There is a thin line separating genius from madness. With Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi, the line is a blur.
Supremely gifted, yet eccentric, Afridi is what Afridi does. Most often it's hitting bowlers out of the park, bamboozling batsmen with his furious brand of leg-spin or needling the opposition with incessant chatter from the in-field.
In between he performs deeds of reckless abandon, like scouring the business end of a pitch with his spikes or announcing his retirement from Test cricket just when he's made himself a fixture in the team.
Rarely does the script go wrong.
His looks make him a darling with the women. His ability to smack the ball with power guarantees him a sizeable fan following, especially in his homeland where extravagance is revered.
Afridi's batting technique is simple; hit the ball and hit it hard.
Aggression
He comes to the crease with the one idea of hitting just about every ball out of the ground. Attack and aggression are his natural instincts.
Most bowlers quake in fear. Others throw up their hands, go through the motions and get smacked.
Only 16 when he made his international debut in 1996, Afridi took the cricket world by storm, smashing the fastest century in one-day cricket in only his second match.
The opposition was no less a team than Arjuna Ranatunga's Sri Lanka. Ironically, Afridi was picked on the strength of his bowling.
Whatever his task in the team, Afridi had arrived and with a bang.
Afridi's cricket is a reflection of the region he comes from. A Pathan from the craggy rocky mountain and barren North West Frontier Province, Afridi brings the qualities of his tribe - fearlessness and aggression - to the field.
His batting too reflects the region of his birth. It carries a rustic charm sometimes memorable, but at other times a quickly passing shadow which leaves no mark.
"In the dressing room, I tell myself I will be patient at the start at least," he says.
"But once I cross the boundary ropes, the noise and screams of the fans get to me and it makes me nervous. It puts me under pressure.
"It is my nature. A Pathan is a hot-blooded creature, who always wants to get things done quickly. Sometimes it backfires. The mind doesn't think too much when in a hurry.
Limitations
"I am not perfect and I do have my limitations."
Indeed, consistency was an attribute which he introduced to his game a good six years after he made his debut. The benefits of discipline and judgement were brought home to him only in 2005 when the late Bob Woolmer took over as coach of Pakistan.
After several years of trying he finally made himself a permanent fixture in the Test team, only to announce he was retiring due to "burnout".
On the field Afridi had never been found wanting in agility and safety. Rarely does he put down catches while fielding in the ring.
His throws from the deep are precise and powerful.
Along the way, he has also added several tricks to his loopy-leg spin and many consider him second only to the legendary Shane Warne for variation.
Australia found that out much to their discomfort in the series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai last month where he emerged top bowler.
A man of many gifts and fragile temperament, never has a player endeared and exasperated in equal measure. It has become the irrepressible Pathan's signature style.