OTD| One of the greatest players to represent Australia, Glenn McGrath was born in 1970

Legendary former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath has turned 54 today. On this special day, we must look back at a career that transcended all the tangible limits of excellence. Glenn McGrath has led the Australian bowling attack for more than a decade. He played a monumental role in establishing the dominance of the Kangaroos in international cricket. 

The tall and sturdy pacer emerged onto the international scene in 1993 which was a breakthrough year for him. In 1993 he was called up for the Australian team for the first time. In November of that year, he made his debut in Test cricket against the neighbours New Zealand at Perth. The very next month he found himself in the colourful Australian jersey playing ODI cricket against the touring South Africa. 

There is no other McGrath

Glenn McGrath belongs to his own league. He was not a tearaway fast bowler like Shoaib Akhtar or Brett Lee but was much more effective than these two. He realized that it was not only the pace that made a fast bowler threatening but the precision and discipline were more effective weapons for a speedster. His immaculate accuracy with the ball made him stand apart from his contemporaries. 

The New South Wales bowler represented Australia for about 15 long years and in that period, he played 124 Test matches picking up 563 wickets at a jaw-dropping average of 21.64. McGrath had an astounding 29 five-wicket hauls in the longest format. His brilliance is not just limited to the red cherry but he was equally lethal in ODI cricket as well. Over his international career, he took part in 250 ODIs where he registered 381 wickets to his name at an average of 22.02. His averages in Test and ODI cricket are the actual testimony to the phenomenal success that he enjoyed in international cricket. McGrath’s impact on the game is indelible and cricket fans across the globe will remember him for the sheer joy that he gave to them with a ball in his hand. 

Also read: Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin was born in 1963