Arthur Morris, born January 19, 1922, was batted with elegance and carried himself with incomparable charm. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the career of the man who was hailed by many as the greatest batsman of the world when Don Bradman retired.
Read MoreClyde Walcott - one of the hardest hitters of the ball
Big, powerful and imposing at the wicket, Clyde Walcott, born January 17, 1926, was one of the greatest and hardest-hitting batsmen of all time. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the career of the youngest of the Three Ws who formed the backbone of the West Indies side of the 1950s.
Read MoreRahul Dravid - a tale of perseverence
Rahul Dravid, born January 11, 1973, is one of the greatest batsmen to be produced by India, the fulcrum around which Indian batting revolved during the decade and a half when his name was constant at number three on the scoreboard. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the career of the man who is nothing short of a phenomenon in his own right.
Read MoreRaman Lamba: Looked young, dressed young, played young and died young
Raman Lamba, born January 2, 1960, was a prolific batsman at the domestic level who also enjoyed some memorable moments for India in the 1980s. He was still in his prime, playing the game with unbridled enthusiasm, when he met his tragic end at the age of 38 while fielding close to the wicket. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at his life and career.
Read MoreGeorge Osbaldeston: The Squire who was one of the greatest all-round sportsmen
George Osbaldeston (born December 26, 1786) was the archetypal British sporting squire, aptly nicknamed simply ‘The Squire’.A versatile all-round sportsman, compulsive gambler and life-long philanderer, he was one of the most colourful characters of early cricket. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of this gentleman of leisure.
Read MoreWilliam Clarke: The man who changed cricket forever
William Clarke, born December 24, 1798, was the greatest of the lob bowlers. But, that was just a fraction of his contribution to the cause of cricket. The game as we know it today almost certainly would not have existed but for the innovative brilliance of this visionary. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of this remarkable man.
Read MoreJoel Garner: At your toes, tonsils or timber
Joel Garner, born December 16, 1952, was one of the most terrifying bowlers ever, certainly among the tallest ever seen in the game till then. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of this essential part of the famous West Indian arsenal of the 1970s and 1980s.
Read MoreDattu Phadkar: Rise and fall of a quality all-rounder
A pedigree cricketer who worked wonders for the balance of the side, Dattu Phadkar was the cricketer who succeeded Amar Singh and preceded Kapil Dev as the medium paced all-rounder of India. Arunabha Sengupta recalls his career.
Read MoreStewie Dempster: The first great New Zealand batsman
Stewie Dempster, born November 15, 1903, played 10 Tests for New Zealand and ended with a batting average of 65.72 — next to only Don Bradman’s 99.94 with a 10-innings cut-off. Arunabha Sengupta remembers the life and career of one of the greatest Kiwi batsmen of all time.
Read MoreRod Marsh: Spirit of hard as nails Australian cricket
Rod Marsh, born November 4, 1947, was in many ways the spirit of Australian cricket, who ended with 355 dismissals, 95 of them off the bowling of Dennis Lillee.Arunabha Sengupta pays tribute to the legendary Australian wicket-keeper.
Read MoreWalter Humphreys: The last of the professional lobsters
Walter Humphreys, born October 28, 1849, was the champion lobster who heralded the quarter century of golden swansong of lob bowling. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of the man who bloomed late but did so wonderfully.
Read MoreLance Cairns: Hardworking swing bowler and one of the hardest hitters
Lance Cairns, born October 10, 1949, was a hardworking swing bowler and one of the hardest strikers of the cricket ball in the history of the game. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the career of the man who used a bat of special shape to essay some of the biggest hits ever, and played 43 Tests and 78 ODIs with considerable success while battling a major disability.
Read MoreRichie Benaud: Legendary leg-spinner, useful batsman, great captain and voice of cricket
Born October 6, 1930, Richie Benaud was a great leg-spinner, a trend setting all-rounder and one of the most successful captains, who later became the voice of cricket. Arunabha Sengupta pays tribute to the most influential cricket personality since the Second World War on the great man’s birthday.
Read MoreMadhav Apte: An average of 49.27, yet only 7 Tests
Madhav Apte, born October 5, 1932, boasts perhaps the most bizarre Test career for India. In a span of five months, he played seven Tests, and averaged 49.27 as an opener, with a hundred and 3 fifties — all scored in the West Indies. After that, he was dropped for some unknown reason and never played another Test. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the man who played his first Ranji Trophy match as a replacement for Vijay Merchant and some three-and–a-half decades later faced a 14-year-old Sachin Tendulkar on the field.
Read MoreRay Lindwall: Poetry in motion
Born October 3, 1921, Ray Lindwall was sheer poetry in motion as he ran in to bowl, yet was one of the most dreaded fast bowlers ever to play cricket. Arunabha Sengupta pays homage to the first genuine paceman to take 200 Test wickets on the occasion of his birthday.
Read MoreBudhi Kunderan: Ahead of his times
Budhi Kunderan, born October 2, 1939, was one of the trendsetting wicketkeepers who also blazed away with the bat, often at the top of the order. Arunabha Sengupta look back at the man who unfortunately played far fewer Tests than his abilities merited.
Read MoreLindsay Kline: a superb chinaman bowler somehow remembered for a couple of batting efforts
Lindsay Kline was a Chinaman bowler of considerable ability who took a hat-trick in his second Test. However, due to the vagaries of fate, he is remembered for two immortal feats with the bat. Arunabha Sengupta pays tribute to the man whose overseas bowling average read a very impressive 15.35.
Read MoreLance Gibbs: The Caribbean master spinner
Lance Gibbs, born September 29, 1934, was the most productive off-spinners in Test history before the advent of Muttiah Muralitharan. Surprisingly, he hailed from the West Indies — a team known to produce fast bowlers. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of the man who played the support role for most of his playing days and ended as the world-record holder in Test cricket.
Read MoreMajid Khan: Grace, majesty, pluck but short of greatness
Majid Khan, born September 28, 1946, was a batsman of languid grace, who played 63 Tests for Pakistan. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the career of the man who is one of the four batsmen in the history of cricket to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match and also became the first Pakistan batsman to score an ODI hundred.
Read MoreJohnny ‘Unaarrimin’ Mullagh: The greatest aboriginal cricketer of his day
Unaarrimin, also known as Johnny Mullagh, born August 13, 1841, was the greatest Aboriginal cricketer of his day and the hero of the famed 1868 tour of England. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of this magnificent athlete.
Read More