Awkward style or not CHANDRAPAUL IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF WEST iNDIES CRICKET.wEST INDIES need another batsman like him

One thing Chanders has demonstrated with utmost class and brilliance - the man has character.
Test cricket is a game of character strength. I think more than all field, outdoor sports, cricket holds the torch for being the true gentleman's game, albeit 'gentlewomen' these days too.
For Chanders to adapt so well to the ODI format underlines his amazing strength of character. In this sense of the cricketer as a man of charatcer, Chanders surely must rank right there among the greats of the game.
Let's forget style and flash and that over-rated quality of aesthetics, and go purely for lasting substance and such human qualities as patience and longsuffering and team-sensitive selflessness: and we could easily see that Chanders leads from the front for this great English-invented game.
Also, we must remember that Chanders grew up playing cricket on the shores of teh Atlantic Ocean. The wet sand provided him no time to shape up in style to play. On that sand, the rubber ball that his father bowled at him would fly off into his face, and he had to play as quick as possible just to avoid being hit. It made him dogged and crabby and jumpy, but sublime and supple in avoiding getting out.
Now Chanders' son, Brendan, is going through a more refined training program under the genius of the senior Chanderpaul at Unity Village, Hemraj. So we may very well see the next generation of cricketers have among their greats a more stylish Chanders, the junior one.
Until that time, let us celebrate what an individual could achieve in his lifetime, even without refined batsmanship. Chanders gives all the world hope - we can accomplish anything if we develop the depth of character as a person.

Its good that you give creidt to Chanderpaul for his quality of batting. But its in appropriate to make comments about his physical appearance. If it is not to encourage youngsters to learn and execute classic cricket batting shots then its perhaps the most useless entry. Sorry sir, but I'd rather watch cricket to admire a batsman's class than how he looks. I apolagize but your comments seemed a bit fruity...

If his style gets the runs, then the whole squad needs to follow on in his fashion I'd say.

Professional!that's the only word which can describe chanderpaul.he just seems to be playing day in day out with his team with it's back to the wall.With a little bit of discipline and a lot of team spirit this team can easily got to the top as a one day team but as a test team they are in shambles.Guys like gayle should look at bravo and chanderpaul and learn the meaning of playing for the team.If cricket is to retain it's popularity we need a cricket loving spirited windies team.

Agree there is beauty in ugliness. However, he can play some of the most sublime strokes compared to any of the stylists. Take that waltz down the wicket and flicking it from outside off to fine leg for 6! You cannot fully take the West Indian outta da man. Whatever is said about him, one Brian Lara should be eternally grateful, without Shiv to support him and relieve the pressure, many of those wonderful innings would not be possible.

The greatest thing about Chanderpaul is that he didn't change his style of batting to acommodate any one. This is the way he bats and it is mighty effective as his record shows. He is the best example of what a team player should be.

Aptly described, wonderful adjectives.

simply amazing

Well maybe Chanderpaul is no 1 on that list of the ugliest top class batsman but let me tell you if Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays for a decade more for India I would certainly have him leading the list because if you ever see him face fast bowlers then you'll realise what I'm talking about.

That was a great inning and he reminds me Javaid Miandad of Pakistan.

Despite all your fancy words and phrases, please do it simple Rob. Chanderpaul defy theorist of cricket with pure organisation and brains to display the unexpected. That unexpected is that neither myself like you and the world would have ever expected Chanderpaul to be doing what he is doing. A lack of explanation?

Over the years many choose to ignore the extraordinary talent of Chanderpaul, despite his ever consistencies more than Lara (Look at avaerages)and unsettled position in the line up. This poor hard working Guyanese talent have us divulged a new era in cricketing history. Look at the stats, look at the consistencies, look at the pressure and position he batted, look at the criticism (because of his race)and look now the post lara era, it is still the same Chanderpaul.

Still you, me and everyone choose to see the ugliness in his technique more than his substance to the game. without Chanderpaul what would have been West Indies destiny?

Carry on, carry on, he will keep doing this over and over again. I woinder if at the end of this already greate career if we (in the UK) and around the cricketing world will admit we missed enjoying an extraordinary talent that achieve greatness beyond expectation because we consumed ourselves with his technique.

so put it simple, he is the best the West Indies have, and gracefully he have been proving that he is one off the better cricketer of this era.

Go Shiv.

Dick Payne
Manchester

Yes, his stance!!

Warney once said that he wanted to bowl to him from square leg!

Apropos the much vaunted grace of lefties, I remember a discussion with other cricket tragics about their natural elegance as I was thinking primarily of Gower, Lara, Ganguly, WV Raman (remember him?)S. Ramesh (and him??).

