10 Most Underrated Cricketers Of Recent Times

   

Cricket today is the second most popular spectator sport across the world after Football. What was once a game that was played amongst an elite class in England, today is a game popular in streets, parks and grounds across the globe. However, some players despite their records, performances and numbers seem to be forgotten with time. We are speaking of the Underrated Cricketers whose performances have been forgotten. Some of them are overshadowed by legends in their own teams while some are erased from the memories of fans owing to their declining form and fortunes towards the end of their careers. 

   

In this article, we bring you a list of the ten most underrated Cricketers of all time.

Also read: 13 Cricketers Who Faced A Tragic End To Their Career

10. Daniel Vettori

Tests: 362 Wickets in 113 Tests with 50 Fifers and 3 10-Wicket Hauls
4531 runs with a batting average of 30.0 that included 6 Hundreds and 23 Fifties

ODIs: 305 Wickets in 295 ODIs with 2 Fifers. 2253 runs with a batting average of 17.3 including 4 Fifties

The Former Kiwi Captain, Daniel Vettori’s career spanned 18 years where he primarily played as a spinner while making useful contributions with the bat in the lower order. One of few players who played throughout his career wearing glasses, Vettori’s strength was his accurate and economical bowling in tight-match situations. His test record is much better than that in ODIs where he notably has a batting average of 30.0 including 6 centuries and 23 Fifties that show he was not just another lower order batsman. He often rescued New Zealand from middle order collapses. Despite being the first left arm spinner to take 300+ wickets in both Tests and ODIs, Vettori’s performances seem to have faded away in the minds of the fans.

Image Source: ICC (Twitter) 

9. Andy Flower (Zimbabwe)

Tests: 4794 Runs in 63 Matches with an avg. of 51.54 that included 12 Centuries and 27 Fifties. Besides, he also has 151 Catches and 9 Stumpings to his name.

ODIs: 6786 runs in 213 ODIs with an avg of 35.34 that included 4 Centuries and 55 Fifties.
Besides, he also took 141 Catches and 32 Stumpings behind the wicket.

Early in the 90s when Cricket teams across the globe were hunting for good wicket-keeper batsmen, Andy Flower set the bench-mark. A test average of over 50 and ODI average of over 35 playing against the legendary fast-bowling attacks of countries Australia, Pakistan and South Africa in the 90s while donning the gloves behind the stumps was rare in the 90s. But as cricket faded away in Zimbabwe over the past two decades, Andy Flower’s achievements are seldom spoken about. He remains one of the best Wicket-keeper youth and an underrated Cricketers.

Image Source: ICC (Twitter) 

8. Younis Khan (Pakistan) 

Tests: 10,099 runs in 118 Matches at an avg. of 52.05 with 34 Hundreds and 33 Fifties
ODIs: 7,249 runs in 265 Matches at an avg. of 31.24 with 7 Hundreds and 48 Fifties

Younis Khan has scored as many hundreds in Test Cricket as Brian Lara and Sunil Gavaskar playing fewer matches than both. Younis Khan was a part of Pakistan’s middle order for almost 17 years. He has a total of 6 double hundreds to his name. He captained the Pakistani side to its only T20 World Cup victory in 2009. Despite consistent performances over the year, Younis Khan doesn’ find his name amongst other Test Legends of his time like Ponting, Tendulkar, Dravid, Lara and Sangakkara.

Also read: Herald exclusive: Younis Khan, the man in a glass cage

Image Source:  PCB (Twitter) 

7. Javagal Srinath (India) 

Tests: 236 wickets in 67 Tests with 10 Fifers and 1 10-wicket haul.
1009 runs with a batting average of 14.21 and 4 Fifties

ODIs: 315 Wickets in 229 ODIs with 3 Fifers

The man who led the Indian Pace attack for almost a decade in the 90s after Kapil Dev’s retirement, Javagal Srinath is one of the most under-rated Indian Cricketers. Srinath has played 4 World Cups – 1992, 1996, 1999 and 2003 and is India’s highest wicket-keeper in Cricket’s most prestigious tournament (44 Wickets). Srinath is the first bowler to take 300 ODI wickets for Indian and stands as India’s second highest ODI wicket-taker (315 Wickets) after Anil Kumble who has 337 scalps to his name. In the 1999 World Cup which was a tournament featuring fast bowling legends like Akram, Waqar, Pollock, Donald, McGrath and Ambrose, Javagal Srinath emerged as the second fastest bowler of the tournament with a speed of 149.6kph after Shoaib Akhtar who had an average speed of 154.5 kph.

