Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Dravid vs Imran, Wasim, Waqar

[Bert]

During the mid-70's onwards, India produced 3 of their greatest Test batsmen :
- Gavaskar, arguably one of the greatest openers
- Tendulkar, record breaking batsman
- Dravid, the Wall

At about the same time, their neighbor Pakistan produced 3 of their greatest Test fast bowlers :
- Imran Khan, 1st truly fast bowler from the SC
- Wasim Akram, arguably the greatest LH fast bowler
- Waqar Younis, purveyor of the toe-crushing yorkers

In TOTAL, which was the greater trio of cricketers ?

 

[capt_Luffy]

I think these 3 are almost as good as each other

 

[Johan]

Imran > Tendulkar > Wasim > Gavaskar > Rahul > Waqar

going Pakistan due to Imran and Wasim being able to bat

 

[Rob Wesley]

Imran’s batting ability gives Pakistan an edge.

 

[Randomfan]

Comparing one batsman with one bowler, I find it hard.

Not sure how to even go about comparing 3 batsmen with 3 bowlers.

I have seen posters trying to simply rank cricketers based on various factors. May be that's the way to go. Rank all 6 of them as cricketers with eveyrone else because then you can see relative standing for all these players not just against each other but also where they land in all time list. Then it may be easier to see where 3 taken together land one versus other. It's too much for me. Anyone, who had previously done his/her personal list of ranking of cricketers, will have an easier time.

 

[Migara]

The Pakistani trio (if they are of same age) would elevate any side to a extremely good one. Not so with indian trio.

 

[shortpitched713]

This is just bowlers over batsmen. It's very clear which are more valuable individual cricketers for a particular match.

 

[DrWolverine]

Away conditions

 

[Bolo.]

This is just bowlers over batsmen. It's very clear which are more valuable individual cricketers for a particular match.

Bowlers are obviously more valuable in a particular match, but you have to careful in statements like this. Bowlers are being replaced by (also more valuable) bowlers, and bats by bats.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Pak trio wins this one

 

[shortpitched713]

Bowlers are obviously more valuable in a particular match, but you have to careful in statements like this. Bowlers are being replaced by (also more valuable) bowlers, and bats by bats.

True, but in practice the higher leverage aces are just more valuable on the bowling end than batting, because of how they can be utilized at will, unlike batsmen.

 

[ma1978]

The away record favors the Indians

 

[Johan]

Waqar is deadweight

 

[subshakerz]

Originally was going with the Pakistanis since they seem a more valuable trio, but as individual cricketers I consider Tendulkar marginally greater than Imran, Gavaskar marginally greater than Wasim and Dravid marginally greater than Waqar. So the Indians then. Good comparison.

 

[shortpitched713]

Yeah, greater does not equal better for a given match, so that's another reason I hate the bowler vs batsman comparisons.

 

[shortpitched713]

Originally was going with the Pakistanis since they seem a more valuable trio, but as individual cricketers I consider Tendulkar marginally greater than Imran, Gavaskar marginally greater than Wasim and Dravid marginally greater than Waqar. So the Indians then. Good comparison.

If any one of the three fast bowlers, let alone multiple (can put Shoaib in the mix too) were healthy I'd always give about even odds to the Pakistan side in practice, despite the fact that India carried top to bottom batting advantages, as that's just how it played out. When there were inevitable fitness and unavailability of pacers then of course Pakistan's replacement bowlers would get rolled, and we'd lose.

But ultimately it was these few matches India/Pak Test matches and how clear cut of a contest it was between superior bats vs superior bowlers which very much solidified in my mind that 1 bat /= 1bowler.

 

[akilana]

imran > sachin, wasim > gavaskar, dravid = waqar. so pakistani trio

 

[Migara]

Originally was going with the Pakistanis since they seem a more valuable trio, but as individual cricketers I consider Tendulkar marginally greater than Imran, Gavaskar marginally greater than Wasim and Dravid marginally greater than Waqar. So the Indians then. Good comparison.

Imran is way ahead as a cricketer than tendulkar. The rest of the four you can arrange in any order you like.

 

[Migara]

Just thinking if Waqar is replaced by Asif.

 

[subshakerz]

Imran is way ahead as a cricketer than tendulkar. The rest of the four you can arrange in any order you like.

Imran is better overall, Tendulkar is greater as far as overall cricket stature is how I see it.