The Unpopular Opinions Thread

[vcs]

I know we like to moan about Dhoni, and there's a lot of batsmen I'd take over him coming in at 220/4 after 38 overs, but he's been pretty good (albeit still a shadow of his former self) over the past year and a half.

 

[vcs]

Nah.

I don't 100% endorse, but am not going to argue with this view, if a player plays past their best and fudges their stats a bit if they are an asset to their team.

Dhoni has been a batting liability though. Play on as a liability to your team and I can't disregard it. Hurt your team and you drop in my estimation.

I don't agree that he's a liability because he's still an awesome keeper to spin, vital coaching the bowlers in the field and being the ice to Kohli's fire.

 

[cnerd123]

He's not been terrible but he's keeping out guys who could potentially be doing better like Pant and DK. This isn't like Sachin hanging on when there was no clear replacement ready, we've got a fantastic prospect and a player in form and it seems like neither of them will feature in 2019 WC.

 

[vcs]

Pant will eventually get his chance. Karthik probably won't, lol. That's life, when there's so much competition to get into the playing XI.

He'll always have the Nidahas anyway.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Tbf I'm pretty flattered at the insinuation that I'm some sort of cult leader recruiting young Trundler into the ranks

When are the rest of you ****s gonna fall in line.

Look at what you have created mods! This isn't a cult of personality. This isn't even bullying. This is lame.

 

[Borges]

Think Karthik will keep for the test matches. Unless Saha gets fit in a hurry.

 

[Bolo]

I don't agree that he's a liability because he's still an awesome keeper to spin, vital coaching the bowlers in the field and being the ice to Kohli's fire.

I'm confining my assessment to batting only. He's been great with the gloves and is possibly still the GOAT captain even when the team roster has Kohli chalked up as captain.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Disagree.

I think it affects his career assessment. You play past your prime, you don't do well, that's on your career record and it's all on you.

But it does not affect in anyway how bloody good a cricketer he was, which is why he always makes my ATG ODI XI.

Dunno if making this sort of distinction makes sense but there you go.

Cricketer A has 10 amazing years and retires after a couple of bad games at the very end of his career

Cricketer B has 10 equally amazing years followed by 2 years of poor form after which he retires.

Would you take Cricketer A's career just because he retired before his form could drop? At the end of the day isn't it the selector's job to drop the cricketer. Maybe the selectors nudged player A out the door at the right time. Maybe Cricketer B's selectors are pussies.

 

[vcs]

He had that poor-ish run in 2015-16, but averaged 60@85 last year with a couple of crucial crisis knocks as well. Harsh to say he's not pulling his weight.

 

[cnerd123]

I think Daemon and Bolo would, because that's a 'better' career. Your whole time playing has been at the top of the game. You were never a liability to the team, for whatever reason.

However, when considering their abilities as cricketers, both get assessed at their peaks and player B doesn't get his final 2 years held against him.

Its different for individual sports I suppose, like tennis and stuff, where being able to compete at the top level for longer should be a plus point for you, even if you aren't as good as you once were. In a team sport you're potentially a liability to your team during those years so that's a problem.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I think Daemon and Bolo would, because that's a 'better' career.

How is it a better career in the scenario I presented?

 

[cnerd123]

How is it a better career in the scenario I presented?

I literally explained that didn't I

Player B had 10/12 years of his career where he was one of the top players when Player A had 10/10 years. Player A's career looks better than Player B. More of a fairytale, ideal, good vibes career. Player B had to have the 2 years of people calling him **** and wanting him dropped and souring people's ideas of him, has worse overall figures, and has 2 years of his career all his fans kinda wish he didn't have

 

[OverratedSanity]

I literally explained that didn't I

Player B had 10/12 years of his career where he was one of the top players when Player A had 10/10 years. Player A's career looks better than Player B. More of a fairytale, ideal, good vibes career. Player B had to have the 2 years of people calling him **** and wanting him dropped and souring people's ideas of him, has worse overall figures, and has 2 years of his career all his fans kinda wish he didn't have

But those people are dumb. Player A retired and contributed literally nothing for the next 2 years

 

[Borges]

Guys who play on well past their sell by date ought to be tarred and feathered. And summarily removed from any of trundler's ATVG, (or even mere ATG), elevens.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Guys who play on well past their sell by date ought to be tarred and feathered. And summarily removed from any of trundler's ATVG, (or even mere ATG), elevens.

It's the selector's job to drop a player.

 

[trundler]

Guys who play on well past their sell by date ought to be tarred and feathered. And summarily removed from any of trundler's ATVG, (or even mere ATG), elevens.

That's literally what I do all day though. Don't limit my choices!

 

[Daemon]

But those people are dumb. Player A retired and contributed literally nothing for the next 2 years

It depends. Was B a liability to his team during those last 2 years?

 

[Jack1]

I know we like to moan about Dhoni, and there's a lot of batsmen I'd take over him coming in at 220/4 after 38 overs, but he's been pretty good (albeit still a shadow of his former self) over the past year and a half.

Dhoni has struggled since 2005 to be honest in ODIs. Look at his statistical breakdown. His strike rate hasn't been good enough since 2005 when he had 30 games played total. He's now played 319 games. He simply doesn't play his role well enough.

Perhaps though India simply doesn't think they have better options for the keeper-batsman role. Dhoni's batting over his career however has been highly questionable in limited overs.

Sky commentators have always bigged him up as a monster hitting world beater for years and years and years. He's been mediocre for years if you view his strike rate.

The role Dhoni plays and the acclaim he gets you'd think his SR would be 105+ in career in ODIs, it's a measly 88 and a measly 127 in t20

 

[trundler]

tbf to Sachin pull shots of slow-medium, 65kg-weighing trundlers in World Cup finals are hard

I'm sure a lot of people would spoon a catch back to said 65kg-weighing trundler

Hey I only way 10 or so less! I'm the next Mcgrath confirmed.

 

[trundler]

Dhoni has struggled since 2005 to be honest in ODIs. Look at his statistical breakdown. His strike rate hasn't been good enough since 2005 when he had 30 games played total. He's now played 319 games. He simply doesn't play his role well enough.

Perhaps though India simply doesn't think they have better options for the keeper-batsman role. Dhoni's batting over his career however has been highly questionable in limited overs.

Sky commentators have always bigged him up as a monster hitting world beater for years and years and years. He's been mediocre for years if you view his strike rate.

The role Dhoni plays and the acclaim he gets you'd think his SR would be 105+ in career in ODIs, it's a measly 88 and a measly 127 in t20

You're judging it by 2018 standards which is unfair.