Ever since international cricket came into existence in the late nineteenth century, several sportsmen played with distinction. The period from 1973 to 1994 was a golden era for test cricket because four great all-rounders from four relatively weak test playing teams played during the same period. They catapulted their teams to victories from seemingly hopeless situations with their sheer individual performances. Below is a brief recapitulation of their performances during that era.
He was always like a precision-guided missile and a predecessor to Glenn McGrath of Australia. He could put all the six balls on the same spot in an over. In a career spanning more than 15 years he took 431 test wickets and was considered to be a dangerous swing bowler even at the age of 40 in the late eighties.
Fought Successfully when his ‘back was pushed against the wall’
In 1980, when everyone wrote him off and his place in the team was under threat against the visiting West Indian team, he bowled with great venom and secured a great series win. When the Kiwi team visited India in 1988, though he lost his pace due to age and had to fight against dehydration due to excessive heat in the sub-continent, he remained their spearhead with his lethal swing bowling and fought very hard along with John Bracewell, the off-spinner, in their win over the hosts in the second test. His batting was also very handy and tore several bowling attacks to shreds when his team was in need of runs. He scored more than three thousand runs in his test career. In short, he was a one-man-army in the New Zealand team of the eighties.
He made his debut against Pakistan in 1978 and went on to play 131 tests and took 434 test wickets and scored more than 4500 runs. He also took more than 250 wickets in one-day cricket in a career lasting up to 1994. Until his arrival into the team, spinners dominated the Indian team with insignificant roles for pace men. So his pace and out-swingers earned him the great respect of fans the world over.
A Complete team- man
The two sterling feats of this legendary all-rounder were the five-wicket haul against Australia in Melbourne (in 1980), when Australia was dismissed for 83 runs chasing 140 runs for a win and the phenomenal effort of 175 not out in a crucial World Cup match against Zimbabwe in 1983 when India were 17 for 5. This knock finally inspired the Indian team to win that World Cup.
As time went on, his out-swing and pace deserted him but he went on to regain them finally in the 1991 series against Australia with his tally of 24 wickets in 5 tests. He scored eight test centuries and retired gracefully in 1994.
Through his selfless attitude, lead-by-example approach and aggressive cricket, he redefined the sober image of the Indian cricket. Thus, he was affectionately called ‘the mighty Himalayan Man’ and ‘Haryana Hurricane’.
This charismatic all-rounder was the messiah of Pakistan cricket as he led Pakistan to the world cup win in 1992 in Australia with his shrewd captaincy. It was said that he could select a team of his choice as he had an uncanny knack of spotting the emerging talent. Thus, several great Pakistani Players like Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis owe their initiation to test cricket to him.
A charismatic skipper
It was a tribute to his skills that even when he could not bowl a single ball in the years 1984 and 1985 due to shin fracture, he was selected as a batsman by the selectors. He reposed their faith by contributing magnificently during the tours of Australia and England. He proved that he was a perfect all rounder with his match winning batting performances against South Africa, New Zealand and England during world cup in 1992. He was also an athletic fielder and above all an awe-inspiring skipper. He was a fiery pace bowler in the early eighties. He mixed up his pace with in-swinging Yorkers and thus crippled the forward movements of the batsmen. Even great batsmen like Sunil Gavaskar and David Gower found his bowling very tough to negotiate.
This great English cricketer was the answer to the prayers of the English fans to find a potent weapon against the Aussie pace menace led by Lillie, Thompson and Pascoe in the late seventies. Along with Bob Willis, David Gower, Mike Gatting and Graham Gooch, he formed the nucleus of the English team of the eighties that stood for its ruthlessness and scintillating cricket. Making his debut in 1977, he played up to 1992. He was a lethal out swing bowler who took 378 test wickets and scored more than 5000 test runs with 13 centuries.
Fighter to the core
On several occasions, it was entirely due to his efforts that England came back from losing situations to win. This happened especially against their arch-rivals, the Aussies, and hence he became very popular with the ‘Barmy Army’. The Golden Jubilee test against India in 1981 was another example, as, along with Bob Taylor, with his century and five wickets, he scripted an English win from a hopeless situation.
Though dogged by several controversies and an unsuccessful captaincy record, he can be best remembered for his hard-hitting batting, handsome physique, cross country walks to raise funds for social causes and also for his friendship with his Somerset county teammate, Vivian Richards. In these ways, he set the stage for Andrew Flintoff, the current heartthrob of the English fans.
