Garry Sobers vs Brian Lara?

[h_hurricane]

if we go down by this logic then Imran is a better bowler thn Mcgrath, Sangakkara is a better batsman than Sachin

Mcgrath has far more wickets than Imran at a better average, better SR, better away average. He is objectively a better bowler. On the other hand, none of the other players you were comparing with Sobers had a better average (except Smith who is still active). In fact, no retired cricketer has ever scored more runs than Sir Garry at a better average.

Sangakkara wasn't even a full time keeper in tests, unlike Sobers who was at the very least a 5th bowler and sometimes 3rd or 4th in the team.

 

[Red]

Imagine a cricketer who was slightly better than Lara with the bat and just slightly worse than Zaheer Khan/Bishen Bedi with the ball.

thats Sobers

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

Imagine a cricketer who was slightly better than Lara with the bat and just slightly worse than Zaheer Khan/Bishen Bedi with the ball.

thats Sobers

Sobers bowling average and SR as a spinner is definitely worse than 34 and 91 respectively,not anywhere near comparable to Bedi.
Though around Zaheer Khan level as quick.

 

[Slifer]

Lara played against better attacks for sure, but doesn’t have a more well rounded record. It is not very clear looking at their their home/away averages, but if I had to choose one, it would be Sobers. Outside of WI(where Sobers has even better performance, tho both were great home batsmen), Lara only averages 50+ in one major nation(tho 100 in SL). Averages below 40 in Ind and NZ, barely averages 40+ in Aus. Does average 45+ in SA and Eng, however in Pak, average got really boosted in the last 8 or so matches in which he played a Pak attack without the two Ws. Major nations where Sobers played in were Aus, Ind, Eng, Pak, NZ. Was good in Aus(46), great in Eng(53), superlative ind(99), great at home, didn’t do well in NZ only, only played two matches in Pak.

Tbf Lara isn't the only batsman who's average got boosted once the Ws retired in Pakistan. Anyway, Lara wasn't substandard in NZ. It's just a matter of a small sample size which skewed his overall stats. Lara averaged 74 and 41over two series in NZ, then 18 in his very last series. So overall yeah his average looks bad but he only really had one awful series there or vs NZ in general. Still, I'd give Sobers the edge over Lara.

 

[ankitj]

Anyway, Lara wasn't substandard in NZ. It's just a matter of a small sample size which skewed his overall stats. Lara averaged 74 and 41over two series in NZ, then 18 in his very last series. So overall yeah his average looks bad but he only really had one awful series there or vs NZ in general.

In short, analysis by checklist is pointless.

 

[smash84]

More than just decent actually, quite good;

1966-67 vs Ind: Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrashekhar
1970-71 vs Ind: Bedi, Prasanna, Venkatraghavan
1960-61 vs Aus: Benaud, Davidson
1959-60 vs Eng: Trueman, Statham
1966-67 vs Eng: Snow, Underwood, Higgs
1973 vs Eng: Underwood, Greig, Willis
1958 vs Ind: Gupte, Mankad(in India)

Except a couple the rest aren't really that good.

 

[Godard]

Bedi, Prassana, Chandrashekhar and any combination of the Indian spin quarter are while not one of the top 5 or so ATG bowling lineups, and am not saying they are ATG, but they are one of the best spin bowling attacks in cricket, especially in India, where at least when of the aforementioned series took place. They are at least better than decent, as good as you can get in the subcontinent, and quite good in WI as well and you can’t say they’re not really good. I’m quite surprised you rate them so low, i.e even below being good, leave very good which they were

 

[Godard]

They’re quite good, tho not ATG, and Underwood was crazy good in the early 70s, not an ATG attack, but a quite good attack given the conditions also.

 

[smash84]

They’re quite good, tho not ATG, and Underwood was crazy good in the early 70s, not an ATG attack, but a quite good attack given the conditions also.

Fair point