Top Five Most Underrated Cricketers Ever.

[micz]

Go.

 

[cnerd123]

Ajit Agarkar
Aakash Chopra
Murali Kartik

 

[fredfertang]

Sylvers

 

[akilana]

S Waugh.

 

[Red]

Jason Gillespie
Hugh Trumble
Bill Johnston
Geoff Boycott
Herbie Taylor
Bill Ponsford


Just randoms I personally think are underrated for one reason or another.

 

[smash84]

Allan Border
Javed Miandad
Richie Richardson
Alan Davidson
Mohinder Amarnath

 

[theegyptian]

Sachin Baby

 

[viriya]

Ken Barrington
Trevor Goddard
Shakib Al Hasan
Kumar Sangakkara

 

[smash84]

actually aravinda de silva as well

 

[Pratters]

Jason Gillespie

I followed most of Gillespie's career. Was such an amazing fast bowler. He could get you via his pace and more in length. You had to play far a lot of the deliveries Gillespie bowled at you. Ashes 2005 and the period around that time ruined his reputation but before that, he was some one who was part of one of the all time great test teams.

Between 1997 and 2004, Gillespie took 238 test wickets at 24.6. How great a test team would Australia have really been had it not been for Gillespie?

McGrath took 376 wickets in the period at 20.5 which just puts into perspective how great McGrath was. Warne took 340 at 26.5. It appalls me how Gillespie comes as an almost after thought now. Gillespie, in his own right, is among the great fast bowlers.

 

[viriya]

I followed most of Gillespie's career. Was such an amazing fast bowler. He could get you via his pace and more in length. You had to play far a lot of the deliveries Gillespie bowled at you. Ashes 2005 and the period around that time ruined his reputation but before that, he was some one who was part of one of the all time great test teams.

Between 1997 and 2004, Gillespie took 238 test wickets at 24.6. How great a test team would Australia have really been had it not been for Gillespie?

McGrath took 376 wickets in the period at 20.5 which just puts into perspective how great McGrath was. Warne took 340 at 26.5. It appalls me how Gillespie comes as an almost after thought now. Gillespie, in his own right, is among the great fast bowlers.

Yea Gillespie was just unfortunate to bowl at the same time 2 ATGs were in his team.

 

[viriya]

actually aravinda de silva as well

I actually think he's overrated.. not in ODIs, but in Tests. He basically had one great year in 1997 but that's about it. In ODIs his record definitely doesn't tell the whole story.

 

[Saint Kopite]

Great shout, Pratts!

Dizzy was a brilliant bowler on his day. Many underrate him because he doesn't have the "stats" to back it up but he completed McGrath so well and was the workhorse in that Aussie side. A name I would add is, Graham Thorpe. Extremely reliable. Did well against all sorts of attack in different conditions.

 

[viriya]

Ken Barrington

About Barrington, why exactly isn't he rated among the top tier batsmen? imo he should be among the 3 Hs for Eng (Hammond, Hutton, Hobbs), his reputation seems to be that of a grafter.. but his strike rate was just a tad below Dravid's (and Dravid batted during a time when run rates were much higher) and he averaged ~59 during a time only Sobers could compare in that department.

 

[kiwiviktor81]

Usually the overrated players play for the influential sides (England, India, Aussie) and the underrated ones play for the less influential sides (SA, SL, NZ).

I'd nominate:

Kumar Sangakkara
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Mahela Jayawardene
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock

 

[viriya]

Usually the overrated players play for the influential sides (England, India, Aussie) and the underrated ones play for the less influential sides (SA, SL, NZ).

I'd nominate:

Kumar Sangakkara
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Mahela Jayawardene
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock

I agree with all these except Mahela.. overrated ODI player and slightly overrated Test player.

 

[Chubb]

About Barrington, why exactly isn't he rated among the top tier batsmen? imo he should be among the 3 Hs for Eng (Hammond, Hutton, Hobbs), his reputation seems to be that of a grafter.. but his strike rate was just a tad below Dravid's (and Dravid batted during a time when run rates were much higher) and he averaged ~59 during a time only Sobers could compare in that department.

As I understand it - and I don't know the stats breakdown - he was very good at cashing in on flat decks and against weaker sides. When he played stronger teams he was still a very fine player but not in the top class, like averaging 40+ rather than nearly 60.

 

[Goughy]

Usually the overrated players play for the influential sides (England, India, Aussie) and the underrated ones play for the less influential sides (SA, SL, NZ).

I'd nominate:

Kumar Sangakkara
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Mahela Jayawardene
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock

Yep

 

[viriya]

As I understand it - and I don't know the stats breakdown - he was very good at cashing in on flat decks and against weaker sides. When he played stronger teams he was still a very fine player but not in the top class, like averaging 40+ rather than nearly 60.

Not sure that's true:
Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

His only weak record is vs WI at 35.. he averaged 70 away.. and WI bowling wasn't necessarily world beating in the 60s.. sure they had Lance Gibbs but I wouldn't say they had the best bowling attack? tbf 60s bowling was relatively weak but that shouldn't go against just Barrington.

 

[Chubb]

I wasn't saying he was weak. He was a very good player indeed, against any bowling, and he justifiably comes up when we talk about all time England teams. But that's why I think his reputation is lower than being regarded as a "great".

Eddie Paynter for different reasons barely gets a mention as a great bat but he has a similarly excellent average.