Carl Hooper - enigmatic. (Allsport)

Born: 15.12.66
One-day internationals: 221
Batting: Right Hand (Avge: 35.84)
Bowling: Right Hand Off Breaks (Avge: 35.74)
Catches: 115

The World Cup will throw up an eclectic mix of captains, but few can rival Hooper for unorthodoxy.

He walked away from the game in 1999 - ruling himself out of the tournament in England - only to return almost two years later to replace Jimmy Adams.

Capable of bewitching brilliance and frustrating lapses in equal measure, Hooper is the sort of cricketer for whom the word enigmatic could have been invented.

He was not a universally popular choice to take the reins, with his critics claiming he lacked the commitment to lead his country.

But an increase in the frequency of his virtuoso performances has seen the tide of public opinion shift back towards Hooper, who can silence the remaining doubters once and for all by lifting the trophy in March.