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Average players suddenly becoming very good
- Thread starter weldone
- Start date
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
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smash84
The Tiger King
Imran Khan and Richard Hadlee would probably fall into the late bloomers category as well
awta
slowfinger
International Debutant
*sigh* was not destined for fame.
Don't really agree on Cook, I mean yeah he has had an unexpected amazing level of performance in the last year and a bit but it's not like he never hinted at being good before. He started test cricket really well and had shown the characteristics that make him such a fine player, he was just in a horrible run immediately before he became really good.
ankitj
Hall of Fame Member
You is Khan, James Anderson, Gautam Gambhir.
Remember that I thought of Gambhir as someone who could score only against minnows. Remember that after an ODI in England in 2007, cricinfo rather unflatteringly described him as someone who will block some balls, slow down the innings and then hole out to a fielder. All that changed suddenly during the 2007 t20 wc. Since then he has transformed himself as a gritty batsman that we know him as.
Remember that I thought of Gambhir as someone who could score only against minnows. Remember that after an ODI in England in 2007, cricinfo rather unflatteringly described him as someone who will block some balls, slow down the innings and then hole out to a fielder. All that changed suddenly during the 2007 t20 wc. Since then he has transformed himself as a gritty batsman that we know him as.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
First one I thought of is Sidearse. Debuted in (IIRC) 2001 and looked every inch the honest county seamer promoted beyond his abilities, but added 5mph when he (very surprisngly) came back and was, however briefly, one of the top five seamers in the world. Sadly the extra pace did horrible things to his back and his zenith was a very abbreviated one.
Cook made a test debut ton in India as a twelve year old, ffs. Always had potential, it's fair to say.
& Vinay Kumar looks a hack to me. If he makes a test bowler I'm a worse judge than I imagine.
Cook made a test debut ton in India as a twelve year old, ffs. Always had potential, it's fair to say.
& Vinay Kumar looks a hack to me. If he makes a test bowler I'm a worse judge than I imagine.
NasserFan207
International Vice-Captain
Nah Broad shouldn't count, one of the most hyped cricketers of the last ten years tbh.
Bresnan is a much better shout from an England perspective. Used to look very county standard, mediocre.
Another one is Dilshan. I still don't rate him much but he'd been around for awhile, and looked like a steady international pro, then out of nowhere totally changed his game.
Dissector
International Debutant
Never rated Gambhir and still don't tbh as a test player but he was certainly great for a couple of years.
He was instrumental in India becoming TT world champions, ODI world champions and Test no.1. He will be a major figure in Indian cricket history even if he does nothing more of note.
He was instrumental in India becoming TT world champions, ODI world champions and Test no.1. He will be a major figure in Indian cricket history even if he does nothing more of note.
Cabinet96
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah was going to say Bresnan, but more through public opinion than personal. He was viewed as universally average before the Ashes and has been quite incredible in every test he has played since. What more people will continue to think he's average.
Howe_zat
Audio File
Yep, would agree with you there. Brumbers too, Sidebottom makes a much better call.
Ravi Rampaul, anyone?
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Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Yeah, Rampaul is a good one.
When I first saw him in ODIs I definitely thought he had something to work with, but I went right off him by the time he'd made his Test debut, and after he'd played a few Tests I'd pretty much written him off entirely. He's just got that little bit fitter and leaner though which has made all the difference to his bowling.
hazsa19
International Regular
The one that immediately stuck out for me was Marcus Trescothick. I've looked at his cumulative averages and haven't seen much to back up my argument.
I just remember being eternally frustrated by him at first. He would just hang his bat out and nick off to half decent line and length bowling. Then he seemed to develop an ability to leave the ball by holding his bat inside the line. It sometimes looked like he had played and missed.
He didn't ton up in the Ashes 2005, but he treated their opening bowlers with contempt. They certainly weren't used to it.
I just remember being eternally frustrated by him at first. He would just hang his bat out and nick off to half decent line and length bowling. Then he seemed to develop an ability to leave the ball by holding his bat inside the line. It sometimes looked like he had played and missed.
He didn't ton up in the Ashes 2005, but he treated their opening bowlers with contempt. They certainly weren't used to it.
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zaremba
Cricketer Of The Year
Graeme Onions was someone who surprised me when he came into the England team. Rancid career record but turned out to be a decent performer at Test level, although injuries have wrecked it for him.
Some other good calls on England players here too. Strauss high on the list. Didn't even get into his school's 1st XI iirc. Then looked every inch the marginally-above-average county journeyman until he took to Test cricket as if he was born to it.
Healy was pretty poor when we first saw him up here in 1989, and ended up doing ok.
Some other good calls on England players here too. Strauss high on the list. Didn't even get into his school's 1st XI iirc. Then looked every inch the marginally-above-average county journeyman until he took to Test cricket as if he was born to it.
Healy was pretty poor when we first saw him up here in 1989, and ended up doing ok.
Jono
Virat Kohli (c)
This is such a brilliant call.
Dilshan back in 2005/06 would just randomly score a few decent scores with Chamara Silva down the order.
Now he's a beast.
Michael Vaughan.
Never looked entirely comfortable at Test level prior to 2002 and had an ordinary FC record. I really didn't understand all the hype around him at the time. Then he suddenly became the best batsman in the world for about a year with huge series against India and Australia. Never touched those heights again sadly.
Never looked entirely comfortable at Test level prior to 2002 and had an ordinary FC record. I really didn't understand all the hype around him at the time. Then he suddenly became the best batsman in the world for about a year with huge series against India and Australia. Never touched those heights again sadly.