These five players have what is required to feature in any team in any format in international cricket.
All the three international formats require players with specific qualities and abilities to become successful and famous. Tests require patience and technique; ODIs require power and skills, and T20Is require power and skills combined with quick thinking.
Not many players are blessed with each and every quality and ability required to be successful in all the three formats, but there are some players from the current generation are fortunate enough to be talented and skilled enough to walk into any team in any format in international cricket.
Here are 5 such players who will be an asset to any team in any format in international cricket:
DAVID WARNER (AUS)
M: 246 | Runs: 12256 | Avg: 49.82 | HS: 253 | 100s: 35
David Warner is perhaps one of the most dangerous openers in world cricket today. Ushered into the Australian T20I team in 2009, before playing First-Class cricket, it didn’t take Warner much time to establish himself as one of the most dangerous opening batsmen in the world.
He made his Test debut in 2011 and despite initial failures, steadily has become one of the greatest players in all the three formats. Warner’s ability to score runs at a fast pace in all the three formats is his biggest asset, something that enables him to walk into any team at the moment in all the three formats.
AB DE VILLIERS (SA)
M: 416 | Runs: 19587 | Avg: 47.08 | HS: 278* | 100s: 46
AB de Villiers has created a niche for himself and does things no other batsman has been able to do before him and has not done after him. He has scored 25 centuries in ODIs and all of them have come at a strike rate of more than 100. In Tests, he has played innings of both great destruction and immense patience.
In T20Is, he is the most dangerous batsman coming in at no.3 or no.4 and his ability to score all around the ground makes it difficult for the bowlers to bowl a steady line to him. AB de Villiers’ calm and cool personality also provides a calming influence over this teammates and the fact that he is respected and admired all over the world, his inclusion in any team in any format will only be a bonus to that team.
MITCHELL STARC (AUS)
M: 134 | WKTS: 341 | BB: 11/94
Mitchell Starc is currently one of the most premier quick bowlers in the world. His exploits in the 2015 World Cup and in the numerous Ashes series made him a perfect successor to Mitchell Johnson and now he is the leader of the Australia quick bowling attack.
Starc has the ability to bowl at over 145 kmph for a consistent period of time, can bowl dangerous bouncers and toe-crushing yorkers at ease. This makes him a valuable addition to any team in any format. He is particularly dangerous in shorter formats, as he is able to conserve energy and bowl extremely quick in short bursts.
BEN STOKES (ENG)
M: 122 | Runs: 4271 |WKTS: 158 | Avg: 35.00 | HS: 258 | BB: 6/22 | 100s: 9
England’s Ben Stokes has divided the cricket world over his talent on the field and his behavior outside the field. Seen as one of the most controversial and mercurial talents in cricket, Stokes can bat like a dream and bowl like the wind. Stokes thrives on challenges and loves to show off either with the bat or the ball; and sometimes with both.
Seen by England as a successor to Andrew Flintoff and Sir Ian Botham, Stokes destroyed South African bowling attack on his way to 258 in a Test match, something that another mortal being could never do. He is definitely a big and valuable addition to any international cricket team in any of the three formats.
VIRAT KOHLI (IND)
M: 330 | Runs: 17124 | Avg: 51.89 | HS: 243 | 100s: 56
Anything that can be written in praise of Indian captain Virat Kohli has been written by all of the best cricket journalists and writers. One of the most prolific scorers in the world of cricket in all the three international formats, Virat Kohli has 56 international centuries in just 330 international matches across formats.
He averages more than 50 in all the three international formats, including an astonishing average of 58.10 in ODI cricket, where he has 9588 runs in 208 matches with 35 hundreds. He is the second highest century-maker in ODIs, behind the great Sachin Tendulkar, who has 49 centuries.
Definitely the kind of batsman and player any one would like to have in their team.