I'm a massive fan of Nasser Hussain the captain, the commentator, the batsman, and also (which has been overlooked so far) the fielder.
As captain he was the ideal man to lead England at a time when they were a poor Test side. We had a some talented guys but they needed a man with the drive, the passion, someone not afraid to tell them when they were playing rubbish and letting themselves down. He was a man clearly very proud to captain England and was the sort of man that wore his heart on his sleeve. Michael Vaughan in terms of temperament was the polar opposite, and he took the team on further, I don't believe Nasser was found wanting in terms of cricketing 'nous' when he had better side at all, it was the right time for someone to take the side on, they got it spot on with Vaughan. Nasser was the perfect man to lead England at the time he took over and did an outstanding job.
As a batsman you could tell on occasions he was so determined to succeed and score runs it did hinder his natural game to a degree. He had the shots, was an excellent driver of the ball and could pull or cut effectively too. Was susceptible to getting squared too often, but I enjoyed watching him play. Never shied away from a challenge, loved his passion.
His commentary and analysis on the game is always insightful, he's able to laugh at himself (mainly for his reluctance to get his hand in his pocket) and join in with the light-hearted moments.
When he fielded at backward point in his earlier days and during numerous ODI's he was electric. Probably not quite in the Collingwood class, but he was quick over the ground and accurate when throwing the stumps down. Took some breathtaking catches in that position.
An all round top man imo.
