The Most Underrated XI in Cricket History

Cricket, fondly called as gentlemen's game, is one of the most followed sports across the globe. In many places, it is treated as a religion. Its players are treated like demigods and every victory is celebrated as a festival.

Since its inception in the late 16th century, the game has produced numerous precociously talented cricketers.

But not all great cricketers got an equal appreciation for their contribution. Due to excessive media attention, the extraordinarily performing players either in their own team or the other teams' players of the contemporary period have often overshadowed the performances of a few equally talented players.

Cricketing history has seen many such players, who despite possessing plenty of talent and performing consistently, haven't got the credit they deserved.

So, let us now take a look at the XI of such underrated cricketers in the history of the game:

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#1 Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook is relatively underappreciated in terms of his achievements in the game

"A saint in the age of tattoos and peroxide bleached hair" - Alastair Cook, might not be the most ostentatious batsman of this modern-day era of batting but was certainly a throwback to the times when openers were very keen to see off the new ball.

For more than a decade, the watchful southpaw did that better than anyone else with the help of his natural ability to consume deliveries at will and bat for days.

With more than 12000 test runs and 33 centuries under his belt, one of the greatest English batsmen to have ever played the game is relatively underappreciated in terms of his achievements in the current era of cricket.

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#2 Gautam Gambhir

Most of his valuable contributions for the team have mostly been masked by the achievements of his better-placed teammates

If ever one thinks of the 2007 ICC World T20 Final, one only remembers the moment of Misbah scooping the ball into the hands of Sreesanth to hand India the trophy.

But nobody remembers Gautam Gambhir's knock of 54-ball-75, which contributed to more than half the Indian team's total, without which India wouldn't have got an ICC World T20 title against their name.

From providing Sehwag an invaluable support at the top of the order in the longer format to batting as a floater in ODIs to the role of an opener in T20Is – Gautam Gambhir’s services are without a doubt are priceless.

However, most of his valuable contributions for the team have mostly been masked by the achievements of his better-placed teammates.

His match-saving 400-ball century in a test match in New Zealand garnered relatively less attention due to the contributions of Sachin and Dravid in the same game.

Gambhir's innings of 122-ball-97, perhaps one of the greatest knocks in the history of Indian cricket, in the final of 2011 Cricket World Cup, was not as much talked as Dhoni's knock of 91* at the end.

Besides these famous examples, there were many instances that prove Gambhir is one of the most underappreciated cricketers in the history of cricket.

#3 Younis Khan

Younis Khan has been an excellent servant for Pakistan cricket

From being under the shadows of Inzamam and Saeed Anwar for around half of his career to finishing as the only Pakistani player to score 10000 test runs is a no mean achievement.

Younis Khan is one of the very cricketers to have an average of over 50 in tests either playing at home, away or at neutral venues.

His legendary achievements in Test format - a career average of 52, centuries against all Test playing nations, 34 tons, six double hundreds and a triple hundred - have certainly not got the recognition he deserves in the world of cricket.

#4 Michael Hussey

Hussey went onto become a complete batsman of all-formats

Fondly known as Mr.Cricket, Michael Hussey is another prime example of a cricketer born in the wrong era.

Despite making his debut at the age of 28 and 30 in ODIs and Tests respectively, Hussey went onto become a complete batsman of all-formats. With almost 50 average in both Tests and ODIs, Hussey had bailed his team out of trouble on numerous occasions.

However, playing along with a star-studded team of players - Ponting, Gilchrist, and Hayden - Hussey was underappreciated for his achievements and his contributions for the team.

#5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul

With more than 10,000 runs in test cricket and 9000 runs in ODIs, Chanderpaul served West Indies cricket for more than two decades

When it comes to underappreciated cricketers, West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul certainly will find his name in the top three of all such lists.

With more than 10,000 runs in test cricket and 9000 runs in ODIs, Chanderpaul served West Indies cricket for more than two decades. His tally of 41 tons and 125 fifties speaks volumes of his caliber.

