From the iSport Cricket Pavilion: iSporter Aditya Vaidyanathan pen a piece on the Men who made a difference to the World Cup. Do not miss this one!
Change they say is the only constant! Its no different in Cricket than it is elsewhere. Legends must retire for new legends to be born. Most successful international players dream of a World Cup swansong. Some are fortunate to hang their boots with a successful World Cup campaign and some leave after a disappointing first round exits like Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Inzamam Ul Haq after the 2007 World Cup. This tournament will see some of the modern day legends of the game playing their last World Cup. Each of these players have played a major role in their team's progress over the last ten years. They have mentored newcomers
Ricky Ponting
Who would have expected the diminutive middle order batsman to go on to be a part of three wWorld Cup winning teams and lead Australia to wins in two of them. A batsman par excellence and a never say die captain. Ricky is the second highest century maker in ODIs and tests next only to Tendulkar. He was made the ODI captain in 2002 and lead Australia to an undefeated World Cup win in 2003. He played a major part in the win as he demolished the Indian bowling in the finals along with Damien Martyn. He scored a masterful 140* which remains one of the best knocks to have been played in a WC final. He lost most of his important personnel after the 2007 WC. He has had to rebuild the team and that has been no mean an achievement. He remains the lynchpin of the Aussie batting line up and will play a crucial role if Australia were to defend the Cup successfully. Veteran of four World Cups, Ricky starts this World Cup second on the overall run-list behind Tendulkar with 1537 runs. He had a terrific 2007 World Cup scoring 539 runs leading Australia to another spectacular World Cup win.
Jacques Kallis
No less a talent than Ponting or Tendulkar. Kallis, for me, might even be a notch higher than Ponting in terms of contribution to his team. He, in my list, would be counted amongst the two best all rounders ever only behind Sir Garfield Sobers himself. Kallis is almost as effective with the ball as he is with the bat. Made his debut in 1997, Kallis made his presence felt in the World Cup 1999 with his swing bowling and consistent batting. He, for a while, even opened the attack with Pollock to allow Donald to bowl first change. As a batsman, his contribution to the team has been enormous. Playing along with Gary Kirsten, Gibbs, Smith, Cullinan; Kallis made his own mark being the batsman with impeccable technique and someone who relied more on timing and placement than power. Over the years, he may have lost some pace but still is as handy with the ball.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Made his debut in 1994 and was a part of the West Indian team that made to the semi finals of the World Cup 1996 and almost made it to the finals at the expense of Australia, but for a lower order collapse. Chanderpaul started off being an understudy to Brian Lara but took over and came on his own in 2001/02 where he performed admirably well against the visiting Indians. He is considered one of the best players of spin amongst players outside of the subcontinent. His free stance allows him to use his feet conveniently. Going by his built and thinking he can't attack would be a mistake. He is capable of accumulating runs at strike rate above 100. He currently is the senior most batsman in the WI team. Him retiring would be a big loss to the already dooming West Indian cricket. He is the last trace of 1990s in West Indian cricket.
Shoaib Akhtar
He clocked the fastest ball to be bowled in World Cups in the 1999 edition. He got Steve Waugh out to one of the most amazing yorkers seen in cricket annals in the same tournament. He was in his mettle in 1999. Troubled batsmen with his pace and brilliant variations. Shoaib Akhtar is one of the senior most members in the Pakistani team. He, Razzaq and Afridi are the only survivors from the 1999 Cup finalist team. Mentored by Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in his early days, Shoaib today is leading the bowling attack with Umar Gul, Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz to be mentored and supported by him. A successful campaign this World Cup could be a huge boost for him after a more or less controversy shrouded career he has had. He has shown a lot of character in coming back to play the game after injuries and disciplinary suspensions. He still has the pace and the accuracy to rattle the best in business. He mustn't be taken lightly at all.
Muttiah Muralitharan
It could be said, Murali had a huge role to play in Sri Lanka winning the 1996 World Cup. Him being called for chucking was taken so personally by Ranatunga, that he motivated his players and rallied them around to form a team that shocked one and all. Murali played a crucial role in the World Cup too. Amongst the best spinners and the greatest characters to have played the game, Murali must be wishing to end his career on a high after a successful retirement from tests last year. He was hugely instrumental in his team reaching the finals of the 2007 edition picking 23 wickets out of his 53 total World Cup wickets. Sri Lanka have Ajantha Mendis and Suraj Randiv replace when Murali's hangs his boots, but no one can fill the void for the great sportsman and ambassador for the game he has been. His detractors will continue to call him a chucker and discredit him for the wickets he has earned. Chucker or not, Murali has changed the meaning of spin bowling since his debut in 1993.
Sachin Tendulkar
He sure needs no introduction. He would walk into every World XI, ODI or Tests. Tendulkar had a phenomenal 1996 and 2003 World Cups. India got to the semi finals in both editions and went upto the finals in the latter. His aggregate 1796 World Cup runs will be hard to match. He has been the backbone of Indian batting for over 20 years now. Debuted in 1989, when some of his current team members were still in their diapers, he has broken every possible record in ODI batting. Most recently came the ODI double hundred at Gwalior last year. Winning the World Cup will be the perfect swansong for him like all others, but the patriot that he is and the passion he has he would want to win it for India than for his own benefit. He found his bearings under the supervision of seniors like Azhar, Srikkanth and Vengsarkar, blossomed playing together with contemporaries like Dravid, Ganguly, Jadeja, Kambli and now is the teacher and role model to new comers such as Kohli, Vijay, Raina and even Sehwag.
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