Viv Richards worth would have been more than Pat Cummins and Ben Stokes in T20Is: Ian Smith

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

Email

Comments

Undoubtedly, Viv Richards is one of the most knowable names in the world of Cricket. The retired veteran represented West Indies in tests and international levels. He scored 8540 runs in tests at an average of 50.23.

Having the strike rate above 90 in ODIs, he was at the peaks of brilliancy ahead of his era. Many experts believe Viv Richards could have been as explosive T20I cricketer if he would have featured in.

Ian Smith, New Zealand commentator, is one of those experts who see Viv Richards as a rising star and full of talent in the twenty-twenty cricket.

Viv Richards worth would have been more than Pat Cummins and Ben Stokes in T20Is: Ian Smith

“I believe Viv Richards would have made a go at cricket in any format in any decade. That’s why I mean you look at his strike rate which was superior to anyone else’s at that time that is a T20 strike rate without even having that game in his mind. He would have been an absolute legend in T20 cricket.”

“They would have paid more money than Pat Cummins, Ben Stokes and all other guys put together, to get Viv Richards in their line-up, because it would put more bums on the seats,” Smith said ICC’s video series ‘Inside Out’.

Ian Smith thinks the crowd sounds would have exploded the televisions if Viv would have featured in T20Is. Summing up, Ian finds Viv Richards in the playing XI of all-time World. In short, Ian termed Viv as an imposing player.

“He would have been an absolute crowd-pleaser and television would have gone through the roof. I will sum it up by saying that whenever you sit down and pick all-time World XI, he is always in mind. I don’t think I have ever in that time I played or commentated cricket seen a more imposing batsman come to the crease.”

“There have been some really fine players who looked like they are very confident when they come to the crease, they own the situation. But no man has been more imposing to the point where I think opposition attacks and fieldsmen were intimidated by him,” Smith said.

The Australian bowler is understandably one of the major factors for Team Australia’s bowling line-up in shorter formats of cricket. On the contrary, England’s Ben Stokes is notably the desire of every team as he has got the potential with the bat and can take his team out of critical situations when on the crease.

Featuring in 28 T20I matches, Cummins has grabbed 36 wickets so far conceding economy of 6.87. Ben Stokes, on the other hand, has smashed 305 runs in 26 matches at a strike rate of 134.36.

Also, see:

Ian Gould terms of officiating in Pakistan vs India matches as intimidating