However the learned counsel for the opposition came up with a longer list-Hayden, Border and yes Shiv Chanderpaul among many many others.

Cracking stuff Rob! Chanders has been the rock of the West Indies batting and I love that simply because this is a guy with his own technique, a technique that works and which shows the coaching manual isn't always right. If the West Indies batting had half his composure and doggedness the result wouldn't have been a 3-0 whitewash.

With Lara and Gayle flashing their blades Chanders has been largely ignored and underappreciated. Now people can see the spine and the stability he brings to the side in tests and the flexibility to the one day side.

This WAS what we whiteys did best. All hail Shivnarine Chanderpaul - an individualist who is proof that the coaching book isn't always right.

He would be in my World XI.

He is by far the most versatile cricketer in this modern era. HE is an absolute gem of a batsman and we should judge him on his scores rather than his style. All hail the TIGER...................

He is a top class player

I have follow Chanderpaul career since at the under 19 level,all I know is that this guy keeps scoring truck load of runs at all levels.His stance which he develops after the 1997 tour to Pakistan where Akram expose him to swing,now he can curb and handle swing much more better.Behind Lara he is the best batsman that WI have produce in the last decade.

its not how u look,but what you do that counts,
shiv is a world class batsman ,who has made runs
against everybody , everywhere,
west indies need players with heart and fight,
not bling,bling.
marlon samules, chris gayle ,u are all a disgrace
to one of the most illustrious cricket teams,in
history.
with your attitude, u dont deserve to play for
west indies.

Sound piece, but at the same time comes across as a tad patronising: 'Black cricketers, after all, simply don’t do uncool', 'This is what we whiteys do best.'

Dear Mr. Rob Steen,

Obviously you have never seen Leonard Baichan (another Guyanese) bat...ummm or blat as we say in Guyana. Len Baichan frustrated the bowlers like none other. Balls that he would normally hit for 4 in limited overs cricket, Len would just blat or poke forward. As Len was about to play a shot every one at Bourda would just say "noooooo" and you could just see the bowlers growing more and more frustrated as Len refused to hit out at anything. Too bad he came along during the mid-late 70's days or we would have seen a lot more of him. And boy, he could cow lash that ball if he wanted to, I know because I have seen it.Anyway, it's good to see Chanders get some good press after all these years. He deserves it.

No. Beauty, elegance and poise are replete in Chanderpaul. You need glasses.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul-the name itself evokes images of nudges, pushes and jabs. It used to be that, when you thought of a caribbean southpaw, you would think of full-stride drives, full-armed cuts flying away behind square, a hook over fine leg, and the like. To some extent, Chris Gayle represents that cricketing culture. Chanders is etnically, of Indian origin. It may explain his lack of caribbean flamboyance to an extent. The rest can be explained by the fact that the Windies don't have too many quality batsmen in their line-up. This led to Chanders having to forgo some of his natural attacking instincts for the larger good. A mercurial player like Gayle would require a Chanderpaul as a counterfoil. Chanders is a dependable Watson to the Windies' more dashing Sherlocks. He is a 'necessary evil'.

To all you Johnny come latelies,
Shiv does not play that way because he doesnt HAVE stylish shots. He plays that way because it is safer. If he were coming in at say 200 for 2, and all to play for, believe me , you would see him unfurl the most exquisite shots. Most people see his unorthodox stance and fidgety manner and assume that therefore his SHOTS are streaky, without knowing . His playing is as cramped by his childhood as by the shambles he usually comes out to face. He, like lara, has been reduced many times to containing roles, and the world of cricket has been robbed of beauty.

Rob,
This wasnt cool.
No one watches cricket to see Brad pitts in motion. Talking about ugly technique is one thing,
Combinging it with someone's dog eared appearance is another. I don't remeber reading "pale white" appearance or "seeming lack of eyebrows" on someone like Boris Baker or Jim Courier. If you are still looking for such trivialities in appearance, then my humble suggestion: Stop blogging on cricket and start blogging on some hollywood tabloid. At least you will find more traffic and more sympathizers.

Its funny that Chanderpaul has been doing the same thing that he has been doing for the past 12 years and yet only now the rest of the world has really begun to appreicate this man's courage and determination, perhaps Lara's retirement does bring out the silver lining in the dark clouds looming over the West Indies

Chanderpaul is a terrific player, now coming into his own by contrast with the fecklessness of the West Indies batting in general. But if we are talking of inelegance, it is really unfair to bracket John Edrich with Peter Willey or Jim Parks, two ancestors of the Chanderpaul crab-style. Edrich wasn't Gower-elegant, but he stood straight and had nimble footwork. And he hit the ball a fearful thump (I can still see in my minds eye the three straight sixes he hit into the Oval pavilion off Bishan Bedi while making 100 against the Indians in 1967).

