Cricket is a sport that requires equal contribution from both a batsman and a bowler. Each plays an important role and guides the team to victory. But we have seen many cases wherein a bowler impresses everyone with his exceptional batting at a time of need. Similarly, a batter has also managed to fill in the empty spot of a bowler and lead the team. Such instances look very appealing, showcasing the various sides of a player. It is during such differences many new records are made. Let's look at some of the best batters in cricket history who have amazed everyone with their bowling spells.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
There might hardly be an Indian who does not know Sachin Tendulkar- The Master Blaster. With numerous records and awards, he was regarded as the best batsman in world cricket history. He was not a regular bowler. He has taken 201 wickets in tests, ODIs, and T20s, with his career-best being 5/32 in ODI and 3/10 in the tests. He was a key to breaking the opposition partnership.
2. Steve Waugh
Steve was a former middle-order batter of Australia. He was a successful test captain and led his team to 41 wins. He was an outstanding batsman with more than 10,000 runs in test cricket. Apart from batting, he was also a great bowler. He took 195 wickets in ODI, with the best being 4/33 against Sri Lanka in Sydney. He has also taken 92 wickets in tests with three 5-wicket hauls, the best being 5/28 against Soth Africa in 1994.
3. Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly is a former captain of the Indian cricket team. He has over 10,000 runs in ODIs and over 7212 runs in tests. He was an occasional bowler but has given some of the best performances. He has taken 132 wickets in international cricket, with 100 wickets in ODIs and 32 in tests. He also has a good 167 wickets in first-class cricket. His career-best came against Pakistan in 1997 with 5/16.
4. Sanath Jayasuriya
Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and is the third batter to get the nickname of Master Blaster after Sir Vivian Richards and Sachin Tendulkar. He was a hard-hitting batter in the mid-1990s. While he gave a brilliant batting performance, his bowling spells were no less. He is one of the best left-arm spinners of the ODI, where he took more than 300 wickets. With four five-wicket hauls, his career-best came in 1993 against England when he took 6/29. He also has nearly 100 wickets in tests with two 5-wicket spells, the best being 5/34.
5. Vivian Richards
Sir Vivian Richard is a former cricketer from West Indies and is considered the best batsman the world has ever had. Richard as captain, led West Indies to win the 1975 and 1979 World Cups. Though being an unstoppable batter, he was a path-breaking bowler as well. With bowling more than 5000 balls in both test and ODI formats, he took 118 wickets in ODI and 32 wickets in tests. His career best is 6/41 in ODI.
6. Carl Hooper
Hooper is a former all-rounder from Guyanese and West Indies cricket team captain. He was an elegant batter, and many top cricketers praised him for his footwork. He was regarded as an off-spinner whose high skills went unnoticed. He played 102 tests and took four five-wicket hauls. His best figures in bowling are 5/26 in the test against Sri Lanka and 4/34 in ODI against Pakistan. Overall he took more than 300 wickets.
7. Chris Gayle
Gayle, nicknamed the Universal Boss, is a former West Indies cricketer. He was a massive hitter and is well known for his T20 performances. He holds numerous world records. Both his game and personality are impactful. Many bowlers across the globe feared his batting style of hitting multiple sixes. But his bowling was equally good, so much so that he calls himself the greatest off-spinner in the world. He took 100 wickets in T20 formats and 240 in tests and ODIs. His career best is 5/34 in test and 2/15 in T20.
8. Mohammad Hafeez
Hafeez is a former Pakistani cricketer. His batting was impressive, and he played at any position in the top 6 with the same form. His contribution to the bowling attack of Pakistan was worthy. He took 139 wickets in ODI, with the best figure being 4/41 against Sri Lanka in 2015. He won the Man of the Match award in this match, where he even scored a century. He also took four wickets in a test against South Africa in 2015.
9. Tillakaratne Dilshan
Dilshan was a former cricketer from Sri Lanka. He also served as a captain for a short period. He has 22 centuries in ODIs and 16 in tests. He was awarded the T20's best international performance in 2009. Apart from batting, he was also a decent bowler. He took over 100 wickets in ODI, and the best 4/4 came against Zimbabwe in 2011. His best on the test was 4/10.
10. Grant Flower
Grant Flower was the greatest cricketer from Zimbabwe, who played a vital role in the team for over a decade. He scored a double century in 1995 against Pakistan. He was also an occasional slow left-arm orthodox bowler. He took over 100 wickets in ODI; the best was 4/32 against Kenya in 1999. His test best was 4/41. Later on, he was the coach of the Zimbabwe national team and also served as a batting coach of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
