biased indian
International Coach
40
Kapil Dev (India)
Test matches 131
Runs 5,248 at 31.05
Wickets 434 at 29.64
He was the bowler I first faced in Test cricket – it took me 27 minutes to get off the mark. Although his Test career was coming to the end by then, he still had a very good action and a dangerous outswinger. He also remained an explosive batsman. Definitely one of the great India players. I was pleased that our paths just crossed.
39
Stuart MacGill (Australia)
Test matches 40
Wickets 198 at 27.20
Has always put some serious rage on the ball and bowls one of the most violent leg breaks in the game as well as an effective googly. He sees himself purely as a wicket-taker, with a good strike-rate. Over the next few years, he should get a good run in international cricket while our younger spin bowlers begin to come through.
38
Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)
Test matches 107
Runs 6,791 at 40.42
Wickets 96 at 34.17
One of the greatest one-day players in the game, whose aggression in the opening overs of matches during the 1996 World Cup represented a serious development. For a small man, he is very powerful and his left-arm spin is underestimated. He has been a good foil for Muttiah Muralitharan.
37
Stephen Harmison (England)
Test matches 54
Wickets 205 at 30.82
On his day, he is one of the most awkward bowlers in the world. I hope he can overcome his injuries to lead the England attack again. He has returned some great figures and, although he wasn’t the leading wicket-taker in the 2005 Ashes, he set the tone with his bowling in the initial stages at Lord’s.
36
Andy Flower (Zimbabwe)
Test matches 63
Runs 4,794 at 51.54
Catches 151
Stumpings 9
He was a forerunner to Adam Gilchrist as a left-handed wicketkeeper, who also scored hundreds on a regular basis – 12 in Test matches. Unlike Gilchrist, he did not have great players to lay the foundations. A good player of spin, he must be the best player to have represented Zimbabwe.
35
Michael Vaughan (England)
Test matches 70
Runs 5,141 at 43.94
He will always be remembered as the man who captained England to the Ashes in 2005, but I also think of his three hundreds in the 2002-03 series. He was an effective player, who also looked very stylish on our quicker pitches. I also admire the courage he has shown to come back from his serious knee injuries.
34
Bruce Reid (Australia)
Test matches 27
Wickets 113 at 24.63
But for injuries, which curtailed his career, his reputation would be even higher. On song, he was just about the best there has been. He had good pace, remarkable control and generated bounce and movement. Being tall and left-arm made him very difficult to face. Nowadays, he is one of the leading bowling coaches.
33
Allan Donald (South Africa)
Test matches 72
Wickets 330 at 22.25
Like Waqar Younis yesterday, he may be a bit lower than people expect. When conditions were in his favour, he was dangerous, without question, but there were times when a few of us wondered if his head dropped too soon if things were not going his way. He was quick, but, at times, he struggled to impose himself on the opposition.
32
Robin Smith (England)
Test matches 62
Runs 4,236 at 43.67
He always put England’s interests before his own, batting wherever they asked in the order and still managing to average in the mid40s over a Test career that should have gone on longer. He could be a destructive player of fast bowling and nobody cut more fiercely. He is also the nicest person I have met in 20 years of cricket.
31
Tim May (Australia)
Test matches 24
Wickets 75 at 34.74
I always thought he was a fantastic guy to have bowling with me in tandem at the other end. For an off spinner, he had the perfect, traditional, legitimate side-on action and his role in the 1993 Ashes win has been badly overlooked. He was one of our key players and gave me a lot of help in my first series against England.
Kapil Dev (India)
Test matches 131
Runs 5,248 at 31.05
Wickets 434 at 29.64
He was the bowler I first faced in Test cricket – it took me 27 minutes to get off the mark. Although his Test career was coming to the end by then, he still had a very good action and a dangerous outswinger. He also remained an explosive batsman. Definitely one of the great India players. I was pleased that our paths just crossed.
39
Stuart MacGill (Australia)
Test matches 40
Wickets 198 at 27.20
Has always put some serious rage on the ball and bowls one of the most violent leg breaks in the game as well as an effective googly. He sees himself purely as a wicket-taker, with a good strike-rate. Over the next few years, he should get a good run in international cricket while our younger spin bowlers begin to come through.
38
Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)
Test matches 107
Runs 6,791 at 40.42
Wickets 96 at 34.17
One of the greatest one-day players in the game, whose aggression in the opening overs of matches during the 1996 World Cup represented a serious development. For a small man, he is very powerful and his left-arm spin is underestimated. He has been a good foil for Muttiah Muralitharan.
37
Stephen Harmison (England)
Test matches 54
Wickets 205 at 30.82
On his day, he is one of the most awkward bowlers in the world. I hope he can overcome his injuries to lead the England attack again. He has returned some great figures and, although he wasn’t the leading wicket-taker in the 2005 Ashes, he set the tone with his bowling in the initial stages at Lord’s.
36
Andy Flower (Zimbabwe)
Test matches 63
Runs 4,794 at 51.54
Catches 151
Stumpings 9
He was a forerunner to Adam Gilchrist as a left-handed wicketkeeper, who also scored hundreds on a regular basis – 12 in Test matches. Unlike Gilchrist, he did not have great players to lay the foundations. A good player of spin, he must be the best player to have represented Zimbabwe.
35
Michael Vaughan (England)
Test matches 70
Runs 5,141 at 43.94
He will always be remembered as the man who captained England to the Ashes in 2005, but I also think of his three hundreds in the 2002-03 series. He was an effective player, who also looked very stylish on our quicker pitches. I also admire the courage he has shown to come back from his serious knee injuries.
34
Bruce Reid (Australia)
Test matches 27
Wickets 113 at 24.63
But for injuries, which curtailed his career, his reputation would be even higher. On song, he was just about the best there has been. He had good pace, remarkable control and generated bounce and movement. Being tall and left-arm made him very difficult to face. Nowadays, he is one of the leading bowling coaches.
33
Allan Donald (South Africa)
Test matches 72
Wickets 330 at 22.25
Like Waqar Younis yesterday, he may be a bit lower than people expect. When conditions were in his favour, he was dangerous, without question, but there were times when a few of us wondered if his head dropped too soon if things were not going his way. He was quick, but, at times, he struggled to impose himself on the opposition.
32
Robin Smith (England)
Test matches 62
Runs 4,236 at 43.67
He always put England’s interests before his own, batting wherever they asked in the order and still managing to average in the mid40s over a Test career that should have gone on longer. He could be a destructive player of fast bowling and nobody cut more fiercely. He is also the nicest person I have met in 20 years of cricket.
31
Tim May (Australia)
Test matches 24
Wickets 75 at 34.74
I always thought he was a fantastic guy to have bowling with me in tandem at the other end. For an off spinner, he had the perfect, traditional, legitimate side-on action and his role in the 1993 Ashes win has been badly overlooked. He was one of our key players and gave me a lot of help in my first series against England.
