Conrad Hunte, born on May 9, 1932, was one of the greatest West Indian openers. Abhishek Mukherjee looks back at an unsung hero of the calypso nation.

Let us do some number-crunching first.

Gary Sobers, arguably the greatest cricketer of all times, made his Test debut on March 30, 1954. Abhishek Mukherjee looks back at the stepping-stone of an amazing career.

West Indies had won the first two Tests of the 1953-54 home series, but England clawed their way back to win the third Test. After a drawn fourth Test, the teams met at Kingston for the crucial final Test. To quote EW Swanton, “a slim, remarkably loose-limbed left-hander” made his debut in that Test.

There was Andy Roberts, shrewd, aggressive and vicious. There was Michael Holding, lithe, lethal and express. There was Joel Garner, accurate, miserly and destructive. And above everyone, there was Malcolm Marshall, the complete package, and arguably the greatest fast bowler of all time. But the meanest of the pack? That had to be Colin Croft.

Simpson (Sammy) Clairmonte Guillen (24 September 1924–1 March 2013. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, was one of the few men to have played Test cricket for two countries. He played five Tests for the West Indies and three for New Zealand in the 1950s, one of which was the New Zealand team's first victory, over the West Indies.