Mohammad Azharuddin

He shot to overnight fame in 1984 when he hit three consecutive centuries in his first three test matches, including the debut innings.
He was a fine batsman and captain of the Indian team during most of the 1990s. He had 14 test wins as captain, the best in Indian cricket until recently (Saurav Ganguly now holds the record). In his prime he had a graceful, fluid batting style, comparable to that of his English contemporary, David Gower. He was a wristy player and the flick was his most characteristic shot. He was at his best against spin bowling. He made 22 centuries in tests at an average of 45 and 7 in one-dayers at an average of 37. He was also an excellent fielder.

He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1991.

Azharuddin was tainted by allegations of match-fixing and bribery; he was banned from the game for life. He was married to Sangeeta Bijlani, a Bollywood actress.

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