Who I'll Be Watching This Season

Is there a more enthralling sight in the game than a good clean strike that sends the ball over the ropes? Perhaps, a fast bowler sending the stump on a cartwheel, or a batsman unexpectedly beaten by the looping flight of a spinner come close.

I will be watching the players I have discussed below purely based on their entertainment quotient and nothing else.

There are many in World cricket at the moment who can hit a ball out of the park. More hours at the gym have made players stronger, better willows and boundary lines that are pushed in all the time to accommodate the sixers are all seen as factors but the men mentioned below bring about a polish to their big hits that make them more exciting to watch than the others.

It would only be fair I start with India. Given his recent form Sourav Ganguly could be one of the players who could provide high quality entertainment with his clean hits. Dhoni and Yuvraj cannot be left behind. Their buccaneering ways needs no second mention and they could well be doing the big hits in the business end.

Dhoni Image Courtesy: www.krishcricket.com

The two veterans from the sub-continent, Inzamam and Jayasuriya make batting look as easy as a stroll in the park and that adds to the allure. Once they find their rhythm they will be deadly in the smaller grounds. Afridi is another swashbuckler who will be hard pressed to contain.

The recent ODI series between New Zealand and Australia saw a lot of big hits and I reckon Fulton will be one player to watch out for the sheer excitement he brings to the crease. And across the Tasman we find Adam Gilchrist who conducts the easiest way to 100 classes. Such is the range of strokes he has in his armoury it needs a Steve Waugh to intervene and advise Gilly to take it a little easy ahead of the World Cup.

Gilchrist can go berserk right from the word go, his philosophy is pretty simple. A ball will be hit if it offers the scope, first or last of the innings does not matter. Not caring for the situation and continuing with his natural flow makes the Aussie veteran a rare treat. Another Aussie who can provide the sparkle could well be their skipper Ricky Ponting, who is savage on the short ball. Hayden too can muscle a few to different pin codes.

And my last pick is the one who feels the manual’s permanent place is the fireplace. Chris Gayle, one leg standing, bring down the blade in one big swoosh can be the biggest draw. The strapping Jamaican is easily the most flamboyant of all openers in the world Cup and four or five good knocks from him and the crowd would have got their money’s worth.

Gayle Image Courtesy: www.krishcricket.कॉम

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Thank you for your comments, all. It was good to see that this list stirred up some debate and discussion of your own, as lists must always do. I see that the English trio has received some mention here, but we can only wait and see. Flintoff is an absolutely dangerous cricket, Anonymous, and with Pietersen and Collingwood, who Aurindam named, forms one of the more challenging middle-orders in cricket. The English bowling remains their problem, however. Aswin, absolutely spot-on – the tournament so far is proving you right, of course. Experience does count in these conditions. It’s difficult for a bastman to go out and slam-bang the opposition – shots need to be picked and chosen with care on slow wickets, and playing shots becomes tough. Experience will count even more in the super eights, where there are no easy games.