Harsh Thakor
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Few decades did so much to change the complexion of the game of cricket as the 1970's.It saw the introduction of the one day game.Fast bowling attained a standard as never before and there were more great batsmen playing than ever .Instead of being purely a gentleman's game it now became a truly professional sport with competitivity reaching it's highest zenith.In order of merit I am choosing the cricketers who were the best of the 1970's for the entire decade in terms of their impact and contribution to the game.I have eliminated superstars like Sobers,Botham,Holding etc who played only for around 3-4 years of the 1970's Botham started in 1977,Holding in 1976 while Sobers retired in early 1974.
1.Ian Chappell
Undisputedly the greatest skipper of his era who literally turned the face of Australian cricket.No cricketer was better as a skipper or batsmen to resurrect his team from the grave.Moulded a talented bunch of individuals to become a world champion team in the early 1970's.In a crisis a hundred or fifty by Ian Chappell was more valuable than one of even Viv Richards or brother Greg.
2.Sunil Gavaskar
The most prolific batsmen in test cricket of the 1970's who broke batting records facing the best pace attacks without a helmet.Few batsmen in the history of the game have surpassed Gavaskar's consistency from 1976-79 where he plundered runs in every region of the world.His 221 at the Oval was an epitome of batting perfection and scored in the most difficult of situations.Also mastered the likes of Imran Khan and Andy Roberts.Averaged 55.91 scoring 5647 runs which was truly remarkable.
3.Viv Richards
The ultimate master blaster who could change the complexion of game more than anyone.At his bet made the impact of a dynamite exploding or a bomber rading an airbase.No batsmen bated more like Bradman and at his peak from 1976-79 was the best after the Don.In Kerry Packer Supertests in 1977-78 revealed batting supremacy and invincibility as no overseas batsmen ever did on Australian soil ammasing 862 runs at 86.2.In England in 1976 he was a re-incarnated Bradman averaging 118.42 with an aggregate of 829 runs while in Australia in 1979 dominated bowling like no overseas batsmen had ever previously done.Rated below Gavaskar because he did not face his own great pacemen and had the advantage of playing for a great team and thus not tested enough in a crisis.
4.Dennis Lillee
An epitome of fast bowling perfection posessing every ingredient be it speed,control,accuracy.movement variations combined with agression at it's highest zenith in sport.Lillee was a revelation in packer cricket taking 79 wickets i 15 supertests and a master on batting tracks like at Melbourne in 1977 or at the Oval in 1972.Although slowed down in speed by 1975 he developed a set of variations that foxed the greatest of batsmen.
5.Greg Chappell
Closest to the perfect batsmen playing official cricket after 1975 blending agression and technical skill like noone else.Amassed more runs in a single series against the great West Indies pace attack like no other batsmen when scoring 621 runs at average of 69 in 5 supertests in West Indies in 1979.Had the highest aggregate in world series packer cricket scoring 1416 runs with a higher average than even Viv Richards of 56.14. as well as the highest score of 246.Statistically adding packer cricket and games in 1972 against rest of the world the best batsmen of the 1970's .However did not play great fast bowling as well as Gavaskar or could tear an attack apart as much as Viv Richards.
6.Clive Lloyd
A great left-handed batsmen who posessed a huge repertoire of strokes reminiscent of Gary Sobers.No left hander ever hit the ball harder apart from Sobers and perhaps only Lara or Pollock had a wider range of strokes.However he made his greatest contribution as a leader resurrecting the spirit of West Indian cricket to conquer every territory in the world like an invincible emperor.A great batsmen and leader in a crisis like he exhibited in both the 1975 and 1979 Prudential world cup.Few skippers ever moulded scattered pieces into such a formidable combination as Clive .
7.Barry Richards
Had he played official cricket after 1970 would have been the best batsmen of the 1970's.No batsmen better fitted into the tag of the perfect batsmen.Barry was like a bulldozer and architect rolled into one capable of launching the most devastating assaults on an attack but still posess the highest degree of technical skill.Topped averages in Kerry packer cricket averaging 79.14 including a double hundred .
8.Zaheer Abbas
A supreme stylist whose strokes posessed the grace of the divine.The best batsmen on slow wickets who in 1st class cricket overshadowed even the great Viv Richards or Gavaskar scoring a double hundred a hundred in a single match 4 times and a hundred in each innings of a single game on 8 occasions.Dominated a 3 tset series as no post-war batsmen ever did when scoring 583 runs at average of 195 against India at home in 1978-79.To me the most stylish batsmen of the 1970's whose strokes resembled a lotus blooming at it's peak.
9.Gundappa Vishwanath
In terms of pure talent and artistry ahead of even Gavaskar.Vishy was a master on bad or bouncy wickets where he would overshadow even Gavaskar. At his best he could join Viv Richards like when scoring an unbeaten 97 on the fastest of Madras tracks in 1974-75 v West Indies,rated amongst the greatest test match innings ever.Vishy too creative genius in bating to it's highest zenith and at his best looked like a magician.Vishy won more tests for India than any player of his time.
10.Mushtaq Muhammad
At his best like an Asian Gary Sobers and a master in a crisis. No overseas all-rounder performed better in a series in the Caaribean like Mushy in 1977 or did better in New Zealand where he won many a game.He even scored a century in Australia.Mushtaq also knit a bunch of talented individuals to become one of the strongest teams in the world in 1976-77 .
11.Glen Turner
A staggering record in English 1st class cricket making him the most prolific batsmen of the 1970's.Ist overseas opener to reach the historic landmark of a hundred first class centuries.Scored 672 runs including a 223 and 259 in West Indies in 1972 and topped the kiwi batting averages in both the 1975 and 79 Prudential world cups.Few openers were as effective or adapted so well in both test and limited over cricket as Turner .Glen also scored a record 77 percent of a team's total when scoring 141 out of 169 against Somerset.At his best close to a batting genius.
