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Imran Khan vs Kapil Dev

As a batsman


  • Total voters
    19

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Imran was just way better. Much more consistent, averaged 53 in a 9 year stretch.
Imran got two MOS due to batting. He was able to play as a specialist batter mid career and late career. In fact, late career he was arguably the best batter in the side.

Just more consistent than Kapil.
 

h_hurricane

International Vice-Captain
Imran was just way better. Much more consistent, averaged 53 in a 9 year stretch.
In the same nine year stretch, he scored under 80% of Kapil's aggregate in the same period, even though he averaged nearly twice as much.

Just not a lot of runs to take that average on face value.

It is fair to rate Imran slightly better, just like it is fair to rate Kapil slightly better because of his much larger run output.

However, Imran being way better is just going by cricinfo averages which doesn't tell the full story.

Imran was also found out as a batsman in WI. Kapil was very inconsistent, but did belt the ATG bowlers for a few big scores in their backyard.
 

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Imran was also found out as a batsman in WI. Kapil was very inconsistent, but did belt the ATG bowlers for a few big scores in their backyard.
Imran had quality away series against ATGs like Hadlee and Lillee away.

Yeah he failed in WI but it's not like Kapil did massively better.

We all agree Imrans average is boosted a few points but he was still more consistent that Kapil.

To me Imran just was better by virtue of being able to succeed up the order. I think Kapils runs were partially the product of pressure-free hitting near the tail with less responsibility if it doesn't comes off.
 

sayon basak

International Regular
Runs per innings:-
Imran Khan= 30.214
Kapil Dev= 28.52

Imran scored a century every 21 innings. Kapil scored a century every 23 innings.
Kapil is only ahead in fifty per innings, but still it's close- 50 every 6.81 innings for Kapil vs 50 every 7 innings for Imran.
Kapil scored more runs overall because he played more matches.
 

h_hurricane

International Vice-Captain
Imran had quality away series against ATGs like Hadlee and Lillee away.

Yeah he failed in WI but it's not like Kapil did massively better.

We all agree Imrans average is boosted a few points but he was still more consistent that Kapil.
Can't disagree a lot, but Kapil did clearly better in WI, in raw averages or the innings he played. If Imran played a bit more and scored 1000 more runs, he would have been clearly better than Kapil. You are penalizing Garner in another thread for not taking enough wickets to reach a subjective cutoff and reach ATG status, but being a bit inconsistent here with Imran's output.

Imran could bat higher up the order which suited the demands of test cricket, but the run output over the course of his career isn't high. Kapil had other problems too which you mentioned, which is why he isn't clearly better than Imran either.

However stating that Imran was easily better is unfair to Kapil. Would have said the same too if someone rated Kapil way higher.

I think Kapils runs were partially the product of pressure-free hitting near the tail with less responsibility if it doesn't comes off.
This one is silly though. You are not giving any credit to Kapil for the special innings that he played. The counter attacking hundred against peak Donald when India was down at 29/6 or the hundred against WI in the Hirwani test, or the hundred against Australia in the tied test.
 

Coronis

International Coach
Can't disagree a lot, but Kapil did clearly better in WI, in raw averages or the innings he played. If Imran played a bit more and scored 1000 more runs, he would have been clearly better than Kapil. You are penalizing Garner in another thread for not taking enough wickets to reach a subjective cutoff and reach ATG status, but being a bit inconsistent here with Imran's output.

Imran could bat higher up the order which suited the demands of test cricket, but the run output over the course of his career isn't high. Kapil had other problems too which you mentioned, which is why he isn't clearly better than Imran either.

However stating that Imran was easily better is unfair to Kapil. Would have said the same too if someone rated Kapil way higher.


This one is silly though. You are not giving any credit to Kapil for the special innings that he played. The counter attacking hundred against peak Donald when India was down at 29/6 or the hundred against WI in the Hirwani test, or the hundred against Australia in the tied test.
Didn’t realise Kapil played in the late 90’s tbh.
 

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
This one is silly though. You are not giving any credit to Kapil for the special innings that he played. The counter attacking hundred against peak Donald when India was down at 29/6 or the hundred against WI in the Hirwani test, or the hundred against Australia in the tied test.
I do give credit but I am saying that batting regularly that low at 7/8 offers a certain freedom from the normal pressures and expectations that batters up the order have. I am not sure if he could have succeeded as well or even scored as many at 5/6.
 

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