Is Babar Azam in the Fab Five? Does he join Kane Williamson, Steven Smith, Virat Kohli, and Joe Root or replace Root altogether? This was the talking point in the first test of the ongoing England-Pakistan Test series.
The debate will continue. In the meantime, I offer a counterargument.
Who are the true Fab 5 of this era? None of the above.
I argue that the Fab 5 of this decade is not a combination of stars. Rather, it is the core of a single team: The Bangladesh Fab 5—Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal, and Mashrafe Mortaza.
The Argument
The Golden Period of The 2000s
In the 2000s, each team had a golden generation or a solid core.
Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka had world-beating teams. Pakistan had Younis-Yousuf-Inzi. Similarly, India had Sehwag-Tendulkar-Dravid-Ganguly-VVS, NZ had Fleming-Astle-McMillan-Vettori, and even a declining West Indies team had Gayle-Sarwan-Lara-Chanderpaul.
Although Australia were the standout team of the generation, all the other teams had multiple match-winners and could challenge Australia on their day. Over the past decade, though, most of the teams have undergone a transition as older generations retire.
The Current Generation
Sure, Williamson-Smith-Kohli-Root/Azam are all great. They have consistently dominated the batting charts across formats both at home and abroad. However, teams consisting of a group of playersconsistently winning games over all the formats in the past decade has been a rarity.
New Zealand had a brief period of stability with the McCullum-Guptill-Williamson-Vettori-Boult/Southee era. Likewise, England were just beginning to develop a side that could sustain its dominance on one-day cricket before the pandemic intervened. Sri Lanka and South Africa have yet to recover from the transition, while most others revolve around one or two individuals.
Hence, the only team in the past decade with a golden generation has been Bangladesh.
The Team: Bangladesh Cricket Fab 5
Today’s Bangladesh team is a competitive force. Maybe even second best in Asia. It is no longer considered an upset when they win. This was not always the case.
First Memory
1999 and 2007. Years that Bangladesh fans remember fondly.
Bangladesh first burst onto the scene in the 1999 Cricket World Cup (CWC) when they stunned Pakistan. Although that game caught the eye of the world and paved their Test cricket dreams, it was the 2007 WC victory against India that would usher a new era for Bangladesh altogether.
Mashrafe Mortaza rocked India with his opening spell and 4 wickets. Tamim, Shakib, and Musfiq all made crucial 50s. 17-year old Tamim’s running-down-the-wicket assault to Zaheer Khan was the highlight, and Mushfiqur stayed till the very end to deliver victory.
Wisden cricketer of 2011, Tamim Iqbal established himself as Bangladesh’s opener between 2007-2011. After a brief slow patch, Iqbal has become the symbol of consistency since the 2015 World Cup. Earlier in his career, he was known for his aggressive stroke play. As he gained experience, he has taken more responsibility and curbed the aggression.
Result: Test centuries and longer ODI innings. Accumulated hundreds in all formats, highest Bangladeshi run-scorer across formats, and the first to 10000 international runs.
Test: 4405 runs, 38.64 average, best of 206, 9-100s/27-50s
ODI: 7202 runs, 36.74 average, best of 158, 13-100s/47-50s
T20I: 1758 runs, 24.08 average, best of 103*, 1-100/7-50s
Shakib is, perhaps, Bangladesh’s first cricket superstar. One of the best all-rounders of all-time and certainly of this era. Coveted by worlds T20 franchises and Ranked No. 1 in all three formats for the majority of the decade. He has rescued Bangladesh time and again. Whether it is finishing a innings, taking 5-fors as a hobby, or taking responsibility as No.3 at the 2019 World Cup, scoring over 600 runs and taking 10 wickets— he has done it all.
Records: Fastest to 6000 runs + 250 wickets, 2nd Bangladeshi to 10000 international runs, and more
Test: 3862 runs, 39.4 average, best of 217, 5-100s/24-50s + 210 wickets at 31.12
ODI: 6323 runs, 37.86 average, best of 134*, 9-100s/47-50s + 260 wickets at 30.21
T20I: 1567, 23.74 average, best of 84, 9-50s + 92 wickets at 20.58
Only wicket-keeper to score two or more double centuries in test-cricket (he has 3), Mushfiqur has become the pillar of Bangladesh’s line up and an energetic presence behind the wicket. Short in stature, he has become one of the best players of the pull shot and the reverse sweep. Always preserving his best against India, he most recently finished the T20I game in 2019 to exorcise the ghost of Bangalore in 2016. Will go down as one of all time best wicket-keeper batsman.