Sir Richard Hadlee
He was always like a precision-guided missile and a predecessor to Glenn McGrath of Australia. He could put all the six balls on the same spot in an over. In a career spanning more than 15 years he took 431 test wickets and was considered to be a dangerous swing bowler even at the age of 40 in the late eighties.
Fought Successfully when his ‘back was pushed against the wall’
In 1980, when everyone wrote him off and his place in the team was under threat against the visiting West Indian team, he bowled with great venom and secured a great series win. When the Kiwi team visited India in 1988, though he lost his pace due to age and had to fight against dehydration due to excessive heat in the sub-continent, he remained their spearhead with his lethal swing bowling and fought very hard along with John Bracewell, the off-spinner, in their win over the hosts in the second test. His batting was also very handy and tore several bowling attacks to shreds when his team was in need of runs. He scored more than three thousand runs in his test career. In short, he was a one-man-army in the New Zealand team of the eighties.
Kapil dev Nikhanj
He made his debut against Pakistan in 1978 and went on to play 131 tests and took 434 test wickets and scored more than 4500 runs. He also took more than 250 wickets in one-day cricket in a career lasting up to 1994. Until his arrival into the team, spinners dominated the Indian team with insignificant roles for pace men. So his pace and out-swingers earned him the great respect of fans the world over.
A Complete team- man
The two sterling feats of this legendary all-rounder were the five-wicket haul against Australia in Melbourne (in 1980), when Australia was dismissed for 83 runs chasing 140 runs for a win and the phenomenal effort of 175 not out in a crucial World Cup match against Zimbabwe in 1983 when India were 17 for 5. This knock finally inspired the Indian team to win that World Cup.
As time went on, his out-swing and pace deserted him but he went on to regain them finally in the 1991 series against Australia with his tally of 24 wickets in 5 tests. He scored eight test centuries and retired gracefully in 1994.
Through his selfless attitude, lead-by-example approach and aggressive cricket, he redefined the sober image of the Indian cricket. Thus, he was affectionately called ‘the mighty Himalayan Man’ and ‘Haryana Hurricane’.
Imran Khan Niazi
This charismatic all-rounder was the messiah of Pakistan cricket as he led Pakistan to the world cup win in 1992 in Australia with his shrewd captaincy. It was said that he could select a team of his choice as he had an uncanny knack of spotting the emerging talent. Thus, several great Pakistani Players like Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis owe their initiation to test cricket to him.
A charismatic skipper
It was a tribute to his skills that even when he could not bowl a single ball in the years 1984 and 1985 due to shin fracture, he was selected as a batsman by the selectors. He reposed their faith by contributing magnificently during the tours of Australia and England. He proved that he was a perfect all rounder with his match winning batting performances against South Africa, New Zealand and England during world cup in 1992. He was also an athletic fielder and above all an awe-inspiring skipper. He was a fiery pace bowler in the early eighties. He mixed up his pace with in-swinging Yorkers and thus crippled the forward movements of the batsmen. Even great batsmen like Sunil Gavaskar and David Gower found his bowling very tough to negotiate.
Ian Terence Botham
This great English cricketer was the answer to the prayers of the English fans to find a potent weapon against the Aussie pace menace led by Lillie, Thompson and Pascoe in the late seventies. Along with Bob Willis, David Gower, Mike Gatting and Graham Gooch, he formed the nucleus of the English team of the eighties that stood for its ruthlessness and scintillating cricket. Making his debut in 1977, he played up to 1992. He was a lethal out swing bowler who took 378 test wickets and scored more than 5000 test runs with 13 centuries.
Fighter to the core
On several occasions, it was entirely due to his efforts that England came back from losing situations to win. This happened especially against their arch-rivals, the Aussies, and hence he became very popular with the ‘Barmy Army’. The Golden Jubilee test against India in 1981 was another example, as, along with Bob Taylor, with his century and five wickets, he scripted an English win from a hopeless situation.
Though dogged by several controversies and an unsuccessful captaincy record, he can be best remembered for his hard-hitting batting, handsome physique, cross country walks to raise funds for social causes and also for his friendship with his Somerset county teammate, Vivian Richards. In these ways, he set the stage for Andrew Flintoff, the current heartthrob of the English fans.
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