Imran Khan vs Wasim Akram

[subshakerz]

Was he? I think he underachieved even during his peak. He had diverse skill set to do better.

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Wasim's away output against better teams during his peak: Apart from Aus, his performance is not really going toe to toe with top tier pacers.
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Here is best bowler of that period, Ambrose, away against better teams.

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You may call slight underachievement but I will not call it slight. I think he was far more skilful to not have better output. You may be correct about him not able to use his skills to take wickets. Anyway, he was fun to watch due to ability to bowl all kinds of deliveries.


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Added late:

Thinking more on this, he did have very good output against better team at home during his peak. His average was 20.xx. So may be he underachieved slightly and not by a big margin during his peak. I just feel that Wasim had lots of skills and my memory was batsmen mostly having harder time to face him. It did not result in wickets proportionately.

Didnt we debate this already? You want to rehash it?

 

[Randomfan]

Did t we debate this already? You want to rehash it,?

Entire forum simply rehashes the same discussions going round and round, so you can always rehash this one, lol.

Joke aside, Wasim's career records not being good against better teams is different than his peak. I think earlier discusisons were about his career record being not great.

If we take 90-97 as his peak then Wasim missed out playing more tough tours during his peak which could have improived his career stats.

 

[subshakerz]

Entire forum simply rehashes the same discussions going round and round, so you can always rehash this one, lol.

Joke aside, Wasim's career records not being good against better teams is different than his peak. I think earlier discusisons were about his career record being not great.

If we take 90-97 as his peak then Wasim missed out playing more tough tours during his peak which could have improived his career stats.

He really only was poor in that one 93 series away in WI during his peak when he had a captaincy revolt. Otherwise was class. Even 96 in England despite not as many wickets he was bowling quite well but a bit unlucky.

 

[Coronis]

Only slightly. Let me explain.

During his peak from 90 to 97, Wasim took 240 wickets in 48 tests @20 which is as good as any top tier pacer. Especially impressive vs Australia.

However like Imran, Wasim stats suffered slightly due to a longer than normal teen career and then diabetes in 98 lessening his pace.

However, I think compared to Imran, Wasim wasn't the type to regularly raise his game for ultimate challenges as such and make his mark on great victories. He let offfield issues affect his bowling, quite obvious in WI in 93 and in Aus in 99.

And though Wasim had all the incredible swing tools, he wasnt a thinking mans bowler who would build a plan based on reading a batsmen to trap them with his swing. Batsmen who felt Wasim was more awkward would then just play him out out of respect.

I mean, for someone who is oft claimed to be the most skilled bowler ever, he definitely underachieved, even in his peak. You’d expect the most skilled bowler ever to have better figures than that, no?

 

[subshakerz]

I mean, for someone who is oft claimed to be the most skilled bowler ever, he definitely underachieved, even in his peak. You’d expect the most skilled bowler ever to have better figures than that, no?

Wasim had all the skills, but not the bowling acumen. Marshall had both

 

[Coronis]

Wasim had all the skills, but not the bowling acumen. Marshall had both

Therefore he underachieved.

 

[subshakerz]

Therefore he underachieved.

Yes

 

[kyear2]

I do find it somewhat hilarious that sometimes even when showing Wasim highlights, how at least one dropped catch in the cordon is shown.

Not anyone's fault and everyone had their challenges, but to not have a reliable cordon didn't only cost the wickets that were dropped, but I'm sure impacted his lines and how he attacked batsmen.

Guys like Lillee, Hadlee, Sten, McGrath etc not only never had that issue, but had carte blanche to attack in any and all ways, secure in the knowledge that edges would be taken.