Test: 4413 runs, 36.77 average, best of 219*, 7-100s/21-50s + 119 dismissals
ODI: 6174 runs, 36.31 average, best of 144, 7-100s/38-50s + 225 dismissals
T20I: 1282 runs, 20.03 average, best of 72*, 5-50s + 62 dismissals
A late-entrant into the Fab 5, Mahmudullah is Bangladesh’s shock absorber. Has been involved in almost all of their famous victories. Most famously, promoted to No.3 in the 2015 World Cup, he scored back-to-back centuries. The turning point in Bangladesh cricket was the 2017 Champions Trophy match against New Zealand when he and Shakib combined a partnership to go from 33/4 to chase 265. Later in his career, he has become a finishing specialist. Also a handy off-spinner and astute captain in the BPL.
Test: 2764 runs, 31.77 average, best of 146, 4-100s/16-50s
ODI: 4070 runs, 33.63 average, best of 128*, 3-100s/21-50s
T20I: 1475 runs, 24.18 average, best of 64*, 4-50s
Debuted in 2001, the longevity of Mortaza’s career as a fast bowler itself is an incredible achievement. Began his career as someone who could bowl in the late 140s Km/hr. Ended as a line-and-length control bowler with speeds down in the low 120s. Started the fast bowling revolution in Bangladesh, but his claim to fame is his captaincy. Kept the team united for the last 5 years of his career, providing a period of growth for Bangladesh cricket. Also a handy lower-order batsman.
Test: 78 wickets at 41.52 + 1/1 win as captain
ODI: 270 wickets at 32.93 + 50/88 wins as captain
T20I: 42 wickets at 36.35 + 10.28 wins as captain
What Makes Them Great?
The beauty of this generation is in the variety of the roles they play.
Tamim Iqbal is an opener. Mushfiqur Rahim is a middle-order wicket-keeper. Shakib Al Hasan their premier spinner and all-rounder. Mahmudullah the calm finisher. Mortaza—once the pace spearhead, now the ace captain.
They have all been vice-captain and captain at some points in time. Shakib-Musfiq-Mahmudullah have batted in all the positions in the middle order. Hence, the fluidity in the batting order and experience is why they have become a consistent team.
Regardless of the selections around them, the Fab 5 have been a reliable presence for the past 10-15 years.
The opening batting partners of Tamim and bowling partners of Mortaza might change, the understudies to Mushfiq’s wicket-keeping and Riyad’s finishing might come and go, others from Bangladesh’s left-arm-spin-factory might briefly complement Shakib, but these five themselves have remained a constant.
The Moments
After India were defeated in 2007 CWC, South Africa also faced defeat against the mighty Tigers. Subsequently, they knocked out England in 2011 and 2015. They truly became a global force in 2016 with series victories against India, South Africa, England, and Australia across formats at home.
Recently, with the 2018 Asia Cup final almost ending in a tie, Bangladesh winning their first tri-series, and a memorable 2019 CWC campaign with an inspirational superhuman display from Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh have definitely elevated their status in world cricket.
Furthermore, Bangladesh U-19 team has shown immense progress. They went to the semi-finals in 2016 under Mehidy Hasan Miraz and last February, they lifted the U-19 WC trophy when captain Akbar Ali kept his nerve. The new generation of Bangladesh are talented and hungry to win.
The Legacy
Imagine this squad for the 2023 Cricket World Cup:
Openers: Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Naim, Soumya Sarkar
Wicket-Keepers: Liton Das, Musfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun
Middle-Order: Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Akbar Ali
All-Rounders: Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz
Fast-Bowlers: Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Haider, Taskin Ahmed
Liton Das has been earmarked as a destructive batsman for the future. The Fizz has already made a name in T20 leagues around the world. Saifuddin and Miraz have taken the baton from Shakib for the future all-rounder spot.
In addition, with Mosaddek Hossain, Taijul Islam, Sabbir Rahman in-and-out of the side and the likes of Saif Hassan and Rakibul Hasan waiting in the wings, this squad looks potentially dangerous. All-rounders, solid openers, variety of fast bowlers, and choking spinners, this squad has it all.
Mortaza has said on numerous occasions they are targetting 2023 semifinals at least. Maybe they will go far in the 2023 world cup. Maybe they won’t. In any case,
Whatever Bangladesh cricket accomplish in the future from now, it will be built on the shoulders of these giants.
