Usually batting at number three[5][6][7] in a dominant West Indies side, Richards is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

Richards scored 8,540 runs in 121 Test matches at an average of 50.23 and retired as the West Indies leading run-scorer, overhauling the aggregate of Garfield Sobers.

[17] In 2000 he was voted one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Century by a 100-member panel of experts, and in 2002 the almanack judged that he had played the best One Day International innings of all time.

[18] In December 2002, he was chosen by Wisden as the greatest One Day International batsman who had played to that date and as the third-greatest Test cricket batter.

The young Richards initially practiced with his father and Pat Evanson, a neighbor and family friend, who had captained the Antigua side.

He joined St. John's Cricket Club and the owner of the restaurant where he worked, D'Arcy Williams, provided him with new whites, gloves, pads and a bat.

After a few seasons with St. John's C.C., he joined Rising Sun Cricket Club, where he remained until his departure to play abroad.

In 1973, his abilities were noticed by Len Creed, Vice Chairman at Somerset, who was in Antigua at the time as part of a West Country touring side.

[31] Lester Bird and Danny Livingstone played an important part in pursuading Creed to take Richards to Somerset.

He finished his first season at Lansdown top of the batting averages and shortly afterwards was offered a two-year contract with county side Somerset.

[31] Richards then moved to Taunton in 1974 in preparation for his professional debut with Somerset CCC where he was assigned living accommodation by the club; a flat-share with two other county players: Ian Botham and Dennis Breakwell.

[31][34] Richards made his Test match debut for the West Indian cricket team in 1974 against India in Bangalore.

In 1975, Richards helped the West Indies win the inaugural Cricket World Cup against Australia, a feat he later described as the most memorable of his career.

This achievement is all the more remarkable considering he missed the second Test at Lord's after contracting glandular fever; yet he returned to score his career-best 291 at the Oval later in the summer.

In 1983, the team won the NatWest Trophy, with Richards and close friend Ian Botham having a playful slugging match in the final few overs.

Richards refused a "blank-cheque" offer to play for a rebel West Indies squad in South Africa during the Apartheid era in 1983, and again in 1984.

His captaincy was, however, not without controversy: one incident was his aggressive, "finger-flapping" appeal leading to the incorrect dismissal of England batsman Rob Bailey in the Barbados Test in 1990, which was described by Wisden as "at best undignified and unsightly.

[40] During a match against Zimbabwe during the 1983 Cricket World Cup, Richards returned to the crease after a stoppage for bad light and accidentally took strike at the wrong end, which remains a very rare occurrence.

He became the only man to score a century and take 5 wickets in the same one-day international when he played against New Zealand at Dunedin in 1986–87 - a feat that wasn't broken until 2005.

Moreover, in 1984, he rescued his side from a perilous position at Old Trafford and, in partnership with Michael Holding, smashed 189 to win the game off his own bat.

Consequently, Ian Botham refused a new contract with Somerset in protest at the way his friends Richards and Garner had been treated and promptly joined Worcestershire.

[47] Richards returned to county cricket for the 1990 season towards the end of his career to play for Glamorgan, helping them to win the AXA Sunday League in 1993.

[50][51][52] His fearless and aggressive style of play, and relaxed but determined demeanor made him a great crowd favourite and an intimidating prospect for opposition bowlers all over the world.

[55] Richards was notorious for punishing bowlers that dared to sledge him,[56] so much so, that many opposing captains banned their players from the practice.

[80] Several prominent personalities including former cricketer Imran Khan and writer John Birmingham are of the opinion that Richards was the best ever batsman against genuine fast bowling.

[82][83][84] Wasim Akram rates Richards as the greatest batsman he ever bowled to, ahead of Sunil Gavaskar and Martin Crowe.

[92] At number 3:- Viv Richards; I never saw Donald Bradman play but if he was better player than Viv then he must have been some player Australian fast bowling greats Jeff Thomson (often regarded as the fastest bowler in cricket history) and Dennis Lillee rate Richards as the best batsman they ever bowled against.

I think we finished about level- I got him as often as he got me Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar who are regarded as two of the greatest modern day batsman rates Richards as the best they ever saw and their batting idol while growing up.

[100] The International Cricket Council (ICC) has produced rankings for batsmen and bowlers for both the longer and shorter versions.

[105] Some writers contend that Richards also played international football for Antigua and Barbuda, appearing in qualifying matches for the 1974 World Cup.