Also read: 11 Impressive Cricket Records Held By Indians

Image Source: ICC (Twitter) 

6. Damien Martyn  (Australia) 

Tests: 4406 runs from 47 matches with an avg of 46.37 including 13 Hundreds and 23 Fifties
ODIs: 5346 runs in 208 Matches with an avg of 40.80 including 5 Hundreds and 37 Fifties

   

When we speak about the almost unbeatable Australian team of the 2000s, we often remember the likes of Ponting, Steve Waugh, Gilchirst, Warne, Brett lee and Mc Grath. Damien Martyn is a name that was always overshadowed by the other legends who played alongside him. He was a crucial part of the Australian middle-order where he scored in the tests with an average of 46.37 and in ODIs at 40.80. Martyn has also played important knocks in the ICC Tournaments. He was the Wisden Cricketer of the year in 2011, Man of the Series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy – 2005 when Australia clinched their first Test Series victory in India in 30 years. He was also Australia’s Test Player of the Year at the 2005 Allan Border Medal. However, Martyn’s achievements have almost been forgotten over the years.

Image Source: Damien Martyn (Twitter) 

5. Shane Bond (New Zealand) 

Tests: 87 Wickets in 18 Tests with 5 Fifers and 1 Ten Wicket Haul.
ODIs: 147 Wickets in 82 ODIs with 4 Fifers

When it comes to Shane Bond, injuries are much more responsible for his name in this list of the underrated Cricketers rather than the fans. Once described as New Zealand’s best fast bowler since the legendary Sir Richard Hadlee, Bond once bowled a 156.4 kph delivery against Indian in the 2003 World Cup. His bowling average of 22.09 in Tests and 20.88 in ODIs speak volumes of his lethal pace. However, injuries throughout his career spanning 9 years and later signing a contract with the rebel Indian Cricket League resulted in him playing just 18 Tests and 82 ODIs. His most memorable performance came against Australia in the 2003 World Cup where he rattled the batting line up of the World Champions finishing with match figures of 6-23.

Image Source: ICC (Twitter) 

4. Hasim Amla (South Africa) 

Tests: 9282 runs in 124 Tests with an average of 46.64 including 28 Centuries and 41 Fifties
ODIs: 8113 runs in 181 ODIs with an average of 49.46 including 27 Centuries and 39 Fifties

A man who largely stayed away from the glamour, social media, controversies and public presence outside the Cricket field, Hasim Amla was one of those Cricketers who kept on scoring for their team without enjoying much limelight. Amla’s batting records make him a modern day legend. Amla holds the record for being the fastest ever to reach 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 ODI runs. He was one of the very few players who excelled in all formats of the game – Tests, ODIs and T20s. Amla also holds the highest individual Test score of any South African batsman of 311 not out against England. He is also one of the very few Cricketers to have over 50 International Centuries to his name.

Image Source: ICC (Twitter) 

3. Ross Taylor (New Zealand)

Tests: 7238 runs in 101 Tests with an average of 46.10 including 19 Centuries and 33 Fifties.
ODIs: 8570 runs in 231 ODIs with an average of 48.69 including 21 Centuries and 51 Fifties.

The first cricketer to play 100 Matches across the three formats of the game (Tests, T20s and ODIs), Ross Taylor has remained rock solid in the New Zealand middle order for almost 14 years now. Known for changing his style of play according to the situation of the game, Ross Taylor’s Test average of 46.10 and ODI average of 48.69 is a testimony of his importance in the Black Caps. However, Ross Taylor rarely finds a place in the names of the modern-day greats and the best Cricketers of our time.

Image Source: ICC (Twitter) 

2. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)

Tests: 433 Wickets in 93 Tests with 34 Fifers and 9 Ten-Wicket Hauls.
1699 runs with a batting average of 14.52 and 3 Fifties

A man who always remained in the shadows of the legendary Muralitharan, Rangana Herath had to wait for almost a decade after his debut in 1999 to become a regular in the Sri Lankan squad. Primarily a test player, Herath not only took the reins of Sri Lankan spin attack, went on to captain the test side and retired as the most successful left arm bowler in Test Cricket history. However, Rangana Herath’s records and performances haven’t received as much attention and praise as other spinners like Warne, Muralitharan and Kumble. He is undoubtedly one of those underrated Cricketers who deserve to be mentioned amongst the legends of his time

 

Image Source: ICC (Twitter) 

1. Shivnaraine Chanderpaul (West Indies)

Tests: 11,867 Runs in 164 Matches with an avg of 51.37 including 30 Centuries & 66 Fifties
ODIs: 8778 Runs in 268 Matches with an avg of 41.60 including 11 Centuries & 59 Fifties

It’s rather strange that a Cricketer whose career lasted for over two decades averaging 50+ in Tests and 40+ in ODIs has never got his due when it comes to his popularity. Despite records that speak for themselves, Chanderpaul’s heroics on the field remain in oblivion. While several fans remember Chanderpaul for his unorthodox batting stance, not many are aware that he is one the very few Cricketers who have played 150+ Test Matches and score over 10,000 runs in the format. His most memorable knocks came against Australia in 2003 St John’s Test when he score a crucial century in the 4th innings to help West Indies chase down a target of 418 runs and create a World record. Chanderpaul deserves to be the No.1 in the list of the most underrated Cricketers.

Also read: A tribute to Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Image Source: ICC (Twitter) 

Which other player do you think deserves a mention in this list of the most underrated Cricketers? Do let us know in the comments below!

Also read: 8 Cricketers With Humble Backgrounds Who Made It Big

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