Mohammad Shami vs Javagal Srinath vs Zaheer Khan

[Majestic]

Who is the better test match bowler and the pacer you will pick in an Indian all time test XI alongwith Bumrah and Dev?

 

[sayon basak]

Who is the better test match bowler and the pacer you will pick in an Indian all time test XI alongwith Bumrah and Dev?

At the end of shami's career he would definitely make it before the other two. But I wouldn't go with more than two pacers in an Indian XI.

Virender Sehwag
Sunil Gavaskar
Virat Kohli
Sachin Tendulkar
Rahul Dravid
MS Dhoni(WK) (could've gone with kirmani or engineer but not sure if they were any better)
Ravindra Jadeja
Kapil Dev
Ravichandran Ashwin
Anil Kumble
Jasprit Bumrah

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Probably Shami

 

[Majestic]

At the end of shami's career he would definitely make it before the other two. But I wouldn't go with more than two pacers in an Indian XI.

Virender Sehwag
Sunil Gavaskar
Virat Kohli
Sachin Tendulkar
Rahul Dravid
MS Dhoni(WK) (could've gone with kirmani or engineer but not sure if they were any better)
Ravindra Jadeja
Kapil Dev
Ravichandran Ashwin
Anil Kumble
Jasprit Bumrah

I don't think Shami has much left in him. He would do well to pick 50 more test wickets.

 

[h_hurricane]

If his body holds up for a couple of years, Shami can go on to overtake Kapil as India's second best quick. As it is, he has done enough to get ahead of Zaheer and Srinath.

 

[reyrey]

Slightly leaning towards Zak over Shami. His stats don't look as impressive, but he is the ideal guy to have up front. 45% of his wickets are the top 3 which is wild.

 

[_00_deathscar]

Slightly leaning towards Zak over Shami. His stats don't look as impressive, but he is the ideal guy to have up front. 45% of his wickets are the top 3 which is wild.

When you’re the only bowler who can take wickets, that can happen.

 

[ma1978]

If his body holds up for a couple of years, Shami can go on to overtake Kapil as India's second best quick. As it is, he has done enough to get ahead of Zaheer and Srinath.

Shamis great but don’t let the stats fool you, Kapil is still ahead whatever he does

 

[capt_Luffy]

Shami clearly ahead of the other two for me. Then Srinath and then Zaheer. Though prefer 3 spinners in my India team.

 

[capt_Luffy]

At the end of shami's career he would definitely make it before the other two. But I wouldn't go with more than two pacers in an Indian XI.

Virender Sehwag
Sunil Gavaskar
Virat Kohli
Sachin Tendulkar
Rahul Dravid
MS Dhoni(WK) (could've gone with kirmani or engineer but not sure if they were any better)
Ravindra Jadeja
Kapil Dev
Ravichandran Ashwin
Anil Kumble
Jasprit Bumrah

Kirmani is no go. Was the best keeper (probably) and worst batsman. To strengthen the batting Pant is a good shout. I will go for Indian keepers:

Dhoni
Pant
Engineer
Saha
Kirmani

 

[reyrey]

When you’re the only bowler who can take wickets, that can happen.

One man pace attacks Srinath (38.6%) Kapil (40.3%) both bowled under similar circumstances. Zak is still somewhat an outlier.

 

[Coronis]

One man pace attacks Srinath (38.6%) Kapil (40.3%) both bowled under similar circumstances. Zak is still somewhat an outlier.

Its because he had a lot of spin support (Kumble, Harbhajan, Ashwin) throughout his career, more than Srinath or Kapil. Similarly Vaas also cracks 40%

 

[reyrey]

Its because he had a lot of spin support (Kumble, Harbhajan, Ashwin) throughout his career, more than Srinath or Kapil. Similarly Vaas also cracks 40%

Zak played a higher percentage of his games away and outside Asia than Vaas, so his spin support was far less relevant than Vaas. Also Murali was generally far more effective in those games outside Asia than Indian spinners.

Just for comparison Vaas has an even split of wickets home (were Murali was deadly) and away. Zak has twice as many wickets away were Indian spinners are generally far less relevant than at home.

Zak (45%) is still an outlier even compared to Vaas (42%).

 

[capt_Luffy]

Zak played a higher percentage of his games away and outside Asia than Vaas, so his spin support was far less relevant than Vaas. Also Murali was generally far more effective in those games outside Asia than Indian spinners.

Just for comparison Vaas has an even split of wickets home (were Murali was deadly) and away. Zak has twice as many wickets away were Indian spinners are generally far less relevant than at home.

Zak (45%) is still an outlier even compared to Vaas (42%).

Tbf, 45% and 42% is a noticeable difference, but not a huge one.

 

[reyrey]

Tbf, 45% and 42% is a noticeable difference, but not a huge one.

It's a huge difference when the arguments are spin support and lack of pace support. Vaas had better spin support and less pace support, and by quite a lot given where the games were played.

 

[centurymaker]

Shami 64 Tests 229 wickets 3.57 WPM (avg 28)
Srinath 67 Tests 236 wickets 3.52 WPM (avg 30)
Zaheer 92 Tests 311 wickets 3.38 WPM (avg 33)


Srinath = Shami > Zaheer

 

[Majestic]

Zak was better in England/New Zealand, Srinath was better in Asia and South Africa, Shami was better in Asia, South Africa and Australia.

Unfortunately, Indian pacers mostly are restricted to support act in Asia so overseas is what matters more.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Zak was better in England/New Zealand, Srinath was better in Asia and South Africa, Shami was better in Asia, South Africa and Australia.

Unfortunately, Indian pacers mostly are restricted to support act in Asia so overseas is what matters more.

Calling Shami a support act at home is massively discrediting him IMO. He is not Ashwin or Jadeja, but genuinely a great home bowler and provides valuable top order wickets very regularly. Same for Srinath but much more, as back then the bowling consisted of him and Kumble. Zak has a genuinely poor home record though.

 

[Coronis]

Calling Shami a support act at home is massively discrediting him IMO. He is not Ashwin or Jadeja, but genuinely a great home spinner and provides valuable top order wickets very regularly. Same for Srinath but much more, as back then the bowling consisted of him and Kumble. Zak has a genuinely poor home record though.

The new Sobers.

 

[Majestic]

Calling Shami a support act at home is massively discrediting him IMO. He is not Ashwin or Jadeja, but genuinely a great home bowler and provides valuable top order wickets very regularly. Same for Srinath but much more, as back then the bowling consisted of him and Kumble. Zak has a genuinely poor home record though.

At home, Shami has picked 76 wickets in 21 tests. Axar has picked 47 wickets in 12 tests. Unfortunately, the WPM is low for calling him a spearhead. It is how the case has been in India, spinners are spearhead and pacers are support bowlers. Just like in SENA, pacers are spearhead and spinners are support bowlers. Not counting rare occasions when spinner runs through side in SENA via a 6-fer/7-fer or pacers runs through side in India/SL via a 6-fer/7-fer.