Laziest XI of all time in cricket

Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, and one requires various attributes to thrive in this game. While a batsman needs to score runs while keeping his wicket safe, the bowler stops him from doing so. Fielding, wicket-keeping, catching, and throwing are some other skills that a cricketer needs. Although there are different sections of expertise in the gentleman’s game, fitness is one common factor between them. Whether you are running between the wickets, bowling fast, or fielding in the outfield, your speed, endurance, and agility will be tested. Hence, most cricketers tend to spend a lot of time in the gym to maintain their bodies. In fact, players like Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis have become fitness icons worldwide. However, some players in international cricket are also known for their laziness. Alongside witnessing brilliance near the boundary ropes and swift running between the wickets, we have also seen players making goof-ups in the field and failing to complete quick runs. However, they have still managed to make a mark in world cricket with their batting or bowling prowess. Now, that’s why cricket is a game of certainty. Therefore, let’s take a look at- Let's take a look at the all-time laziest playing XI of cricket. 1. Rohit Sharma (c) Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Instagram) Well, this will surely not go down well with many Hitman fans. Rohit Sharma is one of the best batsmen going around, and his numbers narrate the entire story. The dasher can score runs at a quick pace, and his knack of staying at the crease for long makes him an absolute nightmare. One attribute which has been a trademark of Rohit’s playing style is his lazy elegance. It seems like the opener has one or two seconds extra than other batters as he demolishes deliveries of over 145 kmph with ease. However, laziness has also earned Rohit a lot of criticism. The 34-year-old has faced a lot of trolling over his body shape and his speed only seems to have gone down with time. Nevertheless, the right-handed batsman is still a vital cog of the Indian team across formats. While his numbers in white-ball cricket are daunting, the Hitman has also done well in Test matches in the last few years. 2. Mohammad Shahzad Mohammad Shahzad during the ICC Cricket World Cup Group Match between Australia and Afghanistan on June 1, 2019, in Bristol, England. (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto via Getty Images) Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad partners Rohit in this list. The right-handed batsman might not be a regular part of Afghanistan’s current scheme of things. However, he has played several scintillating knocks in his career. Shahzad even has an ODI century against India’s potent bowling attack. However, one thing which has been a nemesis in Shahzad’s cricket career is his fitness. While he can hit fours and sixes without much feet moment, the dasher isn’t a swift runner between the wickets. He has also missed a lot of chances behind the stumps due to his laziness. In fact, his fitness issues also saw him getting dropped from the national team. His last international appearance came during the 2019 World Cup. He was controversially declared unfit by the board and got ruled out of the tournament. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old still has cricket left in him, and he would like to make a thumping comeback. 3. Chris Gayle West Indies’ Chris Gayle appears dejected during the ICC Cricket World Cup group stage match at The Taunton County Ground, Taunton. (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images) Another dashing batsman who makes this list is Universe Boss Chris Gayle. The Caribbean swashbuckler is one of the most dangerous batsmen to have ever stepped onto the cricket field and his record is just staggering. Gayle has tormented the best of bowling line-ups and scored runs all over the world. At 41, Gayle is still going strong and has no retirement plans. However, fitness is one aspect of his game where the southpaw lacks. The left-handed batsman doesn’t run too fast between the wickets, and you’ll hardly see him going for twos and threes. Owing to his slow moments, Gayle seldom fields outside the 30-yard circle. However, his batting prowess still makes him a force to reckon with in the shortest format of the game. He played some brilliant knocks in the now-postponed Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and would like to shine in his upcoming assignments as well. 4. Soumya Sarkar Soumya Sarkar. (Photo Source: Twitter) Bangladesh all-rounder Soumya Sarkar comes at four on this list. The southpaw would be a valuable addition to any side as he can score runs quickly in the middle overs and can also contribute with his medium-pace bowling. Sarkar has also been a regular part of the Bangladesh team ever since making his debut in 2014. However, his fielding is something that has come under the scanner time and again. Sarkar is not quick in the outfield, which has cost Bangladesh many runs. The left-handed batsman is also not a great runner between the wickets and has faced a lot of criticism for the same. Nevertheless, Sarkar is just 28 and has a lot of time to boost his game. Unlike many players on this list, the left-handed batsman has a lean physique and it would be interesting to see if he can enhance his agility in coming times. 5. Haris Sohail Haris Sohail. (Photo Source: Twitter) Pakistan all-rounder Haris Sohail also features in this list. The southpaw has done well in national colours and is also a vital cog of Pakistan’s current side across formats. Sohail can play substantial knocks while batting in the middle-order, and his left-arm spins have also come in handy at times. All these factors make Sohail a valuable asset. However, fielding hasn’t been Sohail’s forte. Many Pakistan cricketers have faced criticism over their fitness in the last few years, and Sohail also belongs to that category. The southpaw struggles to cover the ground swiftly and has dropped many catches as well. He also doesn’t too seem very keen while running multiple runs. Despite all this, Sohail averages 46 in ODI cricket and is expected to serve Pakistan cricket for a long time. However, with the game demanding so much nowadays, the southpaw needs to keep his body in shape to deliver regularly. 