As it is with any sport, eyesight is of paramount importance in cricket, too. Especially for the batters, a slight delay or a misfocus could prove to become costly. Nevertheless, in the past, we have seen some popular cricketers battle this by wearing spectacles. Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly are some famous recent examples in this regard. Some popular bowlers such as Daniel Vettori and Anil Kumble, too, donned spectacles at various points in their careers. A few active cricketers also play with spectacles. On that note, here, we take a look at four active International cricketers who play with spectacles.
1) Jack Leach (England)
It was in 2018 that Jack Leach played his first game for England. Since then, he has been the lead spinner for his side. The player has been involved in some fine encounters, including the 2019 Ashes fixture in which he put up a brilliant fight along with Ben Stokes.
Leach also dons a spectacle while he plays the game. He also does it when he comes out to bat. The left-arm spinner has already collected close to 100 wickets and is destined for a longer run in the Test Team.
2) Mitchell Santner (New Zealand)
Mitchell Santner is one of the active International cricketers who play with spectacles. Continuing the tradition of a top left-arm Kiwi spinner wearing spectacles, Santner is actually playing a role similar to that of Daniel Vettori.
The all-rounder is a firm component of all three formats of the game for New Zealand. He has also captained the squad on many occasions. Santner is a brilliant spinner and despite not having many variations, he has still managed to survive in the XI with his brilliant accuracy. He also adds value with the bat and on the field. Overall, Santner is a neat package for the New Zealand squad.
3) Imam-ul-Haq (Pakistan)
Nephew of former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imam-ul-Haq is an important part of the Pakistan Team in both Tests and ODIs. He is one of the very few active batters who come out to bat with spectacles.
Imam has had a terrific run in recent years. Currently, the opener is at No.2 on the list of ICC’s ODI batsman rankings. He has carved out many memorable partnerships with Babar Azam and helped his side. In the 2023 ODI World Cup, Imam will have a very crucial role to play at the top of the order. If he can give a solid start to the side, the likes of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam can then take it up from there.
4) Abrar Ahmed (Pakistan)
What a dream debut, Abrar – the superstar!
Way to go magician. Keep it up. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/ShrZkz9rNI
— Shaheen Shah Afridi (@iShaheenAfridi) December 9, 2022
Abrar Ahmed is also one of the active International cricketers who play with spectacles. The Pakistan spinner is the latest to join this list. The 24-year-old faced a lot of struggles and after a strong domestic squad, he made it to the XI for the second Test against England in Multan.
Abrar was in fine form as he collected seven scalps in the first innings of his debut Test. In fact, the player took a fifer in the first session of the game. He had a great chance to pick all ten wickets but that did not happen. Nevertheless, this is a performance for the ages and Abrar is now likely to get a long run in the Test setup.
