Softest cricketer (smallest heart)

[thierry henry]

Yep, 06. That wasn't great. Even Chris Martin got (somewhat) in line.

This was in the disastrous Taylor/McCullum-gate 2012/13 series.

 

[SteveNZ]

This was in the disastrous Taylor/McCullum-gate 2012/13 series.

True...no wonder I couldn't find it on YouTube

 

[Chin Music]

Tuffers. Loved him to bits at his best, as in his early days he appeared to give the ball a considerable rag. But, like many a promising English spin bowler he evolved into a non-spinning flightless automaton once a fair bit into his career. Oh, and he was often at square leg when facing bowlers of considerable pace.

 

[OverratedSanity]

And reminded of that, Dravid’s 2011 tour of England was so goated, against a phenomenally good attack at their peak, when everyone crumbled around him

Dravid's best examples of sheer heart was actually when he was batting terribly. In the 07-08 period which was his worst ever patch of form, he couldn't get the ball off the square at times, had completely lost his timing, and the WC elimination /Greg Chappell - Ganguly drama still weighed heavily on him mentally.

Somehow fronted up and opened the damn batting on a tour of Australia. Most batsmen at that point in their career being an established member of the team, especially when in poor form already, would have refused. Still did it, and managed a couple of important fifties and batted time. Went up in my eyes a lot. Legend.

 

[Nintendo]

Surprised noene has mentioned Steve Smith given how he responded to sandpaper gate. I don't personally believe it would hold any water given what he did in the WC Semis and 2019 ashes upon his return, and the fact that during his worst form slump he decided to open the batting so Cameron Green could bat #4 rather than slipping down the order.

 

[Sunil1z]

Surprised noene has mentioned Steve Smith given how he responded to sandpaper gate. I don't personally believe it would hold any water given what he did in the WC Semis and 2019 ashes upon his return, and the fact that during his worst form slump he decided to open the batting so Cameron Green could bat #4 rather than slipping down the order.

Guy is a top 10 Test bat . How can he be mentally soft ?

 

[Molehill]

Surprised noene has mentioned Steve Smith given how he responded to sandpaper gate. I don't personally believe it would hold any water given what he did in the WC Semis and 2019 ashes upon his return, and the fact that during his worst form slump he decided to open the batting so Cameron Green could bat #4 rather than slipping down the order.

I did ponder it for the same reason, but you can hardly say he goes missing on overseas Tours. Australia would've been thrashed in 2019 without him.

 

[Nintendo]

Guy is a top 10 Test bat . How can he be mentally soft ?

Guys like Wasim have been thrown around and there right up there in terms of test bowlers, no? You can be a phenomenal player but still whinge a lot. Kevin pietersen is nowhere near that top 10 test bat list but he comes to mind straight away.

 

[Northerner]

And tbf he made Brian reach for his on the regular too

Are you forgetting Eddo Brandes, lol, McGrath could dish it out but couldnt take it.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Surprised noene has mentioned Steve Smith given how he responded to sandpaper gate. I don't personally believe it would hold any water given what he did in the WC Semis and 2019 ashes upon his return, and the fact that during his worst form slump he decided to open the batting so Cameron Green could bat #4 rather than slipping down the order.

I considered him very early on but it's a tough accusation to make given his batting exploits. Not exactly the "give up easily" type

Absolutely a petulant whinger though

 

[Stefan9]

No doubt they were soft, kind of feel like there was justification for it though

But a real hard case would stick it out

There is always justification for any choice taken. Taking £££ and job security above fighting for your spot will always be the soft/safe option.

 

[sledger]

There is always justification for any choice taken. Taking £££ and job security above fighting for your spot will always be the soft/safe option.

Haha **** that. This is total nonsense that completely ignores nuances like a person's personal circumstances and broader economic and social realities. Not everyone has the privilege to "fight for their spot" in the same way. This sort of BS attitude/logic completely trivialises the kind of things people might be facing in their lives from a position of total ignorance.

 

[Chin Music]

It is certainly hard to blame players from less well paid cricketing nations, South Africa and New Zealand in particular for taking far better paid options than they would have done if they remained available for national selection. After all, they do have to think about what they might do for the rest of their life.

 

[SteveNZ]

Surprised noene has mentioned Steve Smith given how he responded to sandpaper gate. I don't personally believe it would hold any water given what he did in the WC Semis and 2019 ashes upon his return, and the fact that during his worst form slump he decided to open the batting so Cameron Green could bat #4 rather than slipping down the order.

With the greatest respect, I don't think anyone should think about suggesting someone who voluntarily opened the batting at Test match level - the hardest job in the game - is soft. He made that decision knowing very likely that it would affect his Test numbers, could affect how his career was seen overall (shouldn't, but that's recency bias and the gormless nature of a lot of media people) etc. Are you suggesting they'd say he's soft because he cried? Being a whinger and a weirdo (he's both) does not equal soft.

 

[SteveNZ]

There is always justification for any choice taken. Taking £££ and job security above fighting for your spot will always be the soft/safe option.

Can't agree with this. Trent Boult has done this, is he supposed to walk in the front door at his house, puff his chest out and say to his wife and boys, I'm tough, I'm sticking with NZ - I know it's probably 6 months more away from you guys, and it pays less, but it's the noble, man's thing to do?

It more so fits in the 'no brainer' category. I hate it, and I haven't been interested in Trent Boult the cricketer for ages now, but I've got no place criticising his decision to put family first.

 

[Smudge]

Jeets facing Dale Steyn? Or was it Morkel?

It appears this was my 19,000th post. Just 998 to go before I can force myself to leave!

Wait, make that 997 now.

 

[Moss]

One guy who rarely seemed to front up properly under pressure is Tim Southee. Have a lot of time for him as a test bowler (well, until last year anyway), but just seemed to go missing badly on a lot of big occasions, and batting wise very quick to throw in the towel. WTC final in 2021 at Southampton a glorious exception.

On a vaguely related note, can someone clarify what the real reason for dropping Dean Jones from the test side in 1992 was? I seem to remember there was a perception that he didn’t play as well when the going was tough, but there seem to be at least a few examples that suggest otherwise.

 

[TheJediBrah]

He didn't get along with the coaching and men at the top I think so they were quick to drop him, and there were a lot of very talented young players coming through that the next 15+ years shows was the case. Still shouldn't have been dropped

 

[trundler]

He didn't get along with the coaching and men at the top I think so they were quick to drop him, and there were a lot of very talented young players coming through that the next 15+ years shows was the case. Still shouldn't have been dropped

Like Elliott, Blewett and Bevan?

 

[honestbharani]

Well, I always thought he was talented but Greg kinda Blewett.