Cricket is a game that needs a balance of skills in both batting and bowling. While some
players are naturally gifted in one field, others have to work hard to improve their abilities.
In some cases, players who start their careers as bowlers learn that they have a knack for
batting as well, and eventually become successful batsmen for their teams.
Here are five examples of such cricketers who made the shift from bowlers to batsmen:
1)Kevin Pietersen: The flamboyant English batsman, who is generally regarded as one of
the most destructive and entertaining players of his age, started his career as a leg-spinner.
He made his Test debut in 2005 as a bowling all-rounder, batting at No.8 and throwing
occasional leg-breaks. However, he soon realized that his batting was his better suit, and
moved up the order to become a specialist batsman.
He got over 8000 runs in Tests and over 4000 runs in ODIs, with 23 and nine centuries respectively. He also played a key role in England’s triumphs in the 2005 Ashes and the 2010 World T20.
2) Sanath Jayasuriya: The explosive Sri Lankan opener, who changed the art of batting in
limited-overs cricket, began his career as a left-arm spinner. He made his ODI debut in 1989
as a bowler who could bat a bit, and played at No.6 or lower in his first 76 matches.
However, he was moved to open the batting in 1993, and since then he never looked back.
He got over 13000 runs in ODIs and over 6000 runs in Tests, with 28 and six centuries
respectively. He also took over 300 wickets in both forms, making him one of the most
successful all-rounders of all time.
3) Steve Smith: The current Australian captain, who is generally regarded as the best Test
batsman of the modern era, started his career as a leg-spinner. He made his Test debut in
2010 as a bowling all-rounder, starting at No.8 and bowling regular leg-spin.
However, he soon realized that his bowling was not consistent enough at the top level, and focused
more on his batting. He moved up the order to become a specialist batsman, and has made
over 7000 runs in Tests and over 4000 runs in ODIs, with 27 and nine centuries
respectively. He also holds the record for the highest Test batting average among current
players.
4) Nasser Hussain: The former England captain, who is generally regarded as one of the
finest batsmen and leaders of his country, started his career as an off-spinner. He was the
youngest ever player to get a place in the Essex under-15 side as a bowler.
However, he gradually improved his batting skills and became a top-order batsman for his county and
country. He got over 5700 runs in Tests and over 2300 runs in ODIs, with 14 and three centuries respectively. He also captained England to some memorable wins, including the
famous 2001 Ashes series win.
5) Shahid Afridi: The dynamic Pakistani all-rounder began his career as a leg-spinner and is
largely considered as one of the most entertaining and unpredictable players of his time.
He made his ODI debut in 1996 as a bowler with some batting ability, batting at No.10 or
lower in his first two matches. However, in his second encounter, he stunned the world by
getting the fastest ODI century at the time (37 balls), and he has since become a regular
opener or middle-order batsman for Pakistan.
With six and five centuries, he amassed over 8000 runs in ODIs and over 1700 runs in Tests. He also had over 500 ODI wickets and over 100 Test wickets, making him one of the most successful all-rounders of all time. He also took over 500 wickets in ODIs and over 100 wickets in Tests, making him one of the most successful all-rounders of all time.
