6 kinds of cricketers missing in modern cricket

Modified Jan 20, 2017 09:41 IST

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan bowls during the 5th NatWest One Day International between England and Pakistan at The Rose Bowl on September 22, 2010 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) — Who can forget the pacey Shoaib Akhtar who set the World ablaze with his speed

#5 The Arjuna Ranatunga kind

26 May 1999: Arjuna Ranatunga, the captain of Sri Lanka, looks on in despair as India score freely in The Cricket World Cup Match played at Taunton. Mandatory Credit: Julian Herbert/ALLSPORT — The former Sri Lankan skipper showed that even the unfit have a place in this game

The captain who lifted Sri Lanka to the top of the world in 1996 at Lahore, Arjuna Ranatunga fought against all odds and made instinctive decisions to help Lanka beat a strong Aussie side in the finals.

Fitness wasn’t a trait that he was known for; he was on the bulkier side and relied on the ones and twos. A slow cricketer, he showed that less fitter and languid shot makers had a place in this game. He wasn't alone, though. There was the influential Pakistani batsman, Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was a batsman of a similar mould.

(Video Courtesy: Trevor Byers Cricket YouTube Channel)

Both could attack when needed and rotate easily, despite being overweight and unfit. They had impeccable cricketing brains and this trumped every other weakness of theirs. In the modern day, with high fitness standards, such cricketers are a real rarity.

Modern day cricketers closest to this category: Samit Patel (England), Amit Mishra (India)