What makes Kapil's achievement significant is he was playing for a strong team (WC champions)I'm sure that Shakib has had that title on multiple occasions.
India weren't that good back then, WC win notwithstanding.What makes Kapil's achievement significant is he was playing for a strong team (WC champions)
And he was consistenly a top 5 ish bowler and top 10-15 batsman in the world.
Exactly this. Kapil was brilliant but being your team's best in 3 disciplines has much to do with the quality of the rest of the side. In terms of all round talen, none can surpass Proctor, not even Botham. Barring Sobers that is.India weren't that good back then, WC win notwithstanding.
Procter is the greatest cricketer since Sobers.Exactly this. Kapil was brilliant but being your team's best in 3 disciplines has much to do with the quality of the rest of the side. In terms of all round talen, none can surpass Proctor, not even Botham. Barring Sobers that is.
Yeah as our ownfredfertang so aptly put in one of his articles, isolation had to happen and no reasonable person could say otherwise. I think as far as package/balanced all rounders go, his only rival is Miller. Maybe he was Miller but more disciplined.Procter was insane. Love the bloke (obviously). Its a shame, but as he himself once said, "What's a test career, compared to the suffering of millions?" Ranks right up there alongside Hadlee and Imran as a bowler, and a better bat than both.
Best bat, bowler, captain and fielder in pre test era.Does Dr Grace qualify? The leading batsman of an age, useful bowler and great thinker of the game by all accounts.
Must have been a very weak period of international cricket if Kapil is in the top 10 batsmenProcter is the greatest cricketer since Sobers.
Kapil was not just the best in his team, he was among the best bowlers (top 5) and best batsmen (top 10/15) in the world.
I dont see anyone else in this level of allround dominance. So its not just about the team quality.
Dev averaged 27 for the decade. Somewhat of an exaggeration I thinkMust have been a very weak period of international cricket if Kapil is in the top 10 batsmen
Oh, for one-day cricket, yes, Rice has a better claim. As does Hadlee for New Zealand.Rice was likely a better LO bat than Kirsten and Cook. I'm not sure. Leagues behind Pollock, bit he was in decline and retired in the 80s.
Van Der Bijl didn't play the 80s. Le Roux probably ahead though.
Grace was a very capable bowler, captain and fielder but if you were to read contemporary 19th century literature you would see he was not considered pre-eminent in any of these categories.Best bat, bowler, captain and fielder in pre test era.