He has shown his value to world cricket. Nevertheless, success is success. He made runs on difficult pitches and in adverse conditions.His style of play might not be termed as orthodox,but his character, courege to play vast array of shots and temprament is matchless. He is just great.

I agree with Joel. Who can forget the lashing Indian bowlers got in the one dayers, in the last tour?
In just one match, Powar, the torch-bearer of Indian Spin Bowling(in one days at least... Harbhajan was a thing of past by then itself) was reduced to a club bowler!

MR Chanderpaul,aka 'TIGER',has proven time and again that he is in a class of his own.Having lived a few miles from where he hails from,I feels that my countryman has done so much for Guyanese,Caribbean and Indian heritage.Despite his unothodox stance and style, (not ugly), he can berated amongst the best in the cricketing world.His batting is dictated by the state of the game and his commitment to the team and not his personal agenda.His greatness is underrated especially when one considers that he can bat in any position and produce results.H has come a far way from his under 19 days when he had to be physically lifted off the field after scoring a ton. had he concentrated on his bowling , then he would have rivaled his country man Hooper and Sobers. His fielding might have fallen away as the tiger ages but in his younger days he was as ferious and effective as Logie,Arthurton and Harper in the field,all of whom he played with and have outlasted.

Shiv orthodox he ain't, tallent he does have plenty but I agree he looks awkward and ungainly. That is just one of those things that makes this such a great game. I dare anybody else to try it 9 out of 10 will be complete failures and the last one will probably just scrape by.
West Indies need guys with character and guts right now and the little man has plenty of both

One good thing that has come out of Lara's retirement! When Lara hit his 375, there was a glowing tribute to the bridesmaid at that time. Shiv Chanderpaul, the boy from Guyana, who patiently held one end while the master completed his duty. As many have pointed out already, the reason he is so defiant in his batting is not one of choice but is one that forced upon him. He scored one of the quickest hundreds against Australia in a Test match in 2003.

Rob Steen has hit the nail on its head. Chanderpaul has completely mastered the two formats of the game. Yet, in the past he has been reviled because of his stance and the way he goes about his business of gathering runs for a team that has hardly given him the support he so desperately needs.

Shiv has been the most dedicated cricketer the West Indies has produced in the last 15 years, yet he was never given his due . He is reaping the benefits of his determination by producing a summer of glory. Let us hope that the Editors of WISDEN are taking note!

Since the 90's I have been following him, and he is class. When he started his stance was more orthodox, but he switched I guess to what is comfortable. Cricket is a game of comfort, and if you look at fast bowlers, each has their own style, yet there are many similarities that make them great. The same is with batsmen. To me, Chanderpaul's substance more than style needs to be preached more in this day and age. I applaud him, he has stood up time and again when his team has needed him, and the best is yet to come.

Chanderpaul heart is in the right place, he lives for cricket and anyone watching him play would see the excelence in which he strives. Without him Lara would not have had any record, so kudos to our "Chander". Look at this series and his record.

For Style, give me the cinderella of batsmen, Carl Hooper. For bravado, skill, thrill destructive yet knife-edge batting, give me Brian Lara. But for Consistency and Guts, I'll take Shiv every day. And this is what West Indies cricket needs at this time of our cricketing fortunes. No flash in the pan spinelss displays. Shiv has been doing his thing for West indies year in year out. Check the averages. Unfortunaely, he has been lost in the shadows of his fancier colleagues, even when he was statistically above most of them. Now there are no shadows to hide him and he is needed more than ever, he has simply stepped it up a couple gears. The more grim the situation, the uglier he looks and the more runs he gets. Who cares about beauty? Beauty is only skin deep. Shiv can attest to that as he stands next to some current and past players in world cricket. At the end of the day/ end of the match, the beauty really lies next to the name of Shivnarine Chanderpaul on the score scard. No wonder his team mates call him Tiger. Go Tiger, Go!!!!

Shiv is a world class player and deserves all the credit. He reminds me of my village hero Alvin Kallicharran....keep batting Shiv...

He is one of the most disciplined cricketer I have ever seen. I remember once playing against him at the Under -16 level in Guyana. I was the wicket keeper who “ran him out” in that game. We couldn’t get him out at all before he was given a suspicious run out by the umpire. He was way inside his crease. He looked at me then the umpire and walked to the stand without saying a word. Although this guy has already represented Demerara at Under- 16 and was the talk of the town at that time he just showed composure, discipline and professionalism at 15 yrs old.
He has evolved from the potential he always had and is one of the most unorthodox talented cricketers presently. I support and admire him all the way.

