As a batsman and a captain, there were not many better cricketers than Martin Crowe.
Although Crowe had been ill for quite a while, it was still shocking to hear of his passing yesterday.
As with Jonah Lomu last year, New Zealand has lost a great sportsman well before histime.
That is the thing about Crowe, he will go down in cricket history as one of the true greats. Just read the tributes from a host of international and local players and you will see the high regard everyone had for him.
As a batsman, he was a classic stroke player who stood tall in the crease and could dispatch spin or pace to the boundary with the flick of a wrist. He was selected for the New Zealand team at the tender age of 19 and faced Australia, including fast-bowling greats Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee, in the 1982 series. He may have struggled against them but even then it was clear he was destined for greatness.
As a captain, he will long be remembered for the innovations he brought to the game. Who will ever forget how he opened the bowling with spinner Dipak Patel in the 1992 Cricket World Cup? Spinners opening the bowling may be a regular feature of today's game but back then it was nothing short of revolutionary.
In his autobiography Raw, Crowe wrote about the struggles he had and how he suffered from self-doubt. But he got through it all and one would like to think that he was at peace with himself and the world when he died. There is no doubt that he was highly regarded by members of the Black Caps like Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.
