Left-hand batters have the skill to make the game of cricket look sexy. Over the years, we have seen many exquisite left-handers. Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Kumar Sangakkara, and who else? It is always a delight to see a “lefty” dominate the game. Also, it becomes a pain for the bowler as he has to change his angle and always hit the right spot. So, here is a look at the top 5 left-hand batters to ever wear the Indian blue jersey:
5) Gautam Gambhir is one of the top left-hand batters to play for India:
Gautam Gambhir, India’s forever crisis man, walks in at number 5 on this list. An authentic Indian Cricket fan will always regard Gauti’s contribution to the 2007 and 2011 World Cup Finals. His innings in Napier where he displayed an epitome of patience one for the ages. Gambhir faced the “third new ball” in that Napier Test match! He bats for 11 hours in total! When everything is going down south, Gautam Gambhir pulled things back in favor of India. He has 4154 Test Runs and 5238 ODI runs to his name.
4) Suresh Raina is one of the top left-hand batters to play for India:
A player who belongs to the elite category of players to have scored a hundred in all three formats; Suresh Raina was a true gem of Indian cricket. He was a team man. One can never forget, Raina’s celebrations when any other bowler used to get a wicket. Raina scored a hundred on their Test debut against Sri Lanka. Not to forget his essential contributions in the 2011 World Cup Semi-Finals and Quarter-Finals. He ended his career on a high with 5651 ODI runs to his name. But these runs were very impactful!
3) Shikhar Dhawan is one of the top left-hand batters to play for India:
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma revolutionized Indian batting with Virat Kohli from 2013 onwards. Dhawan is a player with class. He is a player who knows how to play well and flaunt the same. Dhawan in Mr. ICC. He might not play exceptionally well in the bilateral series but cometh the ICC tournaments, it’s “Dhawan” all the way! When Shikhar is on the song, he makes the bowlers dance to his tunes. What amazes me the most is that he always portrays a smile in any situation of the game.
2) Yuvraj Singh:
If there is a player who was born to dominate the game, it is Yuvraj Singh. Class, style, sass, dominance, and skill! Yuvraj Singh had it all. He was often criticized for his attitude off the field but on-field he was a beast. And off-the-field criticism was baseless. Poor Stuart Broad still gets nightmares of getting whacked for 6 sixes in an over. This man almost sacrificed his life to win the 2011 World Cup for Sachin Tendulkar. Imagine a 22-year-old smashing Australians in Sydney, Yuvi did just that when he scored 139 at the SCG. His five-wicket haul against Ireland, hundred against the West Indies, and performance in the quarter-finals against Australia will be written in history books.
1) Sourav Ganguly:
Dada Ganguly revolutionized Indian cricket. He walked in as a skipper after the 2000 match-fixing scandal. In a team with many senior and respected players, Dada took charge. He led India to many historic wins. He gave the Indian team the “Boss” attitude. He had his players chosen and gave them n number of chances. And these were not just players but assets to Indian cricket. He was an illustrious batter. The “God of Offside” Dada scored 11000+ ODI runs and 7000+ test runs.
To know more go to Dinesh Karthik: One of the Greatest Comeback Stories in World Cricket. Will he play the T20 World Cup 2022?
Read more at Suryakumar Yadav Slams a 100 in T20Is. Other Indian Batters to Score a Hundred in T20Is.
To know more go to Wicket-Keeper Batters: Top 5 Wicket-Keeper Batters to Ever Play the Game.
Read more at the official website of the BCCI.