Shivnarine Chanderpaul: The Crab Stance Batter

Shivnarine Chanderpaul occupied the crease like few batters before or since. With his chest open to the bowler, feet splayed wide, and bat tucked behind his right hip, his stance appeared a blueprint for how not to bat. Yet the Guyanese left-hander turned unconventionality into genius, building a Test career that rivals the greatest the West Indies have produced.

The Unorthodox Stance

Chanderpaul's open, crab-like stance gave him exceptional late-cut ability and helped him to work the ball into gaps most orthodox batters could not access. Far from being a weakness, his wide base provided extraordinary balance and allowed him to play balls outside off stump without falling over. Coaches tried to correct his technique as a boy; he ignored them and averaged over 51 in Tests as a result.

Test Career: 11,867 Runs

Over a 21-year Test career from 1994 to 2015, Chanderpaul played 164 Tests and scored 11,867 runs at 51.37, with 30 centuries — third-highest for a West Indian behind Brian Lara and Garfield Sobers. He was particularly remarkable as a crisis batter, coming to the wicket when pressure was greatest and absorbing bowling attacks with his incredible defensive technique and concentration.

Guyana's Quiet Legend

Chanderpaul played an enormous part in keeping West Indian cricket competitive through a difficult era, often carrying the batting on his own. His son Tagenarine Chanderpaul has followed him into professional cricket, debuting for the West Indies in Tests in 2023.