Greater cricketer: Wasim Akram or Jacques Kallis

[ZK$]

Not to be pedantic but if you count that is 12 years including 2006.

I wasn’t including 2006. 1995-2005*

 

[ZK$]

I rate Tendulkar the best since Bradman but Lara is obviously close to him.

That’s a completely fair opinion. I probably don’t rate Lara as high as some others do. I might add Viv or Hutton to that list though.

 

[ZK$]

Why dont you exclude the early career 3-5 year portion of Wasim's career that we both agree is not fairly representative of him as a bowler?

If you cut out both the first 3-5 years and the last 3-5 years, you would be left with only 8-9 years. It wouldn’t really be fair to compare an 8 year career with a 13 year career just like how it wouldn’t really be fair to compare a 12 year career with a 17 year career.

 

[honestbharani]

Lara > Tendukar >> Kallis, as test match batsmen.

 

[subshakerz]

If you cut out both the first 3-5 years and the last 3-5 years, you would be left with only 8-9 years. It wouldn’t really be fair to compare an 8 year career with a 13 year career just like how it wouldn’t really be fair to compare a 12 year career with a 17 year career.

Cut out the first 3-5 years only then because he debuted unusually early.

 

[ZK$]

Cut out the first 3-5 years only then because he debuted unusually early.

Yeah, that’s fine with me as long as there’s about 13 years left. Obviously if I’m comparing him with Hadlee or Walsh, I wouldn’t ignore any part of his career since they had 17 year careers as well.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

No: of years - 10 or more wickets at less than 25
Mcgrath 10
Akram 10
Hadlee 12

 

[subshakerz]

No: of years - 10 or more wickets at less than 25
Mcgrath 10
Akram 10
Hadlee 12

I prefer to breakdown cricket careers in phases rather than like this.

 

[ankitj]

Lara > Tendukar >> Kallis, as test match batsmen.

Relevance?

 

[honestbharani]

Relevance?

Kallis is not in the tier that someone else seems to think he is, as a batsman.

 

[Coronis]

Kallis is not in the tier that someone else seems to think he is, as a batsman.

When did anyone in this thread claim he was as good or near Tendulkar and Lara?

 

[honestbharani]

When did anyone in this thread claim he was as good or near Tendulkar and Lara?

.

Batsmen that were greater cricketers than Kallis: Bradman, Hobbs, Sobers, Tendulkar (Smith too probably when he retires)

Bowlers that were greater cricketers than Kallis: Marshall, McGrath, Hadlee, Murali, Warne (Cummins too probably when he retires)

 

[Xuhaib]

Wasim,Lara and Warne are my 3 favorites off all time I chose them over anyone even if head says Kallis may be a slightly better cricketer.

 

[Migara]

Let's see those who took 300 wickets or more:

Lillee, Ambrose and Marshall - 13 years
Trueman and Pollock - 14 years
Steyn, Waqar and McGrath - 15 years
Hadlee - 17 years
Imran - 20 years

So it would seem the expectation would be 14/15 years long for an ATG bowler with a full career in the modern era.

Wasim is at 18 years. Long? Yes. But as mentioned, that is because he debuted around 3-4 years earlier than all those above, except maybe Imran.

He retired at 35 years old, around the same age or younger as Lilllee, Steyn, Donald, Ambrose, Pollock, Trueman and McGrath did, Hadlee and Imran retired close to 40.

So again, the only reason Wasim had an extra long career was he started earlier. There is no reason to wave Wasim's later years record. Unless your suggestion is that because he debuted early he declined early, which is an unfounded claim. Imran and Hadlee were still able to produce worldclass performances well after 15 years of playing.

So are you very sure about his age? What if 3 years were missing? Then he wouldhave started at 21 and ended at 38 years.

 

[Xuhaib]

So are you very sure about his age? What if 3 years were missing? Then he wouldhave started at 21 and ended at 38 years.

Not everyone is faking ages in Pakistan especially boys coming from Lahore or Karachi like Wasim was, its usually the one from village domicile that are dodgy with their birth certificates

 

[subshakerz]

So are you very sure about his age? What if 3 years were missing? Then he wouldhave started at 21 and ended at 38 years.

As far as I know, there wasnt controversy about Wasim's age. Definitely about Waqar's though, who supposedly retired at 32 but likely was much older.

 

[Coronis]

.

Literally talking about overall cricket ability i.e that he’s an allrounder vs Sachin’s batting there…

 

[honestbharani]

Literally talking about overall cricket ability i.e that he’s an allrounder vs Sachin’s batting there…

My bad, read it both times as saying these were the only batsmen better than Kallis in tests, as batsmen.

Anyways, Lara > Sachin > Kallis as test cricketers too.

 

[Adorable Asshole]

Tricky question.

If we are taking Kallis fielding skills into account the he is apparently more important but then that also means Wasim bowling should be rates higher.

 

[BazBall21]

I voted for Akram. He is a better bowler than Kallis the bat. Kallis' stable bowling is better than Akram's ropey batting but I don't rate it enough to overturn Akram's superiority in their stronger suits.