Birthday Special – Ian Bishop: Brilliant player, ace commentator

The cricketing world has seen many players play for their country at the highest level. A lot of them just come and go, but there are some, who are able to persist and give great performance time and again to build a name for themselves. Ian Bishop, the tall West Indian pacer, was one such player, who was able to make it through the grind of international cricket. He built a name for himself in his own special way and still continues to entertain the fans with his unique commentary skills.

In May 1988, Ian Bishop stepped onto the cricket field for the first time, while playing for the West Indies. It was a one-day international game against England. He made his mark on the minds of the people witnessing the game by bowling tight lines with brute pace. In that match, he bowled a total of 11 overs and walked back into the dressing room with two wickets to his name.

Following his ODI debut, he also got a chance to prove his mettle in the longest format in the following year, when he was selected to be a part of the West Indian team hosting India. He wasn’t able to take any wickets in that match, but eventually grew into one of the biggest names in Test cricket and enjoyed more success in this format as compared to ODIs. Bishop played a total of 43 Test matches and got 161 wickets to his name. In ODIs, he represented the West Indies in 84 matches and ended with 118 wickets in his bank.

A seamless shift to commentary

An injury-riddled career which lasted over a decade ended with Bishop playing his last Test match against the same team he began his international career with, England. Following his retirement from cricket, Bishop began lending his voice to live broadcasts of cricket matches, and thus began the second innings of his life as a cricket commentator and broadcaster. And, it would not be wrong to say that Bishop’s impact in this field has been equally felt when compared to what he did while playing cricket.

A voice that can be identified anywhere, Ian Bishop is one of the most celebrated names in the world of cricket commentary and broadcasting and has come to become a fan favourite. He has been in the commentary box for many historical moments, including the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Final. His insights into various happenings on the field add a lot of character to what is unfolding and make every moment special.

We wish Ian Bishop a very happy 52nd birthday and hope that he continues to entertain us behind the mic.