6. Sarfaraz Ahmed (w&k) Sarfaraz Ahmed. (Photo Source: Twitter) Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed is the wicket-keeper of this side. This shouldn’t surprise many as Sarfaraz has faced a lot of trolling over his fitness in the past few years. On multiple occasions, the right-handed batsman was even spotted yawning in the field, raising questions over his intent. The 34-year-old isn’t the swiftest wicket-keeper going around and has missed some sitters while keeping against spin bowlers. He has also made some goof-ups while running between the wickets. Sarfaraz however, has worked on his fitness after getting dropped from the national team and looks leaner now. However, finding a permanent place in Pakistan’s playing XI won’t be easy for Sarfaraz, with Mohammad Rizwan being in red-hot form. Rizwan has done exceptionally well both in front and behind the stumps. Hence, Sarfaraz has to fight with nails and teeth to stamp his authority again. 7. Sunil Narine Sunil Narine. (Photo Source: Twitter) Another Caribbean T20 star who features in this list is Sunil Narine. The off-spinner is one of the finest T20 cricketers going around owing to his all-round abilities. While Narine had always been a brilliant off-spinner, his batting prowess also came in the limelight in the last few years. However, fitness is not the section where many can look up to Narine. The talismanic spinner has dropped many easy catches in the outfield, and covering the ground has also not been easy for him. Hence, he often is spotted fielding at the third man or the fine-leg region. The southpaw is also prone to injuries, and this has impacted his fitness even further. However, Narine is still a force to reckon with the ball or bat in hand. He hasn’t been a part of the West Indies team for a while, but the selectors can still consider him for the ICC T20 World Cup, which takes place later this year. 8. Kuldeep Yadav Kuldeep Yadav. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Next on the list is India’s left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. The spinner is a proven star in international cricket and has taken wickets all over the world. In fact, he is only one of the two Indian bowlers to have taken five-wicket hauls in all three formats. He even has two hat-tricks in ODI cricket. Well, these records are staggering by any standards. However, Kuldeep isn’t among the fittest cricketers going around. The southpaw is a slow mover in the field, and his catching ability isn’t brilliant either. Hence, Kuldeep should work on his speed and agility to take his game forward. Meanwhile, the last few months have been difficult for the star spinner as he couldn’t do well in Team India colours. Moreover, he didn’t get a single game in the now-postponed IPL 2021. Nevertheless, he’s all but certain to feature in India’s white-ball team travelling Sri Lanka in July. Hence, Kuldeep must gear up to stamp his authority again. 9. Tabraiz Shamsi Tabraiz Shamsi. (Photo by Anesh Dibiky/Gallo Images/Getty Images) The top-ranked T20I bowler, Tabraiz Shamsi is also a part of this uncanny playing XI. Although South Africa haven’t done well in international cricket lately, Shamsi has been delivering regularly in white-ball cricket. The left-arm wrist-spinner doesn’t tend to give many runs in the middle overs and also takes wickets regularly. On top of that, he also entertains fans with his unique celebrations. However, there’s room for improvement in Shamsi’s fielding. Being a bowler, he doesn’t have to worry much about running between the wickets. However, the southpaw should enhance his fitness standards to do better while fielding. Meanwhile, Shamsi will have a massive role to play in South Africa’s T20 World Cup campaign later this year. The tournament is slated to take place in the spin-friendly conditions of India, and expectations would be high from the left-arm spinner. 10. Lasith Malinga Lasith Malinga. (Photo Source: Twitter) Sri Lanka’s bowling maestro will lead the pace attack of this XI. There was a time when Malinga used to give nightmares to batsmen with his thunderbolts. Be it bowling vicious bouncers or nailing toe-crushing yorkers, Malinga had many weapons in his armoury to torment batters. However, his performances have significantly dropped down in the past few years. Fitness issues have been one of the main reasons behind his downfall. The right-arm pacer doesn’t have a well-toned body which makes him prone to injuries. At the same time, Malinga was never a brilliant fielder as he dropped many sitters in his career. All these facts put Malinga on this list. Meanwhile, Malinga, who bid farewell to ODI cricket in 2019 and Test cricket much earlier, hasn’t been a part of Sri Lanka’s T20I side lately. He has expressed his desire to play the T20 World Cup later this year. However, the selectors are unlikely to pick him for the showpiece event. 11. Mohammad Irfan Mohammad Irfan. (Photo by Ashley Allen – CPL T20/Getty Images) Pakistan’s gigantic fast bowler Mohammad Irfan completes this list. Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, Irfan is one of the tallest cricketers ever, and hence, being swift with that body isn’t easy. However, the left-arm pacer has done well in the bowling department. With his ability to extract extra bounce of surface, Irfan has troubled some big names. Fielding is one area that has been a cause of concern for Irfan. Thanks to his bucket hands, the speedster is a safe catcher but covering ground hasn’t been his forte. He struggles to move swiftly across the field. Hence, the captain mostly puts him in those areas where the scope of running is low. The 38-year-old, who played for Pakistan in October 2019, is indeed in the twilight of his career and is unlikely to play for the Men in Green again. However, he still has been troubling batters in the domestic circuit with his fiery spells.

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Laziest XI of all time in cricket

Many prominent cricket stars feature in this list.

4. Soumya Sarkar

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