Kapil vs Shaun Pollock in Tests

[BazBall21]

Greater test cricketer, Kapil Dev or Shaun Pollock? Two ATGs.

 

[Zinzan]

Both have better hair than Kallis albeit ginger in Pollock's case

 

[Anil]

Pollock by far the greater bowler…probably the better player overall as well…

 

[mr_mister]

Kapil > Pollock as a batsman but
Pollock >> Kapil as a bowler


So Pollock

 

[TheJediBrah]

Pollock for sure

 

[Red]

As a bowler Pollock has Kapil covered.

Pretty comparable as batsmen with Kapil more explosive. Would probably depend on team make up if you could only select one of them as a final selection.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah but Pollock batted eight mostly tbf.

Was certainly a better bowler than Kapil.

 

[Migara]

Pollock -Much better bowler, equal as bats, better fieldsman. Pollock > Kapil.

Pollock even as a bowler is > Kapil the player. Pollock will walk in to India ATG side as a bowler alone and would replace Kapil too!

 

[ankitj]

Kapil is underrated in tests and overrated in ODIs. Pollock is better in both formats.

 

[Bitmap]

Pollock -Much better bowler, equal as bats, better fieldsman. Pollock > Kapil.

Pollock even as a bowler is > Kapil the player. Pollock will walk in to India ATG side as a bowler alone and would replace Kapil tool

He'd replace Shami/Zaheer/Srinath, not Kapil

 

[Migara]

He'd replace Shami/Zaheer/Srinath, not Kapil

Pollock is way better than Shami, Zaheer, Srinath or Kapil as a bowler. Only Indian bowler to be in his class in Bumrah. Let's do a thought experiment.

The Indian top order would be Shewag, Gavaskar, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly and VVS. Say #7 goes to a keeper and we are left with 4 spots for the bowlers. Kumble or Ashwin has spinners spot secured. Then you need two more pacers and a spinner or three seamers. Second spinners spot will go to Ashwin / Kumble / Jadeja, who were greater match winners in SC than Kapil. Bumrah and Pollock would easily secure two fast bowling spots. Overseas tours, There is a chance for Kapil as you would need three seamers. But then Kapil has stiff competition for the third pacers spot. Once you have six batters, Dhoni and Pollock (and may be Ashwin if you prefer him to Kumble), there is no need for more batting. The primary criterion for selection would be fast bowling only. Srinath, Zaheer, Shami, Amar Singh all give some tough competition to Kapil. Kapil averages 29.9 in SENAW countries. Bumrah, B. Kumar and Shami, all average better than Kapil and are much potent with strike rates. ( I have disregarded players with <50 SENAW wickets)

Conclusion: On a SC track, Pollock easily selects himself over Kapil. on a seaming track, Kapil still could get in. So yes, Pollock will not replace Kapil, but Ashwin / Jadeja would.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

…… but boy…the moustache.

 

[Migara]

…… but boy…the moustache.

Then everybody will be selecting Merv.

 

[Bitmap]

Pollock is way better than Shami, Zaheer, Srinath or Kapil as a bowler. Only Indian bowler to be in his class in Bumrah. Let's do a thought experiment.

The Indian top order would be Shewag, Gavaskar, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly and VVS. Say #7 goes to a keeper and we are left with 4 spots for the bowlers. Kumble or Ashwin has spinners spot secured. Then you need two more pacers and a spinner or three seamers. Second spinners spot will go to Ashwin / Kumble / Jadeja, who were greater match winners in SC than Kapil. Bumrah and Pollock would easily secure two fast bowling spots. Overseas tours, There is a chance for Kapil as you would need three seamers. But then Kapil has stiff competition for the third pacers spot. Once you have six batters, Dhoni and Pollock (and may be Ashwin if you prefer him to Kumble), there is no need for more batting. The primary criterion for selection would be fast bowling only. Srinath, Zaheer, Shami, Amar Singh all give some tough competiton to Kapil.

Conclusion: On a SC track, Pollock easily selects himself over Kapil. on a seaming track, Kapil still could get in. So yes, Pollock will not replace Kapil, but Ashwin / Jadeja would.

I was actually referring more to the Indian AT side in general rather than selecting sides depending on conditions where general consensus is playing 3 seamers + 2 spinners. In that case Kapil easily walks in this side along with Pollock and Bumrah as he is pretty clearly among the top 2 seamers India have ever had as of now IMO. Kapil, Pollock, Ashwin, Kumble, Bumrah would also ensure the tail is quite a decent one.

Re selection on SC tracks where you require only 2 seamers, I agree that Kapil will probably not make the side.

 

[Red]

Pollock is way better than Shami, Zaheer, Srinath or Kapil as a bowler. Only Indian bowler to be in his class in Bumrah. Let's do a thought experiment.

The Indian top order would be Shewag, Gavaskar, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly and VVS. Say #7 goes to a keeper and we are left with 4 spots for the bowlers. Kumble or Ashwin has spinners spot secured. Then you need two more pacers and a spinner or three seamers. Second spinners spot will go to Ashwin / Kumble / Jadeja, who were greater match winners in SC than Kapil. Bumrah and Pollock would easily secure two fast bowling spots. Overseas tours, There is a chance for Kapil as you would need three seamers. But then Kapil has stiff competition for the third pacers spot. Once you have six batters, Dhoni and Pollock (and may be Ashwin if you prefer him to Kumble), there is no need for more batting. The primary criterion for selection would be fast bowling only. Srinath, Zaheer, Shami, Amar Singh all give some tough competition to Kapil. Kapil averages 29.9 in SENAW countries. Bumrah, B. Kumar and Shami, all average better than Kapil and are much potent with strike rates. ( I have disregarded players with <50 SENAW wickets)

Conclusion: On a SC track, Pollock easily selects himself over Kapil. on a seaming track, Kapil still could get in. So yes, Pollock will not replace Kapil, but Ashwin / Jadeja would.

If Kapil AND Pollock are both avail for an ind ATG XI, both easily make it, and improve the team considerably

Gavaskar
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar
Kohli
Dhoni
Kapil
Pollock
Ashwin
Kumble
Bumrah

 

[Chrish]

Jadeja > Kumble quite easily for me at this point. Kumble was a better bowler but Jadeja is a much better player and brings more to the side..

 

[Xix2565]

Jadeja > Kumble quite easily for me at this point. Kumble was a better bowler but Jadeja is a much better player and brings more to the side..

Replace Kohli with Jadeja then, worked for Rahane.

 

[Migara]

If Kapil AND Pollock are both avail for an ind ATG XI, both easily make it, and improve the team considerably

Gavaskar
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar
Kohli
Dhoni
Kapil
Pollock
Ashwin
Kumble
Bumrah

The issue here is when India can play two spinners in SC they don't want three pacers. VVS for Kapil would improve batting considerably. And no one will want to play Dhoni at number 6 in test matches as well.

 

[srbhkshk]

The issue here is when India can play two spinners in SC they don't want three pacers. VVS for Kapil would improve batting considerably. And no one will want to play Dhoni at number 6 in test matches as well.

We don't want 3 pacers because we don't have 3 good pacers, if we actually had good ones we'll play them all the time.

 

[h_hurricane]

I tend to agree with Migara here. With a decent sample size of 4 tests in India, Bumrah is a lock in asian conditions ahead of Kapil. He has also taken a 5-for against a strong Lankan attack earlier this year, so he is going to replicate the success in Pakistan, SL and BD even though he hasn't played there. Doesn't have dodgy fitness concerns either like Kapil who struggled to play 2 matches in a trot during his playing days.