Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
- Runs
- 3,519
- Post of the Week
- 2
Most stylish or elegant batsmen ever to play from the subcontinent(revised list)
Great batsmen on the sub-continent are known to posess a sublime art of their own-an oriental magic of it's own.They use their willows with a touch which is truly unique like that of a violinist or pianist.They also posess the creativity of painters or poets.In this list below I am listing in order of merit the supreme stylists and most elegant batsmen from the sub-continent.This is not an assesment of the overall merit of batsmen or their technical skill.It merely asseses them on the criteria of their style or elegance.So don't be surprised at Tendulkar being placed so low down or Miandad ,Gavaskar,Hanif Mohammad or Sehwag not included.I feel Zaheer and Azhar were unsurpassed with Vishy just a touch below.Sachin did not equal Azhar's artistry nor did Miandad have so much grace to his batting.Gavaskar and Hanif were technical masters but not artists like Zaheer or Vishy.Sehwag was a genius was much more about power and eye-coordination than grace or artistry.
1.Zaheer Abbas
His simple touch would caress the best of deliveries to the fence.A master of the drive through extra cover who held bat like a painter's brush.Sadly not at his best against the short or bouncing ball ,but a master on a slow track.Equivalent of painter Rembrandt to the art of batting.
2.Mohammad Azharrudin
Surpassed any great batsmen in his leg-side play resembling a pianist tapping notes.Poessed wristwork of magical proportions and could leg-glance the best of deliveries penetrating the most impregnable of fields.Equivalent of a modern day Ranjit Singhji.Like Zaheer Abas a master against spin but uneasy against genuine pace or the short ball.
3.Gundappa Vishwanath
Executed the square and late cut better than any batsmen in the history of the game and posessed a combination of a pull,hook and flick shot like no other batsmen.His play reminded you of a lotus blooming or a magician performing.A master against the bouncing ball and genuine pace.
4.Mushtaq Ali
A contrast to partner Vijay Merchant who was a technical perfectionist.Mushtaq Ali held the willow with the touch of a magicians.Few batsmen were as inventive as Mushtaq in his era who had great depths of imagination.A much more elegant version of the modern day Virendra Sehwag.
5.Majid Khan
Very close to Zaheer Abbas but also posessed cross-bat strokes.A batting genius on his day who played bad wickets as well as Viv Richards or Greg Chappell.An oriental equivalent of Viv Richards.
6.V.V.S.Laxaman
Arguably the best player of genuine pace bowlin of his time who just dropped down his writs to send the ball scurrying to the fence.No batsmen of his time posessed such a magical touch.At his best on boucy tracks where his wristwork came in handy.
7.Roy Dias
His strokes were a medley of those of Viv Richards and Greg Chappell.He would attack bowling with the might of an executioner but still posess the touch of a painter.Posessed the grace of a bird flying.
8.Sachin Tendulkar
Although technically supreme still had an artistic dimension to his strokes.
9.Vijay Manjrekar
In pure style surpassed Vijay Merchant or Hazare with imperious elegance
10.Mohsin Kan
Although he had a curtailed career he posessed style that few batsmen posessed in his generation.He could master bad wickets and flourished against great pace.Similar to Majid .
11.Mahela Jayewardene
In full flow a majestic sight to watch executing the most delicate flicks and cut strokes like baker slicing a cake.
12.Asif Iqbal
Marvellos footwork and wristwork posessing the charasterictic oriental touch.
13.Dilip Vengsarkar
A treat to watch on the leg-sde reminiscent of Greg Chappel.Played pace with flourish.
14.Aravinda De'Silva
Marvellos timing and wristwork .Brilliantly blended agression with touch art.
15.Sead Anwar
One of the most elegant left-handed batsmen of all whose strokes reminded you of a flower blooming.
16.Sannath Jayasuriya
Although posessing the agression of atiger alos posessed touch and grace.
17.Rahul Dravid
Even the wall had an element of artistic touch if we observe his wristwork.He blended Gavaskar's technique with Vishwanath's touch.
18.Salim Malik
A cruder version of Zaheer Abbas but still lovely to watch.
19.Inzamam Ul Haq
The modern day Asian equivalent of Viv Richards.Inspite of being an explosive hitter still posessed characteristic elegance.
