Inzamam: The heavyweight batting genius

If you were to ask any cricket enthusiast to name their top five batsmen, you'd typically hear names like Bradman, Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, Lara, and Steve Waugh. Inzamam ul Haq's name seldom finds its way onto such lists, and there are valid reasons for that. Inzamam wasn't the fittest or the most agile athlete on the field. His running between the wickets often provided comic relief in cricketing circles, and his English language skills could amuse the elite. However, it's unanimous that no one would dare label Inzamam as a poor batsman. Those who witnessed his play would even argue that he was on par, if not better, than his contemporaries like Lara and Sachin.

What set Inzamam, or "Inzy bhai," apart? In one sentence, it was his extraordinary ability to seemingly have more time to play a shot—an extra second that made him exceptional and compensated for his other shortcomings. While most specialist batsmen are meticulous about their bat's size, weight, and brand, Inzamam was different. His dressing room tales reveal that he could casually pick up any bat, perhaps even one belonging to a number 11 batsman, and still score a century.

Listen to interviews with his contemporary bowlers like Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, and you'll understand just how highly they regarded Inzamam for his batting genius. Despite his harmless appearance, he could wield the bat with remarkable speed. His batting repertoire included elegant cricketing shots, cheeky placements, and powerful brute force hits, all executed with that extra second. He detested running and preferred dealing in boundaries, shunning the idea of converting ones into twos. He believed in turning singles into fours and sixes.

Another reason why Inzamam is my personal favorite is his authentic persona and straightforward demeanor. He expressed his thoughts candidly and thought in simple terms. He made batting appear effortless and added a touch of grace to the game. These reminiscences harken back to a time when cricket was played in distinct seasons, unlike the continuous format we see today.

Statistics may not always do justice to Inzy bhai's true potential, as numbers can sometimes be deceptive. Inzamam seemed to be born in the wrong cricketing nation. Had he been born in Australia or India, his name would likely have been more prominent in those top five batsmen lists than it is today.