How can you not see beauty in his batsmanship?

>>

Where do you get off about style and apparel what qualifies you to speak about cricketers a literary award please!!! it a about the game not a fashion statement oh myy word!

The man is simply good. His stats speak for itself. If you are in the top 10 in West Indies as a run scorer and averaging upper 30's and 40's in ODI and Test respectively, so late in youe career, you do not have anything more to prove to the world. Cricket for me and many other has nothing to do with style. It hardly get you any runs. At the end of your career is what the books state. Chander has that and the cricketing world must take note and show respect.

i somehow find shiv's stands as the most stylish in world cricket today.. no other batsman i watch from the time he takes stand.

his is so unique, that i jus love the the mystery he puts into get the strokes right.
mayb Azharuddin was stylish when he played the ball, but shiv is stylish from the word go...

one of the best bastmen i like and one i love to watch play.. not jus to check the scores after the match is over

Value the contribution this fella has given to his team over the years, regardless of his style, flair or technique. the other WI batsmen need to learn from his example. When the situation demanded, he can also be fun to watch. Remember one of the fastest ever century in tests was done by Chanders against the mighty Australians at his home groud Bourda. Give credit where it duly deserves!

I think the comments were in ill taste
shiv has 2 gears ,the first and the fourth.we mostly see the first,i agree he looks ungainly.but in the fourth(rare,hundred against aus),he looks sublime

"Tiger", the name that resonates thru Windies cricket now when they appear to be playing schoolboy cricket...I would rate him over Lara anyday (not because he's my fellow countryman) because if it wasn't for him, Lara would never have had even half of those records. Finally the world can see what a gem he is now that Lara's gone...he no longer has anyone's shadow blocking him...GO TIGER, SHOW THEM WHAT THEY WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO...Keep your own style...those sixes off Murali in the world cup was beauty personified....

Shiv have determination, heart, and patience a Indo-Guyanese can only feel. Born under dictatorship and deny many basic life essentials, Shiv embody a free man who wants to show the world if givent he same chance as other what ppl like him can do. As W.I. Struggle..many keep to ignore Indo-Caribbean Cricketers who are denied a chance to play cricket..Deonarine, Chattergoon, etc...

Chiv is great to watch! The ugliness and awkwardness is the beauty of his batting. The greater the struggle, the better the innings. It was the same with another left-hander, Gary Kirsten of SA, who once described his batting after a cetury as ugly but effective.

I read this blog again and I have a few more comments.
Today everything is about style over substance, hence Chanders is often overlooked when the discussion about great batsmen. I don't know what's uncool about being a dependable team player and scoring runs consistantly. As a West Indian, I just wish that more of our "BLACK" players would be so uncool. Now, that would be cool to be uncool! And what does Mr. Steen mean by "ungainly"? Frankly, I am tired of many of the coloumnists and commentators who make these statements and get away with it. It's the eye pass that non white cricketers deal with all the time. Chanders is a smart player and plays the hand he is dealt. He has been shuffled around in every position from opener to number 6. He had the captaincy trust upon him, when he clearly did not want it, yet he accepted it with nary a word of protest. The man is everything that you want in a Gentleman Cricketer. Maybe "whiteys" still can't get it that "Blacks" (and by that I mean all people of colour)can be as smart as they are flambouyant. Time and again I have heard commentators describe "white" players as smart and hard working and "black" players as gifted or natural talented. Well, I got news for those folks. Clive Lloyd, Sobers, Viv Richards, Kanhai, et al, did not get to be the best because of just talent and so neither did Shiv Chanders. Take away Shiv and a lot of those glorious Lara innings woud have never happened. This is one case where the stats don't lie and had he not had the captaincy forced upon him, it would have been even better.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul may not be Kanhai or Lara and we don't want or expect him him to be. All our greats have something unique about them. No two are alike. At the end of the day, nobody can say Shiv copied so and so or played like so and so. Shiv is one of us... a born and bred West Indian.

Shiv is one of the best batsman in cricket, yet many do not recognise him or his achievements. He may not be a Kevin Pieterson or a Rahul Dravid. But his records and achievements speaks volumes. I played cricket with Shiv at school in Goergetown, Guyana. From then I know he had what it takes to do well. Without him, WI would have lost many many games. Congrats Shiv! Keep up the good work.

