Highly under rated: Shahid Afridi

[deeps]

People always mention the likes of Kallis, Flintoff, Vetorri, even Pathan now. Afridi has drastically improved since Woolmer took over, but his stats were pretty good before as well. Afridi is often critisized for his ambushing style of batting, and is often frowned upon, due to his style of play not changing for the situation. Perhaps this is why he is not considered, as one of the best all rounders in world cricket.

Shahid Afridi career average:
Test batting average: 35.83
Test Bowling average: 30.48
Shahid Afridi after Bob Woolmer took over:

Test Batting Average: 42.5
Test Bowling Average: 29.3


Batting average improves by 7 points, and bowling by 1. Not a huge improvement. But let's compare him to
Andrew Flintoff:

Test batting average: 32.36
Test Bowling average: 31.51


Afridi wins in both bowling and batting. Before woolmer and with woolmer. Flintoff is hailed as 'god'. Afridi is just 'another all rounder'


Then there's
Daniel Vetorri

Test batting average: 23.88
Test Bowling average: 34.86

Again, afridi comes out on top, this time quiet comfortably.

Irfan Pathan

Test batting average: 23.78
Test Bowling average: 25.92

Afridi easily wins the batting by a good 10+ points, and pathan wins the bowling by 4 points.

Shane Watson
Test batting average: 20.25
Test Bowling average: 61.50

though it's very early in his career



The only man, that is well and truly above, is Jacques kallis
Test batting average: 57.07
Test Bowling average: 31.63


So why is Afridi never mentioned with the rest of theM?

 

[social]

And a brilliant fieldsman.

IMO, Afridi is potentially one of the greatest cricketers ever.

 

[deeps]

greatest crickers ever, i disagree. Potentially, definately. He has loads of potential

and yes a brilliant fieldsman, but he seems to have put down a few catches of late

 

[steds]

People always mention the likes of ... Vetorri, even Pathan now.

Mentioning them as what, exactly?

Shahid Afridi career average:
Test batting average: 35.83
Test Bowling average: 30.48
Shahid Afridi after Bob Woolmer took over:

Test Batting Average: 42.5
Test Bowling Average: 29.3


Batting average improves by 7 points, and bowling by 1. Not a huge improvement. But let's compare him to
Andrew Flintoff:

Test batting average: 32.36
Test Bowling average: 31.51


Afridi wins in both bowling and batting. Before woolmer and with woolmer. Flintoff is hailed as 'god'. Afridi is just 'another all rounder'

Andrew Flintoff in the time period since Woolmer took over as Pakistan coach:
Test batting average: 37.21
Test bowling average: 24.22

It isn't just Afridi who can improve.

 

[Arjun]

Let's look at this power player a little deeper:

HE'S GOT THE POWER...

• Built like a boxer, very strong
• Decent batting technique
• Fast and unpredictable as a leggie
• Can extract bounce from the wicket
• Hits the big shots without trying too hard, unlike his counterpart from across the border
• Very aggressive with bat and ball, and even on field, at times

BUT THERE ARE PROBLEMS...

• Totally warped methods as a batsman
• More likely to hit three sixes than last a long time
• Bouncers can get him out if they come up sharply
• Doesn't turn the ball much
• Bowls an odd loose delivery each time.
• Loads of aggression, but very little focus in either skill.
• Dreadful runner between wickets

HE HAS A CHANCE...

• Can massacre medium-pacers who can't get much seam or swing
• Can be quite effective with a solid partner at the other end
• Batsmen may have a problem picking his pace and variations
• Can support his strikers with good wicket-to-wicket stuff

BUT HE BETTER WATCH OUT...

• When the ball starts moving, it can cause a problem
• Susceptible to spinners
• May not get a long spell with the ball
• Being a part-timer or stock bowler, some batting sides can get on top of him easily without trying to be too flashy.

He's got the raw material to play as a full-fledged all-rounder, but his temperament and methods are often questionable.

 

[deeps]

Mentioning them as what, exactly?

