Human beings are storytellers by nature. Some people are born with the ability to tell stories better than others. While the characters are what form a narrative, the job of storytellers isn't unimportant. Consider the instance of Sanjaya, the first recognised commentator on humanity from the great epic Mahabharata. He was crucial in conveying the occurrences of the battleground of Kurushetra to King Dhritharashtra, who was blind.
Storytellers and commentators provide their own special flavour to the proceedings, making it more engaging for the audience. Commentators have entertained cricket fans, just as they do in other parts of life. In the days before radios, it was their job to build a visual of the cricket field action in the imaginations of listeners. Their job altered with the introduction of TV but they continue to have an important responsibility. The crack of the willow or the smashing of stumps is beloved by cricket fans, but the commentators actually contribute to the melody.
Since the inception of Test match cricket in 1877, numerous commentators have contributed their voices to the game. Some of these guys have played cricket professionally, whereas others have simply been fans of the game. Both of these types of commentators provide a new dimension to the entire viewing experience.
Here is a list of some of the most well-known cricket commentators who have enchanted followers of the beautiful game.
Bhogle started his career as a pundit with All India Radio when he was 19 years old and residing in Hyderabad. He was the first Indian commentator asked by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) to cover India's series before the WC of 92. Since then, he has covered for ABC Radio Grandstand during India's Australian touring, and for the BBC for 8 years, including during the Cricket WC of 96 and 99.
He has been narrating live cricket telecasts on ESPN since 1995. He has handled nearly 300 ODIs and 80 test matches. He also covered the IPL's second season. Since we talked about IPL, it is worth noting that IPL betting ranks quite high among sports bettors.
Harsha has presented TV shows for ESPN and Star Sports, including Harsha Online, School Quiz Olympiad and Harsha Unplugged. In an international survey, Cricinfo followers selected Bhogle as their beloved television cricket commentator. Bhogle served as a consultant to the Mumbai Indians during the Indian Premier League 2008 edition.
Michael Anthony Holding was a West Indian cricket player and commentator who was born on February 16, 1954. After retiring from cricket, the renowned Windies batsman went into broadcasting. Although it took some time for him to acclimatise, his Caribbean voice drew a big audience's attention. Various respected media outlets in his home country of Jamaica have praised him, especially Star Sports, Supersport, Sky Sports and other regional radio stations.
Recently, Michael Holding has stated that he is doubtful to pursue commentating after 2021 due to his age. Holding, 66, has been with Sky Sports for 21 years and is one of the most renowned voices in international cricket.
Ian Chappell was an Australian cricketer who represented Australia and South Australia. Chappell was born in Australia on September 26, 1943. From 1971 to 75, he was the captain of Team Australia. He was born into a cricketing family with a long and illustrious history. Chappell excels as one of the world's greatest cricket commentators.
He sought and maintained a high-class career as a sports writer and commentator after his retirement. He began commenting on channel Nine. Following that, he provides excellent comments with practically no disagreements. His presentations, comedic presence, and positive comments on all players have won the hearts of cricket lovers. He was also recognised as a sports journalist for ESPN, Cricbuzz, and was named the Best sports journalist. Chappell was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986, the FICA Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2003. Finally, on July 9, 2009, he got the most prestigious accolade, the ICC Hall of Fame.
Wasim Akram, the swing sultan, was born on June 3, 1966. He was the ex-captain of the Pakistani national team. Following his professional career, he went on to coach the Pakistani national team as well as a number of league teams. His ability to provide excellent cricket commentary is another of his many talents.
Nobody can dispute that he is among the all-time great fast bowlers. He was a left-arm pace bowler who was a major headache for many of cricket's greatest batsmen. He was seen coaching for a long time after his retirement. Then he became a well-known television personality. He has appeared on several television networks as a commentator. He has also worked as a sports analyst for ESPN, ARY digital, and Star Sports. He also worked as a commentator for the 2009 Women's Cricket WC.
He also commented on the ICC World T20 and the ICC Champions Trophy of 2009, and the ICC WC 2011. He was also seen commentating for the Indian Premier League. He's also been spotted commenting on a number of Pakistani leagues and championships. Fans admire him for his extensive cricket knowledge and analysis, which has earned him a reputation as one of the finest cricket commentators throughout the game.
Nasser Hussain, the former England skipper, is without a doubt the finest commentator of the modern age. Nasser Hussain, a fiery and competitive captain during his playing days, has established himself as a fan favourite due to his in-depth knowledge of the game, unbiased viewpoints, and ability to adjust his voice to the match scenario. Nasser Hussain's finest quality is that he rarely has a negative opinion on a scenario. He nearly always nails it, and he never allows his loyalty to get in the way of his analysis, regardless of where he stands on issues.
The iconic "No way, no way, you cannot do that, Ben Stokes" he spoke after Ben Stokes took a ludicrous catch in the 2019 WC perfectly expresses the emotion that happened at the time, and he is such a treat to hear because of it.
In addition to the above, there are additional well-known cricket commentators who are providing excellent commentary.
People should express their gratitude to these cricket commentators for attempting to make the sport so entertaining. Cricket being one of the most popular choices on sport betting platforms, commentators play a very important role in making the game more interesting among fans and enthusiasts.
Think how dull it would be to watch a cricket match minus a commentator or his comments.