Viv Richards — The Master Blaster Before Tendulkar

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards (born 1952, St John's, Antigua) is one of the most feared and dominant batsmen in cricket history. In 121 Tests, Richards scored 8,540 runs at an average of 50.23 with 24 centuries — elite figures made even more impressive by the pace at which he scored them (Test strike rate of 47.03, exceptional for the era). Known as 'Master Blaster', Richards played without a helmet throughout his career and was a symbol of West Indian pride and power during their most dominant era.

The fastest ODI century (then) — 56 balls

Richards scored an ODI century off 56 balls against England at St John's in 1986 — the fastest ODI hundred in history at the time. He hit 11 sixes and 7 fours in a brutal display of batting. The record stood for nearly 30 years until AB de Villiers scored a century off 31 balls in 2015. Richards' 189* in 170 balls in the same match remains the highest ODI score by a West Indian batter.

Captain of the invincible West Indies

Richards captained West Indies through a sustained period of dominance — West Indies were unbeaten in a Test series from 1980 to 1995, a 15-year record streak unprecedented in cricket history. His captaincy was an extension of his batting: aggressive, unyielding, and built around the belief that opponents should be broken psychologically as well as tactically. Under Richards (and predecessor Clive Lloyd), West Indies' four-pace attack strategy created the most dominant bowling machine in cricket history.

No helmet — a statement of intent

Richards' refusal to wear a helmet throughout his career was an act of deliberate psychological dominance. When fast bowlers targeted him with short-pitched bowling — the period when Bodyline-lite tactics were common — Richards would hook and pull, treating the bouncer not as a threat but as an opportunity. His ability to dominate the world's fastest bowlers without head protection is a lasting image of courage and extraordinary skill.