A modern-day cricketer needs to be a ‘360 degree player’, opines former Chennai Super Kings batter S. Badrinath

Chennai : Former Chennai Super Kings player S. Badrinath believes that to be successful in modern-day cricket it is important to be a “360 degree player”, adding that one also has to be physically fit and also be mentally strong to be an all-round player. The last few editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have highlighted the importance of all-rounders, with players like Rashid Khan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Glenn Maxwell and Rahul Tewatia, among others becoming hot properties in the auctions because of their ability to bat and bowl.

Badrinath, who played six IPL seasons (2008-2013), scoring 1441 runs in 95 games, added that a batter needs to hone every shot that is to be played, while a bowler “needs to learn every variation” in order to be a complete cricketer in today’s professional world. “Modern-day cricketer needs to be a 360 degree player. How do you become a 360 degree cricketer? A batsman needs to learn every shot; a bowler needs to learn every variation. You have to be physically fit while also being mentally strong,” opined Badrinath.

“Any cricketer whose 360 degree is ready, that cricketer will cut above the rest and go higher. I think it’s important to embrace the environment,” said Badrinath. Another former CSK player N Jagadeesan, who has been with Chennai Super Kings for the last four seasons, playing two matches in IPL 2022, emphasised on the fact that there is no substitute for hard work to make it big in international cricket. “Hard work is something which really pays off and there is no substitute to hard work,” he said.