What The Future Holds
With the advent of T20, overkill of cricket, increasing injuries to fast bowlers, mental pressure the players need to deal with, we may no longer have sides that play together for a long time across formats. Heck, we may now have different teams playing different formats on the same day, an idea Eoin Morgan recently alluded to.
What we can do, is to enjoy the final stretch of these players that have given Bangladesh cricket and world cricket whole loads of joy.
Few batsmen score over 10000 runs with an average above 50 in ODI cricket. Fewer still contribute 444 dismissals as wicket-keeper. Hardly anyone can be credited with captaining teams to World Cup victories in T20s and ODIs, No.1 Test ranking, and multiple IPL championships. [1]
MS Dhoni did all three.
After Martin Guptill’s run-out of Dhoni that effectively ended India’s World Cup dreams in 2019, Dhoni’s retirement was on everyone’s mind. Will he? Won’t he?
A year on down in times of COVID-19, MS Dhoni delivered the news in classic MS Dhoni style—in a subdued Instagram post. Shortly thereafter, his partner in crime, Suresh Raina, joined in retirement on Twitter.
Thala and Chinna Thala, or leader and juinor leader, as they are known in Chennai, MS Dhoni and SK Raina were synonymous with the Indian 2011 world cup winning team and numerous CSK victories. We look back at the illustrious careers of this dynamic duo, Dhoni and Raina—the stalwarts of Indian cricket team over the past decade and a half.
The Stats
Raina and Dhoni both hailed from small towns in Ghaziabad and Ranchi respectively. Their rapid rise to international cricket is an inspirational story with hardwork and overcoming obstacles. In Dhoni’s case, the story captured by the late-Sushant Singh Rajput in M.S. Dhoni – The Untold Story.
Both Dhoni and Raina were multi-dimensional cricketers. While the Indian team revolved around Dhoni’s finishing ability, wicket-keeping skills, and captain cool nature, it was Raina’s fielding and off-spin that provided the team balance. Here are brief snippets of their statistics:
ODI: 5615 runs, 35.51 average, best of 116*, strike rate 93.5, 36 wickets
T20I: 1605 runs, 29.18 average, best of 101, strike rate of 134.67, 13 wickets
Test: 768 runs, 26.48 average, best of 120, 13 wickets
Although the numbers do not convey everything, Dhoni’s 50+ average and 84 not-outs reveals why he was considered the best finisher of the generation. As long as Mahi is there at the end, India was still in the game.
While Dhoni was India’s finisher, Suresh Raina was India’s insurance policy. If the top-order needed support, Raina was there. Jitters in the middle order? Raina was there. Need to score quick runs and accelerate? Raina was there. His consistently high strike rates reflect how good he was at reading situations and executing accordingly.
The legendary trio of Yuvi-Mahi-Raina rescued India on numerous occasions from dire situations.
My First Memory
My first memory of MS Dhoni in international cricket that caught my eye…did not actually involve watching Dhoni at all. I was on a road trip when an India-Sri Lanka ODI match was taking place.
We were listening to the commentary on a patchy radio station and checking the scores via paid text messages with spotty networks (yep, those days). The new kid on the block was promoted to No.3. Next thing you knew, he started to hit it out of the park.
He scored some runs, and then some more. The network disappeared and came back again. More sixes, more fours. Network out, back again. Eventually, with boundaries galore, India successfully chased 299 (which in 2005 was a huge score). Dhoni 183 not out.
Similarly, my first Suresh Raina memory did not actually involve his batting. Or his bowling. Or his catching. It was the one and only time I have ever seen a wicket by obstructing the field to Inzamam Ul-Haq.
That incident caught my eye. Like Mohammad Kaif, another captain from Uttar Pradesh before him, Suresh Raina was a marvelous fielder at backward point.
The Championships
MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina were pillars of India’s ascent to the top between 2007 and 2013. An era that started with MSD captaining a bunch of unknown youngsters to the 2007 World T20 finals (although Raina was not in that team) and extending till the 2016 T20 world cup.
Victories at the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup at home, 2013 Champions Trophy along with semi-finalists at the 2015 ODI and 2016 T20 world cups. Not a bad record, I would say.
Even though Suresh Raina made his name in ODI cricket, he had an impact in each format. With a century on Test debut in Sri Lanka and a century in the 2010 World T20, he was the first Indian to score centuries in all three formats.
The Highlights
There are several records and victories associated with these two, but what highlights of Dhoni and Raina will I remember the most? I will remember:
MSD’s glovework was second to none. Whether it is lightning-fast stumpings, between the legs-run out, the DRS calls, or that last ball run-out in the T20 World Cup, he redefined wicket-keeping.