20.Saurav Ganguly
Reminded you of David Gower at his best.A batting king on the off-side.
Great batsmen on the sub-continent are known to posess a sublime art of their own-an oriental magic of it's own.They use their willows with a touch which is truly unique like that of a violinist or pianist.They also posess the creativity of painters or poets.In this list below I am listing in order of merit the supreme stylists and most elegant batsmen from the sub-continent.This is not an assesment of the overall merit of batsmen or their technical skill.It merely asseses them on the criteria of their style or elegance.So don't be surprised at Tendulkar being placed so low down or Miandad ,Gavaskar,Hanif Mohammad or Sehwag not included.I feel Zaheer and Azhar were unsurpassed with Vishy just a touch below.Sachin did not equal Azhar's artistry nor did Miandad have so much grace to his batting.Gavaskar and Hanif were technical masters but not artists like Zaheer or Vishy.Sehwag was a genius was much more about power and eye-coordination than grace or artistry.
1.Zaheer Abbas
His simple touch would caress the best of deliveries to the fence.A master of the drive through extra cover who held bat like a painter's brush.Sadly not at his best against the short or bouncing ball ,but a master on a slow track.Equivalent of painter Rembrandt to the art of batting.
2.Mohammad Azharrudin
Surpassed any great batsmen in his leg-side play resembling a pianist tapping notes.Poessed wristwork of magical proportions and could leg-glance the best of deliveries penetrating the most impregnable of fields.Equivalent of a modern day Ranjit Singhji.Like Zaheer Abas a master against spin but uneasy against genuine pace or the short ball.
3.Gundappa Vishwanath
Executed the square and late cut better than any batsmen in the history of the game and posessed a combination of a pull,hook and flick shot like no other batsmen.His play reminded you of a lotus blooming or a magician performing.A master against the bouncing ball and genuine pace.
4.Mushtaq Ali
A contrast to partner Vijay Merchant who was a technical perfectionist.Mushtaq Ali held the willow with the touch of a magicians.Few batsmen were as inventive as Mushtaq in his era who had great depths of imagination.A much more elegant version of the modern day Virendra Sehwag.
5.Majid Khan
Very close to Zaheer Abbas but also posessed cross-bat strokes.A batting genius on his day who played bad wickets as well as Viv Richards or Greg Chappell.An oriental equivalent of Viv Richards.
6.V.V.S.Laxaman
Arguably the best player of genuine pace bowlin of his time who just dropped down his writs to send the ball scurrying to the fence.No batsmen of his time posessed such a magical touch.At his best on boucy tracks where his wristwork came in handy.
7.Roy Dias
His strokes were a medley of those of Viv Richards and Greg Chappell.He would attack bowling with the might of an executioner but still posess the touch of a painter.Posessed the grace of a bird flying.
8.Sachin Tendulkar
Although technically supreme still had an artistic dimension to his strokes.
9.Vijay Manjrekar
In pure style surpassed Vijay Merchant or Hazare with imperious elegance
10.Mohsin Kan
Although he had a curtailed career he posessed style that few batsmen posessed in his generation.He could master bad wickets and flourished against great pace.Similar to Majid .
11.Mahela Jayewardene
In full flow a majestic sight to watch executing the most delicate flicks and cut strokes like baker slicing a cake.
12.Asif Iqbal
Marvellos footwork and wristwork posessing the charasterictic oriental touch.
13.Dilip Vengsarkar
A treat to watch on the leg-sde reminiscent of Greg Chappel.Played pace with flourish.
14.Aravinda De'Silva
Marvellos timing and wristwork .Brilliantly blended agression with touch art.
15.Sead Anwar
One of the most elegant left-handed batsmen of all whose strokes reminded you of a flower blooming.
16.Sannath Jayasuriya
Although posessing the agression of atiger alos posessed touch and grace.
17.Rahul Dravid
Even the wall had an element of artistic touch if we observe his wristwork.He blended Gavaskar's technique with Vishwanath's touch.
18.Salim Malik
A cruder version of Zaheer Abbas but still lovely to watch.
19.Inzamam Ul Haq
The modern day Asian equivalent of Viv Richards.Inspite of being an explosive hitter still posessed characteristic elegance.
20.Saurav Ganguly
Reminded you of David Gower at his best.A batting king on the off-side.
