There have been several legendary cricket players who have improved the atmosphere of this elite sport. Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, Dale Steyn, and James Anderson have significantly impacted. They are hence appropriately remembered for their deeds. However, a few lone players haven't gotten the praise they deserve for their brilliance. Some of them haven't felt recognised during their whole careers. These individuals resemble the many tones of salt in cooked cuisine. You never notice them unless your flavour is weak in them. But they work assiduously and silently. In this blog post, we'll talk about eleven underrated cricketers who play well but aren't popular with the public.
1. Chris Woakes
Chris Woakes is a gifted all-rounder who has contributed significantly for England in longer game formats with both the ball and the bat. He truly saves matches because of his ability to bat with the tailenders. Woakes excels as a bowler in all three iterations of the game due to the variety in his delivery style. Over 150 international appearances, over 2500 runs scored, and almost 200 wickets taken across all formats. However, he frequently had to sit out due to a better team balance, which is incredibly puzzling.
2. Mitchell Marsh
The youngest Marsh sibling, Mitchell Marsh, has played a handful of games for Australia. He made his debut abroad in 2011. Though his initials weren't as beautiful, he has changed much since then. In a few games, Marsh batted as a finisher and bowled reliably. He now bowls the required number of overs in a game of limited overs cricket for Australia and frequently bats in the middle of the order. He most recently contributed significantly to Australia's victory in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
3. Dean Elgar
Graeme Smith's bat effect cannot be matched, but Dean Elgar has shown signs of being able to. When he initially appeared, he didn't seem as well, but he's improved dramatically since then. He made his debut abroad in 2012. Elgar has played 70 Tests since then, scoring 4347 runs at an average of 39.16. He now serves as South Africa's captain during tests instead of Faf du Plessis. Due to his dependability, Dean is undervalued by players today. In ODIs, he has not had an influence.
4. Tom Latham
The most underrated cricketer of the modern age is Tom Latham. In addition to his composing batting style, he makes a great team member. Over the years, he has contributed significantly to New Zealand's success in Tests and ODIs. He made his debut abroad in 2012. He has now played over 180 international games and amassed over 7000 runs across all formats. Latham is reliable but does not routinely receive excellent grades, which has caused him to be underappreciated.
5. Mushfiqur Rahim
Mushfiqur Rahim personifies the recent close calls in Bangladesh cricket. Over the past several years, Rahim has grown into a world-class performer for Bangladesh in all formats. He has produced runs under all circumstances and at a respectable rate when necessary. He scored 144 in 2018, helping Bangladesh defeat Sri Lanka in their Asia Cup opener in Dubai to a good total. In the preceding two years, Rahim also scored two double-hundreds in tests.
6. Dimuth Karunaratne
In the preceding two years, Dimuth Karunaratne and Latham were separated by just 59 runs. His score of 196 against Pakistan in the series' second Test in Dubai set the foundation for a Sri Lankan victory. Additionally, after becoming captain, he has contributed significant runs to Test triumphs against South Africa and New Zealand. Karunaratne has been a tremendous source of hope for Sri Lankan cricket during a generally gloomy period as captain and opening hitter.
7. Jason Holder
The Windies captain led his team to a stunning series win against England, including a brilliant double century in Barbados that further inflicted pain on the English. Holder's hitting hasn't yet reached its full potential in all formats. He has occasionally displayed his capacity to hit huge sixes in limited-overs cricket, but he bats far too shallowly. If he uses his bat more successfully, the West Indies might become an even more fearsome batting force in white-ball cricket.
8. Dinesh Karthik
This initially seems like another strange choice of an underrated batsman. Dinesh Karthik's recent performance in T20 cricket has been so outstanding that, surprisingly, he was not selected for the Indian T20 team. Karthik has suffered due to the Indian selectors' current cross-format approach. He has 1113 runs, a strike rate of 144, and an average of 41.22 over the previous three IPL seasons.
9. Shardul Thakur
The "Lord," Shardul Thakur, played a vital role in India's record-breaking test victories the preceding year. Although Thakur is most renowned for his seam bowling, he has significantly impacted the bat, scoring three half-centuries in six tests. White ball cricket has also been somewhat successful for him. Thakur might solve India's problems with all-rounders who can bowl quickly.
10. Rassie Van Der Dussen
At over 30, Rassie Van der Dussen, a latecomer to international cricket, made his debut. He has consistently performed well enough to secure a berth on the team in all three iterations of the game since making his debut. His overall ODI average of 65.56 is now the second-best ODI average in history. After several South African stars announced their retirement, they hope that Van der Dussen will step up and establish himself as a reliable middle-order hitter.