Andrew Flintoff in the time period since Woolmer took over as Pakistan coach:
Test batting average: 37.21
Test bowling average: 24.22

It isn't just Afridi who can improve.

fair enough afridi's batting average is still higher, and flintoff wins the bowling.

However career averages compared, afridi wins

but my main point is, Afridi's stats are very similar to that of flintoff, yet flintoff gets all the recognition, and afridi gets hardly any

 

[andyc]

How old is he though?

 

[deeps]

25 and 290 days

 

[Robertinho]

..........
All you need to do is watch the two, and you'll realise that Flintoff is better, in both batting and bowling, IMO. More consistent and reliable as a batsman, miles ahead as a bowler. Afridi, he's exciting, but he's too swing and miss to be considered great. If he turns it on, then look out, but not consistent enough.

 

[Arrow]

Hes clearly getting better with age. A few years ago he was a joke who would last 1 or 2 overs max but now hes far more reliable with the bat. He really came of age last year in australian in the world series when he hit brilliant innings against australia.

IMO hes the greatest striker of a cricket ball of all time.

 

[Xuhaib]

He has that innate god-gifted charisma that only the very few lucky people seem to possess.I mean where have you seen a guy averaging just 24 getting a standing ovation grom the crowd just when he comes on to bat.

 

[Boofra]

I think this topic is the perect example of why averages should be treated with caution and never taken as gospel. Afridi's career bowling average is better but who here would suggest that he's even half the bowler Flintoff is? IMO Flintoff is currently one of the top 2/3 fast bowlers in the world right now. Afridi is just a handy spinner in the Jayasuriya mould.

 

[deeps]

who got Tendulkar out many times in the last series ( i believe he got him 3 out of a possible 4). Also picked up Lara quiet a few times too.

 

[Jono]

He's one of the best entertainers as well. He brings in the crowds, and as poor Akmal found out, when he goes out the crowds can also leave just as fast. Although with Akmal hitting ton after ton the crowds may not just disappear on him as they did in the 2nd test.

 

[Dissector]

Afridi has taken just 39 wickets in 20 games which is too few for him to be considered a genuine all-rounder regardless of his bowling average.

His batting is pretty respectable though: with an average of over 35 and three test centuries. The most important thing is that he is still young at 25 and obviously hugely talented. He could still emerge as a great all-rounder and the most exciting player in the game.

But comparisons with Flintoff are way premature. Flintoff started off poorly but his peformance in the last 2-3 years have definitely earned him the status of a great all-rounder.

 

[Barney Rubble]

IMO Afridi's still bits-and-pieces at Test level - you wouldn't pick him as a bowler if he didn't bat, and his batting is so unreliable you wouldn't pick him if he didn't bowl. With Afridi it's more the case that you hope he'll contribute with either bat or ball, but with Flintoff, Kallis and perhaps even Vettori you expect them to contribute with both.

Afridi needs to a) improve his bowling, and b) become more reliable if he's to become a world-class all-rounder.

 

[marc71178]

A person given only 16 overs per match or so is not an all rounder.

 

[match fixer04]

There are 4 players in the World that I love watching and would go overseas to watch at their best and that's Andrew Symonds, Gilchrist, Chris Gayle and Shahid Afridi.

However there are another few players that always play their best and I would always go to watch them. Warne, Lara, Tendulkar

 

[Sanz]

A person given only 16 overs per match or so is not an all rounder.

Apparently Paul Collingwood has bowled only 30 overs in 5 tests he has played and 306 overs in ODIs..
Afridi 388 overs in 20 tests and 1380 overs in 214 ODIs..

Obviously Collingwood is an allrounder, Afridi isn't.

 

[Jono]

Who the hell calls Collingwood an allrounder at test level? Hell, even at ODI level. He's a batsman who can fill in 5-10 overs as a part-timer in ODIs, and a specialist bat at test level.

Your little comparison to prove hypocrisy fails this time Sanz.

Mind you, I do agree with your point, Afridi is a test allrounder.