking about another opener at the top who would be remind us of the Matara Marauder. The player we are talking about is the Sri Lankan opener Kushal Perera. In his short international career thus far, the left-hander has looked similar in many ways to Jayasuriya, but his consistency in giving good starts to his side hasn't been as much as one would have desired.
#1 Darren Bravo (Brian Lara)
Right from the moment the younger Bravo made his debut for the West Indies, comparisons with Brian Lara became inevitable. The stance, the drive, etc., are all reminiscent of the genius from Trinidad. Also, the fact that Bravo is the nephew of the great man could be the reason why he is able to replicate the genius of Lara.
However, the 25-year-old hasn't set the world on fire, having scored only 6 centuries in 32 Test matches for his country. In ODI cricket, as well, the man from Trinidad hasn’t been as consistent as he should have been, scoring just 2 centuries in 79 ODI games.
