The T10 format is entertaining for some and absurd for others, but it sure would have been a crowd-puller if some of the stars of yesteryear plied their trade in the ten-over format.

Just when you thought you’d seen it all, cricket shrunk even further with the introduction of the T10 format in 2017. The ten-over-a-side format reduces a cricket match to the length of a football game and has its own unique set of rules. Popular opinion of the format is still divided; while the old-timers find it sacrilegious, others look at it as a tool to expand the sport’s reach.

With the fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League coming to a close, we take a look at popular cricketers from the past who could have been a hit in the format, none of whom played a single T20 match.

 

Vivian Richards

Ian Smith reckons if Viv Richards played T20 cricket, he would have been worth more than Ben Stokes and Pat Cummins combined. Even if the innings is further halved to T10, Sir Viv’s fierce cuts and pulls, coupled with his unmatched self-belief, would have set the field alight. Richards played 500 List A matches and retired long before the shorter formats came about, but would have been a definite crowd-puller if his swagger was on display for today’s run-hungry public.

Kris Srikkanth

Srikkanth’s madcap batting was probably ahead of its time but would have been an ideal fit for the T10 world, where big-hitting is the only way to go. Gifted with fine hand-eye coordination and the guts to take on any attack by the scruff of the neck, Srikkanth would have been a terrific option for the three powerplay overs at the start of a T10, when there are only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle. An out-and-out entertainer, perfect for the fun format.

Kapil Dev

An explosive all-rounder alright, Kapil had the ability to turn a game on its head both with bat and ball. Possessing ample swing and accuracy to create a devastating impact with the new ball, Kapil would have been a hard bowler to put away, and could always find a way to bounce back with his array of variations.

With the bat, his glorious leg-side hoicks would have been difficult to contain in a format that matches his gung-ho approach. A game-changing option to have in the post-powerplay overs.

Imran Khan

Imran Khan was probably too classy for a ten-over format, but franchises would have happily emptied their pockets to have him on their side. A lively bowler even on the flattest of pitches, Imran would have been a real handful for today’s batsmen who have grown up with thick bats on docile surfaces.

His batting, that grew to become progressively more dynamic in the latter half of his career, ranged from steady to brutal, depending on the situation, and would have been a handy component to have in the middle overs.

Ian Smith

Any format needs a wicketkeeper, but Ian Smith went beyond the definition of a traditional stumper. An ODI strike-rate of 99.43 was a rarity when he played, and his free-spirited batting would have easily found a place in ten-over cricket. Smith once famously took 24 runs off one Test over, the kind of impact performances T10 needs, and scored at a strike-rate of 100 in more than half his ODI innings.

Ian Botham

One of cricket’s most dynamic all-rounders, Botham, in his pomp, would have walked into any side on bowling or batting alone. Botham’s outswing would have been difficult to put away early on, and his variations were well-suited to revel in a bat-dominated format. With the bat, Botham’s domination is well-documented, and his ability to conjure magic out of nowhere is exactly the thrill T10 is built on.

Eddo Brandes

Brandes wasn’t exactly a household name but had all the components of a formidable T10 cricketer. The Zimbabwe all-rounder was the proud holder of a stunning one-day hat-trick and twice took a five-wicket haul in his 59-match career, often employing his out-swinger to telling effect.  To add to his T10 value, ‘Chicken George’ was a belligerent lower-order contributor, the sort you would love to have when you’re seeking quick runs towards the latter half of your ten overs.

Curtly Ambrose

Any ball that is delivered from a 6’7’’ frame is tricky; if it comes out of the right hand of Ambrose, the zippiness and extra bounce can wreck the best. For a bowler who loves the sound of breaking timber, the number of deliveries would have mattered little, and even a two-over spell would have been a chilling prospect to face when hitting is the only way to go.