The trademark helicopter shots, that 91* in the World-Cup final, finishing off with a six for a fun. And finally, out of nowhere, in a middle of the test series in 2014, the retirement in Australia.
And Raina? For me, personally, I will remember his hoicks over mid-wicket and his absurd 87 off 25 in IPL 2014 Qualifiers. The best IPL innings of all time in my opinion. Regardless,
The beauty of a great Suresh Raina innings is you remember the impact, not the score.
More often then not, Raina was unbeaten at the end. Raina’s 34*(28) and 36*(39) in the quarter-finals and semi-finals chases were just as important as Gambhir’s 97 or Dhoni’s 91 in the final.
The Legacy
But every good thing has to come to an end, right? Dhoni’s distinguished career had to end anti-climatically with a run-out. Raina, marred by injury issues, retired at the age of 33, only playing 3 ODIs after the age of 29, when batsmen are usually at the prime.
Their legacy though would be determined by their partnership. MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina remind me of the movie, Ratatouille. Okay, let me explain.
Both of them, were great cricketers in their own right. Together, though, they were like cheese and strawberry.
Combined together, something really special was created.
As dependable finishers in the middle-order, one of the best runners-in-between the wickets, wicket-keeper and off-spin bowling partners, or as captain and #3 batsman at CSK as Thala and Chinna Thala, it was their partnerships together that made this journey memorable.
It is only fitting that they retire from international cricket together. Let us sit back nicely and watch them in the IPL while we can for a few more days.
The Videos:
To conclude, here is are some nice videos by the ICC and Cricket Australia on Dhoni and Raina:
What were your favorite Dhoni and Raina memories? Comment below, share, and subscribe! If you like to read more about cricketing heroes, check out our tribute to Rahul Dravid.
Rahul Dravid, the Wall as he is affectionately known, has been my cricketing hero—my role model for as long as I can remember.
My favorite memory of the great Indian legend—Rahul Dravid, was when he carried his bat in England at The Oval. In that series, when all the chips were down, he fought for the team until the very end.
At the end of his career, it was a reminder of what he stood for. Today I discuss my favorite Rahul Dravid memories and what he taught me.
My First Memory of Rahul Dravid
My first memory of watching cricket was Dravid’s roar and fist celebration in that famous 2003 Adelaide victory with a trademark square cut to Stuart MacGill after scoring 233 and 72*. Early next year, the 2004 ODI series versus Pakistan sealed my love for cricket and my awe for the dashing wicket-keeper batsman with sunglasses, as his image was in those days.
Before we get into the philosophy, let us get the stats out of the way.
164 Test Matches and 344 ODIs, 48 international centuries, a 17 year international career, over 10,000 runs in each format
Holds the world record for the most number of catches in Test matches
Most balls played in a Test career (31,258)
Indian Team captain (Led them to first Test victory in South Africa along with series victories in West Indies and England. Also was the captain during India’s 2007 World Cup).
Holds the Test record for most number of runs in a partnerships (6921 with Sachin Tendulkar)
With VVS Laxman, Dravid shared a 376-run partnership (2001) & 303-run partnership (2003), both vs Australia
Dravid in England
In England, his record even more stellar:
Dravid’s first international match was a Test match in Lord’s against England, where he made 95, missing his century by just five runs (He would eventually get on the Lord’s Honours Boards fifteen years later in 2011).
Twice Man of the Series (with 3 tons each) – 2002 and 2011
Test series win as a captain – 2007
On the other end of the spectrum in limited overs cricket:
After Dravid retired as a player, he tried commentary and coaching. Well, the commentary stint did not last that long. As a coach, Dravid took over as a player-mentor with the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2014 and later with the Delhi Daredevils.
The Under-19 & NCA Stint
National recognition in the coaching setup came when Dravid was selected as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and the Under-19/A Teams. This is where Rahul Dravid had the most success as a coach. Training the next generation of Indian cricketers, helping them technically & mentally, and giving them confidence was what India needed at the time. Additionally, setting up A tours paid India dividends with the future overseas Test victories.
The rise of Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw & the contributions of Shardul Thakur & Washington Thakur in the historic Gabba Test could be traced back to this stint.
After India crashed from defeat in the first round of the 2021 T20 World Cup, Dravid was handed over the reins as the coach of the national side. Rohit Sharma replaced Virat Kohli as captain.
