World Class Skipper Or Disgraced Match-Fixer - How Do We Remember Hansie Cronje On His 50th Birth Anniversary?

For cricket fans, the name Hansie Cronje needs no introduction. A young promising life was cut short at 32 when he passed away in a plane crash in 2002. 17 years on, we still want to remember the man he was, more than what he had done. Today, on what would have been his 50th birthday, we look back at his legacy.

Cronje was a tough nut to crack on the field. A pretty good batsman, a pretty decent bowler and an excellent fielder. In addition to all this he was a top skipper. But his greatest battle was not on the field. It was the scandal that surrounded him and left all of his fans, and believe it there were many, in absolute shock.

Reuters

In 2000, the match-fixing scandal raised its ugly head over the world of cricket. The first bombshell was when Cronje admitted to deliberately trying to influence a result of a game in exchange for money from a bookie. Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams were involved too. Gibbs got 6 months while Cronje was slapped with a life ban. Two years later his life would end in a tragic way. It seemed all the good work he had done to build his reputation was undone.

But there is more than what meets the eye. Cronje confessed and manned up to what he had done. He offered no excuses and said he was sorry for betraying the trust of his team and his country. The pain in his voice was evident and the sincerity was genuine. After all, this was a man known for his integrity and honesty both on and off the field, and suddenly he was a cheat.

For cricket fans all over the world, their faith in the game got a hard beating. The reality check was that at the end of the day anyone can be tempted, as players are only human and prone to errors in judgement. The man who led South Africa to their first Test series win in India, captained them to glory in their only ICC title till date - the first ever Champions Trophy known then as the Knockout Tournament and also who was in charge of a side that inflicted a 5-0 drubbing to West Indies, was now under the scanner for all the wrong reasons. Had he not confessed, nobody would have really believed it.

Reuters

The legacy of a world class skipper was tarnished with that of a match-fixer. But for some, he still remains the player who entertained them on the field . Others of course refer to him as the man who brought the game into disrepute. 2000 was a dark year for cricket as many players were found to be cheats. But that does not diminish Cronje's guilt one bit.

So what will his legacy be? A world class skipper or match-fixer? That decision has to be left to the fans. Fans can make or break a player's legacy and that is just what it is here. Cronje made a mistake, but while doing so he knew what he was engaging in was wrong and the consequences would be severe. So he would hardly have been surprised at the life ban once the evidence began to pile up and he had to confess. However, it does not completely take away his contributions as captain of South Africa. So do not judge him exclusively in either of the cases, rather incorporate the two.

Why can't his legacy be both? A man who was on top of the world, fell from grace and was on the path to redemption when his life ended. That would be a fair testimony to him. Either way, for better or worse, Cronje's name is etched in cricketing history, whatever be the reasons for it.