Viv Richards

Biography

Viv Richards walked to the crease without a helmet, chewing gum, staring down the fastest bowlers on the planet as if they were an inconvenience. The most intimidating batsman who ever lived didn't need protection — protection needed him. His Test average of 50.23 came at a strike rate that was decades ahead of its time; he didn't just score runs, he brutalised bowling attacks. The 1976 series against England — 829 runs at 118.4 — remains the most dominant batting display in Test history. Two World Cup wins with the West Indies, and he never lost a Test series as captain. The swagger, the maroon cap instead of a helmet, the contemptuous pull shots — Richards played cricket as an expression of Caribbean pride and Black excellence. He didn't walk to the crease; he arrived.

Career Highlights

• 8,540 Test runs at 50.23
• 2 World Cup wins (1975, 1979)
• 829 runs in a series vs England (1976)
• Never lost a Test series as captain
• Fastest Test century (56 balls)

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