During the year, several players were given opportunities, a change of mindset was promised and even delivered. However, inconsistency in selection, multiple captains, overkill of cricket, injuries, & inability to play modern-day T20 cricket meant India crashed out in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal against England.
So, how can we judge Dravid’s coaching career so far? Not great, not bad, somewhere in the middle. Sort of like his captaincy career.
The Legacy
Numbers aside, it was how he carried himself on and off the field that shone through. Whether it was the ability to contribute to victories in tough overseas conditions, the consistency throughout his career, or the adaptability to suit the needs of the team, Dravid was always there. Opening the batting, donning the gloves to accommodate an extra batsman, stepping away for the youngsters in the 2007 T20 World Cup, and even bowling handy off-spin, he was a perfect team player.
Navjot Singh Sidhu summarized it perfectly, “Rahul Dravid is a player who would walk on broken glass if his team asks him to.”
Even in tough phases of his career, examples of perseverance and resilience were aplenty, like his 40-ball stay for a single against Australia. During days of batting collapses, or in the case of the 2011 tour of England- an entire series of collapses, we could depend on him. Grinding opposition bowlers down, building partnerships after partnerships, and staying in the game were his forte. For the highlight reels, his innings may not be the most flamboyant, but probably the most essential. As they say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
Off the field, mentoring youngsters in the U-19, India A, or the IPL, delivering the Don Bradman Oration lecture, being an example of Fair Play as Rajasthan Royals’ captain, and avoiding controversies, Dravid’s genuine and graceful demeanor complemented his skills on the ground.
The combination of perseverance and resilience, determination and discipline, as well as humility and team-before-self attitude — that is what Rahul Dravid has taught me.
What We Can Learn from Rahul Dravid?
Challenges will come throughout life, but as long as we have the determination to face and overcome the obstacles, things will be get better. Giving up is not an option, but improving is. We should always strive for excellence without sacrificing morals. Even if we do succeed in achieving our goals once or twice, that is not enough. Being consistent with the process, adapting with time, repeating the good and learning from the bad, that is what matters. In the long run, the results do not matter as much as the journey. Finally, regardless if we are a member of a company, a leadership group, a sports team, or a band, interests of the team always outweigh individual glory.
These lessons can be applied to any aspect of life, not just cricket, and that for me is why Rahul Dravid is my cricketing role model.
I will leave you with some of my favorite quotes on Rahul Dravid:
“If you really want to see aggression, look into Dravid’s eyes”—Matthew Hayden
“The wolf who lived for the pack” — Harsha Bhogle
“If you can’t get along with Dravid, you’re struggling in life”—Brett Lee
Rahul Dravid – Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rahul Dravid?
Rahul Dravid was an Indian cricketer and is Team India’s current men’s head coach. From 1996-2013, he was India’s top batters. He is arguably India’s Best #3 batter, scored in numerous important overseas victories, and served as India’s captain.
What is the middle name of Rahul Dravid?
Rahul Dravid’s middle name is Sharad. His full name is Rahul Sharad Dravid.
When did Rahul Dravid retire?
Rahul Dravid announced his retirement from international cricket in 2013. He retired from T20Is and ODIs in the horror series against England in 2011. He continued to play Test cricket, but retired after the tour of Australia in the next year. Finally, Rahul Dravid retired from T20 league after Champions League 2014, when he captained the Rajasthan Royals.
Why is Rahul Dravid called the Wall?
Rahul Dravid is called the ‘Wall’ due to his ability to survive tough sessions for long periods. Dravid has been the architect of several of India’s key overseas victories – Headingly 2002, Adelaide 2013, Rawalpindi 2004, Kingston 2006, and the disastrous England tour of 2011 (where India lost 0-4). Overall, Rahul Dravid faced 31,258 balls in Test cricket, more than any cricketer in history.
How many balls did Rahul Dravid play in international cricket?
Rahul Dravid played a mammoth total of 46,591 balls in international cricket (31,285 Test, 15,285 ODI, and 21 T20I)
Which IPL teams did Rahul Dravid play for?
Rahul Dravid played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore from 2008-2010 and the Rajasthan Royals from 2011-2014.
Did Rahul Dravid play for Scotland?
Yes, Rahul Dravid represented Scotland as an overseas player. He played for Scotland in the national Cricket League against teams like Hampshire, Scotland, Lancashire, etc.
What are Rahul Dravid’s nicknames?
Dravid has had a couple of nicknames, The Wall and Jammy.
Also Read: If enjoyed reading this article, enjoy the others from Life Lessons category and Cricketing Heroeslinked below.
