2. Alastair Cook:

The former English skipper fits into this list as a strong candidate. His appetite for scoring runs and ability to bat for long periods has certainly done wonders for England.

He might not look the most stylish amongst the left-handers or openers, but he has carved his own style that works effectively for him and his team. He has scored runs across the globe and the 2010-11 tour of Australia and 2012 tour of India are series’ in which he was arguably the difference between the two sides.

He has recently breached the 12,000-run mark and would be eyeing to put in match-winning performances against India this Summer.

His composure despite seeing many up’s and down’s in his career has been a standout quality that budding cricketers can take note of.