12.Derek Underwood
On a bad wicket the best spinner of all time.
1.Ian Chappell
Undisputedly the greatest skipper of his era who literally turned the face of Australian cricket.No cricketer was better as a skipper or batsmen to resurrect his team from the grave.Moulded a talented bunch of individuals to become a world champion team in the early 1970's.In a crisis a hundred or fifty by Ian Chappell was more valuable than one of even Viv Richards or brother Greg.
2.Sunil Gavaskar
The most prolific batsmen in test cricket of the 1970's who broke batting records facing the best pace attacks without a helmet.Few batsmen in the history of the game have surpassed Gavaskar's consistency from 1976-79 where he plundered runs in every region of the world.His 221 at the Oval was an epitome of batting perfection and scored in the most difficult of situations.Also mastered the likes of Imran Khan and Andy Roberts.Averaged 55.91 scoring 5647 runs which was truly remarkable.
3.Viv Richards
The ultimate master blaster who could change the complexion of game more than anyone.At his bet made the impact of a dynamite exploding or a bomber rading an airbase.No batsmen bated more like Bradman and at his peak from 1976-79 was the best after the Don.In Kerry Packer Supertests in 1977-78 revealed batting supremacy and invincibility as no overseas batsmen ever did on Australian soil ammasing 862 runs at 86.2.In England in 1976 he was a re-incarnated Bradman averaging 118.42 with an aggregate of 829 runs while in Australia in 1979 dominated bowling like no overseas batsmen had ever previously done.Rated below Gavaskar because he did not face his own great pacemen and had the advantage of playing for a great team and thus not tested enough in a crisis.
4.Dennis Lillee
An epitome of fast bowling perfection posessing every ingredient be it speed,control,accuracy.movement variations combined with agression at it's highest zenith in sport.Lillee was a revelation in packer cricket taking 79 wickets i 15 supertests and a master on batting tracks like at Melbourne in 1977 or at the Oval in 1972.Although slowed down in speed by 1975 he developed a set of variations that foxed the greatest of batsmen.
5.Greg Chappell
Closest to the perfect batsmen playing official cricket after 1975 blending agression and technical skill like noone else.Amassed more runs in a single series against the great West Indies pace attack like no other batsmen when scoring 621 runs at average of 69 in 5 supertests in West Indies in 1979.Had the highest aggregate in world series packer cricket scoring 1416 runs with a higher average than even Viv Richards of 56.14. as well as the highest score of 246.Statistically adding packer cricket and games in 1972 against rest of the world the best batsmen of the 1970's .However did not play great fast bowling as well as Gavaskar or could tear an attack apart as much as Viv Richards.
6.Clive Lloyd
A great left-handed batsmen who posessed a huge repertoire of strokes reminiscent of Gary Sobers.No left hander ever hit the ball harder apart from Sobers and perhaps only Lara or Pollock had a wider range of strokes.However he made his greatest contribution as a leader resurrecting the spirit of West Indian cricket to conquer every territory in the world like an invincible emperor.A great batsmen and leader in a crisis like he exhibited in both the 1975 and 1979 Prudential world cup.Few skippers ever moulded scattered pieces into such a formidable combination as Clive .
7.Barry Richards
Had he played official cricket after 1970 would have been the best batsmen of the 1970's.No batsmen better fitted into the tag of the perfect batsmen.Barry was like a bulldozer and architect rolled into one capable of launching the most devastating assaults on an attack but still posess the highest degree of technical skill.Topped averages in Kerry packer cricket averaging 79.14 including a double hundred .
8.Zaheer Abbas
A supreme stylist whose strokes posessed the grace of the divine.The best batsmen on slow wickets who in 1st class cricket overshadowed even the great Viv Richards or Gavaskar scoring a double hundred a hundred in a single match 4 times and a hundred in each innings of a single game on 8 occasions.Dominated a 3 tset series as no post-war batsmen ever did when scoring 583 runs at average of 195 against India at home in 1978-79.To me the most stylish batsmen of the 1970's whose strokes resembled a lotus blooming at it's peak.
9.Gundappa Vishwanath
In terms of pure talent and artistry ahead of even Gavaskar.Vishy was a master on bad or bouncy wickets where he would overshadow even Gavaskar. At his best he could join Viv Richards like when scoring an unbeaten 97 on the fastest of Madras tracks in 1974-75 v West Indies,rated amongst the greatest test match innings ever.Vishy too creative genius in bating to it's highest zenith and at his best looked like a magician.Vishy won more tests for India than any player of his time.
10.Mushtaq Muhammad
At his best like an Asian Gary Sobers and a master in a crisis. No overseas all-rounder performed better in a series in the Caaribean like Mushy in 1977 or did better in New Zealand where he won many a game.He even scored a century in Australia.Mushtaq also knit a bunch of talented individuals to become one of the strongest teams in the world in 1976-77 .
11.Glen Turner
A staggering record in English 1st class cricket making him the most prolific batsmen of the 1970's.Ist overseas opener to reach the historic landmark of a hundred first class centuries.Scored 672 runs including a 223 and 259 in West Indies in 1972 and topped the kiwi batting averages in both the 1975 and 79 Prudential world cups.Few openers were as effective or adapted so well in both test and limited over cricket as Turner .Glen also scored a record 77 percent of a team's total when scoring 141 out of 169 against Somerset.At his best close to a batting genius.
12.Derek Underwood
On a bad wicket the best spinner of all time.
