OTD: Carl Hooper was born in 1966

Former West Indies captain Carl Llewelyn Hooper was born in Georgetown, Guyana, on December 15, 1966. One of the most elegant all-rounders of his era, Hooper played a vital role in West Indies cricket during a transitional phase, representing the Caribbean side for over 16 years in international cricket.

Hooper rose through the ranks after representing the West Indies at youth level and became a regular performer for Guyana in senior regional tournaments. His leadership skills were evident at the domestic level, where he captained Guyana to three regional List A titles. His international journey began with a Test debut against India in 1987, and he announced himself by scoring his maiden Test century in just his second match of that tour.

The right-hander enjoyed several memorable performances in international cricket. During the 1991 tour of England, Hooper emerged as the leading run-scorer of the series, amassing 290 runs. He also played a key role in the 1995 ODI series against Australia, further establishing himself as a dependable middle-order batter. His finest limited-overs moment came in the 1997-98 Singer Akai Champions Trophy, where he was named Player of the Series, despite West Indies finishing runners-up to England.

Hooper also made a strong impact in English county cricket with Kent, finishing as the club’s leading run-scorer in 1992 with 773 runs. He is known for his graceful batting, effortless strokeplay, and his off-spin bowling was often underrated but proved valuable throughout his career.

Although he announced his retirement ahead of the 1999 Cricket World Cup, Hooper made a surprising return in 2001, taking over as captain. He led West Indies in 22 Tests, averaging an impressive 45.97 as captain, compared to 36.46 across his overall Test career. He also captained the side at the 2003 Cricket World Cup, though the team failed to advance beyond the first round.

Hooper holds the unique distinction of being the first cricketer to score 5,000 runs, take 100 wickets, hold 100 catches, and earn 100 caps in both Tests and ODIs. In 102 Tests, Hooper scored 5,762 runs and took 114 wickets, while in ODIs he amassed 5,761 runs and claimed 193 wickets.

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