Ah Tiger...your tenacity and humble nature remind me so much of another great Guyanaese(I should say the greataest Guyanese of them all, Cheddi Jagan).You have withstood the merciless fast bowling of the mighty flame throwers around the globe and the torture of those who spin(bowl) their web of deceit...Go on Tiger. Do what you always do best. Bat and bat for the West Indies.

Since 1994 West Indies cricket has evolved into what it is today and there has only been one constant, Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

He can be defined as ugly, unorthodox, ungainly etc. but at the end of the day he gets results and thats the bottom line. For far too long he has been playing second fiddle to Brian Lara, Hooper, Gayle etc. and it's good to note that cricketing faternity has kept track of what an individual he really is.

We all know what we want but how many of us actually do something about it, Shiv, has done something about it for more than a decade and if ugliness was a quality that defined a cricketer then the world must like ugliness to keep a man batting for more than ten years.

Keep on doing what you love to do, get them Tiger!

The beauty is in the moment when the bat meets the ball. And in that moment all the dicipline, devotion, character and skill come together in an an act of beauty.And no one expresses that act of beauty better than Chanderpaul.

Shiv is just a runs scoring machine. He has scored runs at every level of the game.The man deserves every bit of credit he has received.

All kudos to shiv.The man continues to score runs in all format, and all level of cricket.

Shiv Chanderpaul for years has been one of the most consistent batsmen in the west indian outfit, when everyone is loooking at the flamboyance of Lara, the power of Gayle and class of Sarwan and his contemporeries Shiv has gone unnoticed quietly accummulating runs while constantly digging the west indies out of trouble, whether it be in the heat of the carribbean, the cold of England or the dust bowls of the sub continent, he has always been there, and will continue to be there for quite a while. Though he is not the most graceful to grace this lovely game, his grit and determination will always be remembered.
keep it up

Shiv does not say much He lets the bat do the talking and I hope the others on the team take a page out of his book instead of running their mouth.

My wife and family can attest to this. I have always argued that when you know about cricket and true batsmanship, dedication and commitment , Chanderpaul should be picked first, then the captain whoever he be and then the others. I dont think that the West Indian people will ever be able to appreciate or understand the depth of gratitude we owe Shivnarine Chanderpaul for his sterling contribution to our lives as a cricketing nation. It is my seriously considered opinion that statistics apart, Brian Lara has never been half as reliable a batsman as Chanderpaul. What a pity we pay so much attention to the sweet taste of the medication and ignore its healing power. Chanderpaul is just doing what he has always done throughout his career. It is hurtful that he has had to play under such terrible administration and with other players who cannot appreciate the criticality of being hungry for success and proud to be an ambassador for one's country.

Chanderpaul batting does all the talking for his style.I can still remember Chanders first class debut against the powerful Leewards Islands where he was run out for a first innings duck by Paul Persaud who was been touted as a future middle order batsman for WI.You could have sensed the dissapointment running through his veins.What happen in the next innings was pure determination that characterize shiv as he creamed a superb 90 against an all pace attack comprising Ambrose,Kenny Benjamin,Winston Benjamin and Hamish Anthony.We in Guyana used to long for that time when Guyana will produce a reliable middle order batsman to replace our rich culture as the likes of Kanhai,Solomon,Butcher,LLoyd,Kallicharan as Carl Hooper was in and out and always proving his unreliability.Chanderpaul has fulfilled those expectations no surprise to me and its good to see the international cricket world have finally decided to take note.Bet your moneys worth that in 12-18 months Chanders will be WI second highest run scorer surpassing the great Sobers and Viv along the way.Watch out no.1

The two greatest cricketers the world have seen: Sir Donald Bradman and Sir Garfield Sobers have both said that batting is about scoring runs. This is what Chanders is doing presently. The beauty lies in his timing and finding gaps(where no seems to be aware of) and the boundary ropes. And lets not forget he has the 3rd fastest hundred in test cricket.And thats against the mighty Aussies. Batting is also about assessing the conditions,pitches, opposition and the state of the game and your teams tactics etc. Beauty lies in your contribution one makes to his team. Go Chanders Go! And speaking now only and only about style, how do you Mr. Steen compare Shane Warne, the highest wicket taker, with lets say a Monty Panesar?