For all his services to the Caribbean team, he was subjected to needless pressure by the administration and eventually bid goodbye to international cricket in January 2016 without getting a farewell match.

#6 Angelo Mathews

Angelo Mathews has been doing a great role for Sri Lanka during their transition period

Whenever there's talk of great all-rounders of this era, Angelo Mathews' name rarely gets an honor. For someone who scored in excess of 5000 runs each at an average of over 40 in both ODIs and Tests with the bat and mustered around 150 international wickets the ball, it is hugely unfair.

If numbers alone don't suggest how valuable a player he is, the number of match-winning performances he put up both with bat and ball on numerous occasions to bail his team out of trouble do.

Besides donning the role of an all-rounder to the perfection, he has been playing a key role by guiding the younger players in the team during this tough transition period. For all his invaluable services the game, Mathews has certainly not got the credit he deserves.

#7 Mark Boucher

Boucher was not as hailed as his longtime opponent Adam Gilchrist and was underappreciated

A complete wicketkeeper who could keep wickets with equal finesse to all kinds of bowlers, Mark Boucher, without a doubt one of the greatest wicketkeepers of all time.

The Proteas wicketkeeper-batsman holds the record for most number of dismissals in tests by 532 catches and 23 stumpings in 147 Tests.

Besides being a purist behind the stumps, Boucher had been a more than a handly explosive lower-order batsman with an average in excess of 30 across the formats.

His knock of 43-ball-50 in the record 434-run chase against Australia at the Wanderers in 2006, dismantling the potent Aussie bowling will remain etched in the record books as a special knock.

After being severely injured by a bail in his right eye during a warm-up in 2012, Boucher announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket.

For all his services to the cricket, Boucher was not as hailed as his longtime opponent Adam Gilchrist and was underappreciated.

#8 Rangana Herath

The 40-year-old has been his country’s biggest match-winner with the ball after the retirement of the great Muttiah Muralitharan

With more than 520 wickets in international cricket Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath is one of the greatest spin bowlers in the history of the game. The 40-year-old has been his country’s biggest match-winner with the ball after the retirement of the great Muttiah Muralitharan.

Despite his numerous achievements and invaluable contributions to Srilankan cricket, Herath for some reason have never got the appreciation he deserves. Getting better with the age, Herath is a perfect role model for younger generations to follow.

#9 Mathew Hoggard

Mathew Hoggard could have been used more by England

One of the finest swing bowlers of the early 20th century, England's Mathew Hoggard, has proved that one may not have to be the fastest or tallest to be a great pace bowler. Instead, Hoggard showed that one can achieve the same with consistency and effort.

With 248 wickets in 67 matches, Hoggard was named as one of the five "Wisden Cricketers of the year" in 2006.

However, in 2008 he was dropped from the team to make a way for youngsters. In the very same year, Hoggard announced his retirement to end his highly successful eight-year international career. Given his exceptional ability to swing the ball, England could have used his services for some more time.

#10 Lakshmipathy Balaji

Balaji is known for his swing and tight line and lengths to contain the batsman

The Chennai born bowler was fondly known as the smiling assassin and was one of the frontline bowlers of the team India for over a decade.

Balaji is known for his swing and tight line and lengths to contain the batsman. He is an all-format bowler with decent numbers in the limited opportunities he had got.

However, after an injury, he fell out of favor and never really made a comeback to the team since 2012 and eventually announced retirement from all forms of cricket in 2016.

However, for all his talent and contributions to the team, he was underused and underappreciated.

#11 Morne Morkel

Morkel has also gone under the radar and not quite gained the limelight like his other teammates

The lanky speedster from South Africa had been one of their major trump cards with the ball for more than a decade.

With around 500 international wickets under his belt, Morne is one of the greatest South African fast bowlers to have played the game.

Like many other great cricketers who have not got the appreciation they deserve for some reason, Morkel has also gone under the radar and not quite gained the limelight like his other teammates. Following his retirement from international cricket in March this year, Morkel signed a two-year contract with Surrey as a Kolpak registered player.