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Most overrated cricketer

Kirkut

International Regular
Completely disagree. Except for here on CW, most cricket fans I've seen go for the likes of Lillee and Akram. And nobody, even my biased self has ever made the claim that Malcolm is the undisputed greatest fast bowler. Anyway, he's definitely top 5. If that's overrated, then all of fast men are overrated as well.
Absolutely not, that's rightly deserved.
 

Kirkut

International Regular
The entire South African team basically after today.

I understand what it feels to be a saffer fan now. No regrets maybe since they thrash every other side in rugby.
 

Kirkut

International Regular
For Sachin isn’t it the other way around? There are 5 batsmen certainly that are quantitatively better, but not qualitatively - eg Kallis and Sanga.
Kallis and Sanga are not as perfect as sachin technique wise, but still have superb technique against pace bowling especially Sangers...

Steve Smith at his prime is qualitatively on par with Tendulkar at his prime if not better.
 

Ashes81

State Vice-Captain
The South African performance today was in part caused by all the other previous S African limited over disasters.

Today S Africa weren't just playing the Netherlands, they were playing with the history of those failures on their shoulders and they failed to cope with that pressure.
 

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Botham should be considered overrated given that he wasn't worldclass quality for the majority of his career yet gets selected often in the top 20 cricketers of all-time.

Sehwag is another who is overrated by many modern pundits to me given his limitations.
 

tony p

State Regular
Overrated,
Australia, Benaud, Morris,
England, Laker, Trueman, Flintoff,
NZ, G. Howarth, Nash,
South Africa, Rhodes, Klusener,
India, Shastri, Harbhajan Singh,
West Indies, Gayle, Ramadhin,
Pakistan, Shoaib Akhtar, Sarfraz,
Sri Lanka, Jayasuriya, Malinga

Only my opinion of course.
 

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I feel like Benaud the cricketer isn't overrated that much.

His captaincy and commentary made him known as the voice of cricket

But I don't hear people bigging up his batting all that often. His bowling gets a bit more cred, but I think due praise for a 27 averaging leg spinner. Nobody puts him in Warnes class
 

trundler

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Morris is definitely overrated. No coincidence his average fell off a cliff once English cricketer regained its strength after WW2. He's sometimes put in a tier above Hayden when his record against quality bowlers is nothing special either.
 

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Morris at least can claim to be the only person to go toe to toe with Bradman for batting output over multiple series (during Bradmans career)
 

Pup Clarke

Cricketer Of The Year
Always felt like Shakib's a bit overrated here tbh. Good international cricketer, but have never been overly impressed, bar the 2019 WC where he was outstanding.
While I think he's a class batsman in all formats, his bowling too often flatters to deceive against the top sides imo. Don't think he affects games as much as he should
 

BazBall21

International Captain
Flower didn’t play top sides enough. Think his position in the CW top 50 batsmen of all time was a bit flattering.
 

trundler

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He might make it for me too though I have no idea how I'd go about compiling such a list. However, every time someone says he's as good as Tendulkar and Zaheer rolled into one or mentions him alongside Sobers, I wince in anguish.

Think visually striking guys such as Lee and Afridi are overrated by the general public whereas nerds overrate guys like Chanderpaul and Pollock.

Greg Chappell, Ken Barrington, and Peter May being overrated are my hot takes.
 

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