If Chanderpaul is considered ugly batting...the whating to claw away a ball iw would you say about Gayle trying to claw away a ball without moving his feet...what about Lara...yes Brian Charles Lara jumping about his crease like some grassshopper aginst McGrath and others, What about Trescothick et al...Take out Chanders so called unorthodox stance and you will see a batsman that moves behind the ball...nimble footwork using the angles. Look at his cover drives...so graceful..struck with perfect timing and placement..that only GREAT batsmen can do. His flicks to the onside whether for a single or four...have you never seen his straight drives....not with the brute force of others but still 4. One of the arts of Batsmanship is to hit the ball with enough power to get to the boundary..but at the same time give the fielders the chance of them thinking they can get it before it reaches the boundary. This frustrates afielding team more and obviously gets them more tired than just trotting to retrieve from the bat of Richards, Lara et al. I laughed with great delight seeing how Chanders split the field and leaving fieldsmen sprawled on the ground several times during the last one day. It is usally a delight watching Chandes bat. God bless you all

Chanders is today the best batsman in the world !! He has shown it in the tests and in the ODIs. Unconvetional yes but that is what all geniuses are - UNCONVETIONAL!!

You have exactly reflected what was in my mind. He is one of the greatest batsmen, the game( and West Indies ) has ever produced. His stance may look awkward to puritans, but most of the times, the bowlers simply run out of ideas against him. Sometimes, I wonder why he's not been given proper recognition ( as batsmen like Lara, Sachin, Ponting, etc ), which he thoroughly deserves. He is the kind of batsman( and of course a very good fielder ), every captain wants to be in his team.

Mr Ugly is the only sure bet for Wisden Cricketer of the Year so far. Even Bradman would have been impressed by concentration, versatility and stats.

Good article. But are we not forgetting Jimmy Pad'ams. Probably, Chandra is inspired by him. Indian bowlers hate the sight of these two yeoman servers of west Indies cricket. Just go and check this from the Indian Bowlers.........., When are you following Lara's theme of retirement-Chandra? Can I hear a sigh from the English and the Indian bowlers ....eh!

His technique is still better than Andrew Jones' was!

i agree there is nothing as asthetically pleasing as a michael vaughan cover drive but the fact remains with Shiv; you can't get him out

For me I can watch Chanderpaul blunt the bowling attacks of the world all day long and never get bored. When he eventually punctures the field with his placement and timing, I get goosebumps watching the ball accelerate into the boundary ahead of the the panting fielder. That for me is a special beauty. Beauty does lie in the eyes of the beholder.

he has gift from lord shiva /shiv he is a down to earth person when i met him on the lift at manchester hotel he spoke as a friend and not a cricketer god bless him

Gents and ladies. It's not about the DOG IN THE FIGHT ITS' ABOUT THE FIGHT IN THE DOG. Chanders has fight, he has guts, MENTAL FORTITUDE. He has it all...It's all in the name, Shiv(Shiva the destroyer in the Hindu Trinity)...always sits in meditation, honing in the concentration skills...Narine(should be Narayana) is the Sun God, all knowing all knowledgeable...This Little man from Guyana has both in his name, SHIVANARAYANA OR Shivnarine...he is Name and Nature. He concentrates and destroys as he PRACTICES his art Under the sun.

In my mind regardless of technique, he Possesses the key Ingredient in great batsmanship, GUTS, CONCENTRATION(MENTAL FORTITUDE), FIGHT...you may be the most technically correct if you lacking MENTAL FORTITUDE you are NOTHING.

In the words of a reggae song, "he is a chapion BUBBLER, he rule da area" no one can bubble like he...to be appropriate, "he is a CHAPION Battler, he rule the battlefield NOBADY CAN BATTLE LIKE HE"...

Hie mental fortitude is shown in that he has batted in all posiotions from 1-6 or 7 and he still produces...batsmen with more stable postions hasn;t been as consistent as he has in his career and he still does it day in day out.
MAY GOOD HEALTH STRENGTH, FITNESS FOLLOW HIM...HE MAKES US PROUD TO BE WEST INDIANS AND TO SUPPORT WEST INDIES CRICKET ALL THROUGH THEIR DECLINE.

HE IS THE ONE STANDING AFTER THE BATTLES ARE OVER, UNCONQUERED.

K

Re: Andrew

That's right. His technique is beatiful to watch, not ugly.

The cream always rises to the top. As a military man of 20 years I know comitment be it war or sports,in this case the West Indies cricket is better because of Chanderpaul. Go Tiger

Style is a fashion statement. The objective is to show dominance pretty or ugly. Chander has proved that his style is unique and that's what make it into a style a unique one, compared to none seen before. Batting does not have a style, men create style in everything they do. Chander has created his own. What is rags for you is riches for me. Chander's style is the W.I. riches right now. It's all we can cling to and it makes us proud.

