Viv Richards

London: Sir Vivian Richards, the most dominating batsman (swagger and more) of his time and an all-time great, spoke to The Telegraph on, among other things, who qualifies to be a complete batsman.

Sir Vivian himself scored over 8,500 runs in Test cricket (average of 50-plus) and over 6,500 runs in ODIs (average of 47.00). He finished with 114 first-class hundreds.

The following are excerpts

QYou won’t talk about yourself, but has there been a complete batsman?

A I can speak about my time as an international cricketer (1974-1991). During that period, Sunil Gavaskar was the complete batsman... In fact, that has always been my opinion... Gavaskar has been followed by Sachin Tendulkar and there’s young Virat Kohli who is coming up.

Kohli’s taller, but Gavaskar and Tendulkar are more or less of the same height...

There was (Gundappa) Viswanath too... Serious batsmen come in a small package, but pack a punch.

What goes into the making of a complete batsman?

The ability to perform in every format, like a Tendulkar... Look at what he’s achieving at the tender age of 40! Everyone thought he’d gone behind a wall, but Tendulkar showed he could come out and play shots. He still entertains... A complete batsman needs to be an entertainer too.

You’d pick guys with a combination of skill, temperament and attitude. What else?

Guys with a sense of loyalty.

Today, batsmen are wearing more protective gear than ever. Yet, you never wore anything except the maroon cap...

Never thought of wearing a helmet... But with the kind of shots being played nowadays, like the Dil-scoop, it’s nice to have protection. If you miss one of those shots, that’s it.

Did the West Indies’ maroon cap mean everything?

Absolutely... Nothing was more important. You could be the best driver in F1, but there are dangers. Yet, you drive, knowing that one mishap could mean the end... It was much the same with me. To die on the battlefield would be the perfect way to go... I was ready to die on the battlefield, I loved the game that much.

Were there actually times when you put on an act of bravado? Did you, well, bluff?

Yes, sometimes, I did put on an act because you can’t always be in form. On this journey, you need to know the path you take. If you lose your way, you have to find it again... Retrace the steps... He, who knows the way, leads the way and goes all the way. If you have a reputation, the opposition knows there’s something to expect. So, you can bluff your way till you regain confidence.

What else helps?

Knowledge, about your game... Perseverance, persistence.

Sunil Narine was no more than three when you made your last appearance for the West Indies. But he’s one of those who looks up to you, respects you for your achievements...

Sunil’s been a find and if I had my way, he’d regularly be playing in all formats. For the West Indies to stage a turnaround in Test cricket, Sunil’s got to be playing. He’d been dropped in the last series.

The final one... Do you see somebody as an inspiration?

Muhammad Ali... For him, it was all about first dominating mentally. It was all psychological stuff, he’d bluff... Talk about bringing down the big bear and the wolf. He knew the way — to succeed.