King Kohli and Emperor Richards in RCB colours. That would be an IPL final for the ages

This is not just a fantasy, it is a love letter to cricket’s golden era. An invitation to imagine how yesteryear ‘artists’ would electrify today’s coliseums of colour and chaos.

Let us imagine the tantalizing possibilities of this grand dream.

Salim Durrani: The Showman

Salim Durrani was not just a cricketer but a performer. Whenever the crowd yelled, he responded with a six. With film-star looks and a flair to match, Durrani would have been tailor-made for T20 cricket. Picture him turning out for a team like Rajasthan Royals, sending the ball into the stands with a flick, then flashing that irresistible grin for the camera. In an age of fan cams and Instagram reels, he would be a sensation and IPL would be his Broadway stage.

Sir Garfield Sobers: The Complete Cricketer

If you were building the perfect T20 player in a lab, you would end up with someone very much like Sir Garfield Sobers. He could bat, bowl fast or spin, field anywhere, and do it all with an effortless grace. He once hit six sixes in an over long before it became a gimmick. In today’s game, Sobers would be a franchise icon and whether it was the Mumbai Indians or Chennai Super Kings, he would walk into any XI and probably captain them too. With his all-round abilities and calm authority, sobers would be both, MVP and a fan favourite.

Keith Miller: Charisma Meets Chaos

Keith Miller was a maverick who had a war pilot’s swagger and played like the cricket rules were mere suggestions. Now imagine him under the Eden Gardens lights, charging in with the new ball, the crowd roaring and a bouncer flying past the batter’s nose.  His smashing a no-look six over long-on and tossing his bat in the air would be pure box-office charisma. As a fearsome pacer, he would be no less effective than Bumrah and with his rebellious charm, he could rival even Kohli in popularity!

Tiger Pataudi: The Graceful Innovator

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, India’s ‘Tiger’, was elegance personified. Despite losing vision in one eye, he redefined Indian cricket with his sharp mind and fearless stroke play. The man was pinch hitting even in tests, so in today’s format, he would be the prototype of an intelligent finisher. As a captain, his calm strategy and intuitive leadership would have been a boon for teams like Lucknow Super Giants or Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Chandrashekhar: The Magician with the Ball

In a game that worships mystery spinners, B S Chandrashekhar would have been a cult figure. With his fast leg-breaks, sharp turn, and unreadable action, he could tie the best in knots. He once made Viv Richards look uncertain - something few others can claim. Given the new tools of the game - DRS, fierce match-ups, aggressive fielding - he’d be a match-winner, game after game. Imagine a Rashid Khan, but far more unpredictable.

Viv Richards: T20 Specialist Before It Existed

Sir Viv Richards didn’t wait for T20 to show the world how to dominate. With his chewing gum, sunglasses, and a bat that seemed like a magical wand, Richards was a storm in a human form. He didn’t wear a helmet nor back down against any opposition, so imagine him opening for RCB at Chinnaswamy, sending 150 kmph deliveries into the night sky. He would not just play in the IPL, he would own it. Given his mix of power and presence, Viv would be the face of every league on Mother Earth.

The Forgotten Gems

Not every legend is remembered today, but many would have been perfect for the T20 world. Rohan Kanhai’s inventive stroke play would have made him a viral sensation. Ted Dexter’s calm authority and silky drives could anchor any innings. Mushtaq Ali’s wristy brilliance was born for powerplays while Graeme Pollock’s elegant left-handed batting, would have been a dream at number three - think of David Warner with a poet’s touch.

And then there were the pacers. Wesley Hall and Fred Trueman steaming in under floodlights? You can almost hear the crowd rise with anticipation. Their raw pace and aggression would have lit up every venue from Ahmedabad to Cape Town.

Bradman: Beyond Imagination

And finally, there is the Don. Sir Donald Bradman. The man who averaged 99.94 in Tests on uncovered, bowler-friendly pitches. Give him a flat deck, a white ball, and short boundaries, and he might not stop at hundreds! His footwork, and mental strength, along with new-age superior bats, would be too much for any bowler today. Bradman would not just thrive; his precision would redefine the format with quiet dignity. No chest thumps, no celebrations but just pure genius, repeated over after over, match after match.

This is not just a thought experiment but a reminder. These players carried with them more than talent. They had aura, sportsmanship, and an unbounded joy that made the game larger than life. In a world of strike rates and auction values, they remind us of a time when cricket was about moments, timeless ones!

As IPL lights prepare to dim, maybe it’s worth dreaming of Durrani flicking one over square leg, or Sobers pulling off a stunning catch. Yes, this is imagination. But it is also a reminder that cricket is about characters and stories that refuse to age. For the legends, never really leave. They just wait for us to re-imagine them!