He is a wonderful batsman who plays some sublime cricket shots. Add to that the strength of character and patience he displays in some of his test innings and one can only conclude that Shiv is an asset to world cricket and a joy to watch, despite whatever nonsense people might say about his style or appearance

Shivnarine Chanderpaul is not an ugly batsman . We have been so indoctrinated with the one-day games of slugging that when real techniquie is necessary, we fail to respond to the importance of the art of batsmanship. Chaderpaul, better that anyone else in the recent past and present day cricket, including Mr.Lara, is perhaps the most gifted player to represent world cricket. Except for the legendary Rohan Kanhai, most of the other great West Indian batsen of the past, including Sobers, Richards and Lara, launced their innings after good foundations were laid by the earlier batsman.In Chanderpaul's case, he has had to repeatedly open the innings batting at #5. With W.I mostly tottering at 30/3, to save face for W.I cricket and it's people, poor Mr Chanderpaul had no choice but to dig in and stay there as long as it was possible. The slowness of his innings is not an indication of ugliness. On the contrary, it is a reflection of a strong mental and physical character and an immense ability to adapt to varying situations and cricketing conditions. Have we asked ourselves how is it that everyone bar Chanderpaul has failed repeatedly in the recent Test and One-Day series now in it's final stage in England? Simply put Mr.Steen, because he is a great batsman. It is impossible to be great, making such consistently voluminous scores, and be ugly simultaneously . Need I say more. Continue to bat in the same manner Chanders,it is higly classy and effective.

Are we saying that Chanders is now free to play the kind of game he likes? He has done quite a lot with the great Lara at the other end but it seems as it is only really now being recognised because Lara is not around. As the most senior member of the team I am happy to see him hold his own and make the opponents bowlers' fight for his wicket. Hope the other younger members will follow suit. Great Lara era gone.... Chanders, it's your time to shine. Why is style so important? Style does not matter to me.... I just want to see the ball flying to the boundary and better yet over the boundary, but when the time is right for taking it cool... well that's alright. Go Chanders, go.

As we say in the West Indies....."When you good, you good,boy". Chanders is the kind of player the West Indies have not been able to find over the years.Full of fight, guts, spunk and produces lots of 'ugly' runs, but so humble as a person. None of these are characteristics common to the West Indian cricketer. One of the greatest cricketers ever from the Caribbean.

I wonder if this was written to give the english players ideas on what to say in order to try and get into his head while he is in the middle. Everything else failed (just ask the english wicketkeeper), so it might be useful to now remark about his "ugliness." Knowing the man, I daresay that will fail also.

The game is about spending time on the wicket and putting runs on the board, and Chanderpaul is a master at both. His shots lack the finesse of Lara's or brutality of Richards, but in the end what matters is the volume of runs than the noise of cheers from the crowd.
To comment on his physical appearance, he appears week and timid, but I can't recall him ever being fragile...he has always maintained a fit body, doesn't seem to pull a muscle or twist an ankle but ocassionally. He has maintained decent standards on the field, has rolled his arm for some useful overs every now and then, can't see anything wrong with him.
To look at the overall picture, he is a cricketer who doesn't bring a giggle to many faces but is also the one who has never saddened a single soul. His modesty and humbleness makes him a role model for the future West Indian cricketing generation who seem to be lost for direction. His cricket encourages just one simple concept, "keep fighting"

Different people see things differently depending on the eyes you are looking through. A West Indian eye sees much beauty in Chanda's stroke plays. The other person would see things differently depending on who looks. If Chanda was from England, or Australia the opinion would be far different. The prejudice continues even to this day. To each his own and I think he has carved his style which will soon be copied by many. Then it will be described as beauty.History has repeat itself. Viv had no beauty either yet he was the master blaster.
Why not emphasize the man's ability to concentrate and adopt well to the circumstances at hand. Those are better traits for any human to copy as life's lessons than beauty.Only skin deep.

I guess rob has never seen ambrose, winston Benjamin or others running in to bowl well thats ugly no offence to te big ambi but thats ugly cricket ask batsmen what they were thinking when these fellows were comming at them then ask bowlers what they were thinking when they were running in i guess it was where do i put this one to be safe

Gary Kirsten was uglier. He was the worst cricketer ever.

Keep waltzing your way into Wisden's top batsmen, Shiv. Cricket is not a beauty contest, but one of will power, motivation and dedication-and you have all three. There will sonn be a time when they can only describe you in 1 universal word: great! Keep batting!

"unorthodoxly" talented!!!super successful!!jus look at the stats.read and weep......WI cricket can do wit 10 more guys like him.go TIGER....u mek bowler belly hurt....

West Indies needs a few Chanders and Bravos if they are to move on top again. Chander was living in the shadows of King Lara.Now that the king is there no more, it is time for all to recognise this workhorse of West Indies. West Indians are very proud of you, Chander.Keep up the good Work.

Well, well, well! It never ceases to amaze me of how the human mind works. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, one of the best batsman of modern day cricket is being singled out for his style of batting and the way he looks when he does it. Are you really serious? I enjoy watching every ball that he plays and it is simply amazing what he can do with the bat. I played under-19 circket with him at Enmore and as mentioned earlier, he had class then and he has even more class now. I met him prior the night before the one day match against Sri Lanka during the 2007 World Cup and he is indeed a person of character, quiet, intelligent and very honest. The next day, the Slogan was "Go tiger, Guyana won today, West Indies lost". This man has brought back pride to West Indies cricket and I think you should retract some of your statements as you read these posts, you will realize he is the hero of the day and no one should try to minimize what he has done and will continue to do. I wonder if he was of an Austrailian, English or South African decent, what you would have said....

Go Tiger, Tomorrow will be a great day for all those fans who loves cricket for Cricket only, not looks!!!!!

At the very begining of this tour, in the first class fixtures, Chandra demonstrated his intent, occupation of the crease. He knew that the team had to bat around him. He has been doing this since he has been playing first class cricket. Because of the Lara's of this world many did not take enough note of this chap's style and commitment and UNDERSTANDING of his role within his side, both at youth and senior levels.
Every country has had players who have had to adapt their natural instinct and style to their teams needs. Chandra has done this, and more, to add his name and reputation to that select group of world class cricketers, to the extent that when ever cricket and batsmanship are spoken of and discussed his name will be mentioned.
And his days are not finished. And remember too that he has not enjoyed the immense benefits of playing contract county cricket in England where those who will be mentioned alongside his name have all previously honed their skills.
He truly is the only professionslly minded among his peers in the current crop of West Indian players.
He is simply the "rock" upon which WI cricket still survives at Test Level. Give the boy some credit for UNDERSTANDING what is needed of his presence in his team and he will continue to accomplish that need with the same singlemindedness of purpose.
Chanderpaul is keeping my native country, Guyana, on the world map.

Shiv Chanderpal is "different". Isn't it enough adjective? At the same time look at his continuous presence in his national sides for the versions of this game. Even when the great Lara was there, he shone in his inimitable way. That is it, its difficult to imitate his game and in no standards it is small or ugly or dirty!

what nonsense, he lacks caribbean flair because he is ethnic Indian. Who created the fall on your backside hook slog? ROHAN BABULAL KANHAI (GUYANESE) Who made a slow match saving one fifty in England and a blistering 169 at perth where he got out listening to Esmond Kentish telling him to slow down? ROY FREDERICKS (Guyanese)and guess what Tiger has the third fastest test century 69 balls.So maybe Guyanese NATIONALITY but certainly not ethnicity is the factor and by the way I'm Jamaican

Rob's views are entirely personal. Chander's technique will definitely raise more than a few eyebrows in the royal household and the likes but needless to say his ahs been a significant presence in West Indian cricket. In an era where the carribean has been mauled by "not so passionate" cricketers he has played an excellent second fiddle to Lara. I still remember his uncanny knack to score 50s so very consistently shot him to limelight. From then on there has been two sides of the road for him. On one side people raise doubts on his technique or the lack of it, and on the other side he has people hailing his consistemncy and he indded has been very effective. He is there when the team needs him, if not all times lots of times.
I feel he brings in a great variety to the game and as someone said, speaks volumes of his grit and sheer determination which has made him what he today- A cricket hero.

What baffles me is the overriding bias towards 'Style'. Cricketing lores and literatures are full of cliched expressions such as 'Gifted', 'Sheer elegance', 'imperious stroke making', 'treat to eyes', 'supremely artistic', 'poetry'. Just freeze a shot and watch just the batsman- even shots 'caught at slips','failed square cuts', uppish on drives, may be artistic. But, can you caress such 'beautiful dismissals' and discard an effective shot as 'ugly'? It is highly unjustified. History has shown that many stylists, often pampered by the critics(are they really?)and ex players turned commentators/writers, play a breezy 20,30 or 40 and just cool off. It is the likes of Steeve Waughs, Chanderpauls, who toil and save the teams from trouble. Then the so called princes enjoy their time. Basically, the style, is somewhat like features of a man/woman. Noman can be proud of anything that has come to him without any conscious effort and hardwork. If I am born rich, the credit should go to my dad or forefathers? What did I do to merit commendation and praise? After all it's Gifted isn't it? So that is the case with the socalled Stylists too. So enough that, hereafter atleast we start recognising the sincere and honest human efforts, sweat and toil and stop gloriying the ordinary players in the name of 'class and style'.