Wasim Akram among his peers

[smash84]

Today is Wasim's 49th birthday and I must say that I don't recall any other bowler with the ability to have so much variety (with the possible exception of Jade Dernbach and his six slower deliveries). He is rated extremely highly by his peers (somewhat like Lillee amongst his). Does his ability to make the ball swing almost at will cloud people's ability to rank him among his peers or was he really the best of his generation? The below article got me thinking.

From an article in DAWN today

‘Wasim Akram could do unimaginable things with the ball’ - Sport - DAWN.COM

“Wasim Akram is one of my all-time favourite bowlers and any team that I would select comprising of the world’s best cricketers, Wasim Akram has to be in it. I’ve seen Wasim Akram do things with a cricket ball that people like me and others cannot really do. He was such a great bowler and I have a lot of admiration and respect for him.” - Curtly Ambrose

 

[Furball]

I wouldn't say he's the best of his generation given his early career overlapped with Marshall and his late career overlapped with the greatest quick of all time.

He was an exceptional bowler who definitely belongs in the discussion. Probably the best Asian fast bowler there's ever been and definitely the greatest leftie of all time.

 

[Coronis]

I wouldn't say he's the best of his generation given his early career overlapped with Marshall and his late career overlapped with the greatest quick of all time.

He was an exceptional bowler who definitely belongs in the discussion. Probably the best Asian fast bowler there's ever been and definitely the greatest leftie of all time.

Who do you consider the greatest quick?

 

[kiwiviktor81]

I'm guessing he means McGrath

 

[Furball]

Yep.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Ajit Agarkar imo

 

[Furball]

Wasim vs Imran is a debate I'd be genuinely interested in.

Imran's often compared against the other 3 allrounders of his day and has this sort of 'godfather of Asian fast bowling' status, when I think there might be a case for Wasim being better.

 

[Burner]

I would say that Wasim is a better bowler than McGrath.

 

[indiaholic]

Then you would be wrong. The better bowler is the one who can take more wickets in all conditions. McGrath was better at this. But after Steyn, Wasim is my all time second favourite fast bowler.

 

[Furball]

Anyone who doesn't think McGrath is the GOAT is wrong.

Not the point. Someone kick off Wasim vs Imran ffs.

 

[honestbharani]

Ajit Agarkar imo

Why bring God into a comparison between humans?

 

[harsh.ag]

Anyone who doesn't think McGrath is the GOAT is wrong.

Furball being banned for this smacks of Marshall-ism among mod ranks.

 

[Pratters]

Probably the greatest left arm fast bowler. As we are comparing his peers though, he is a notch below McGrath.

Averages of Akram

In England - 28.73
in India - 27.7

Particularly the England one hurts. If he was an Indian though, he would have been idolised a lot more like Tendulkar.

 

[Pratters]

Regarding McGrath I have often seen this criticism that he was slow and bland. I have seen this phrase that you have to see a player in a match ball by ball/live in their era to get a bit of know how regarding them and it holds more for the less flair guys like McGrath or Dravid. McGrath was exceptional. So many times, he would roll over the opposition and the other team would be 70-50 for five on the first morning. Maybe we will start looking at him like Sydney Barnes after 50 years and think lesser of him but I wish this doesn't happen.

 

[harsh.ag]

Particularly the England one hurts. If he was an Indian though, he would have been idolised a lot more like Tendulkar.

He's idolized more than enough, thank you. Made it to the experts' greatest XI of all time ffs.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yeah wtf Wasim is one of the most admired cricketers ever. Which is the point the OP made.

 

[smash84]

Wasim vs Imran is a debate I'd be genuinely interested in.

Imran's often compared against the other 3 allrounders of his day and has this sort of 'godfather of Asian fast bowling' status, when I think there might be a case for Wasim being better.

I know Furball you asked for my opinion on this (not sure why you are banned now) but in terms of pure bowling ability I don't think I would be able to rank anybody above Wasim. By that I mean what Ambrose means that he could do things with the ball that no other bowler could. Imran is considered the godfather of Asian fast bowling because he really was the first real fast bowler to emerge from Asia. Had genuine pace and aggression. I don't think Imran had the kind of ability with the new ball that Wasim had but he was mentally tougher. A lot of the tricks of the trade that Wasim gained were passed down from Imran. Does that answer your question?

 

[smash84]

Furball, another reason where Imran would always trump Wasim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_p6AWtDgKU

Its interesting that this video probably never surfaced in Pakistan where this host goes through Imran's affairs one by one. Would cause quite a controversy. Probably belongs in the Pakistan politics thread given Imran says he never wants to enter politics

 

[Coronis]

Probably the greatest left arm fast bowler. As we are comparing his peers though, he is a notch below McGrath.

Averages of Akram

In England - 28.73
in India - 27.7

Particularly the England one hurts. If he was an Indian though, he would have been idolised a lot more like Tendulkar.

If India ever had a great bowler, they'd be idolised like Tendulkar.

 

[Jono]

Imran's often compared against the other 3 allrounders of his day and has this sort of 'godfather of Asian fast bowling' status, when I think there might be a case for Wasim being better.

Not sure that's right. I think the majority of subcontinental (and general) cricket fans see Wasim as the greater bowler and Imran as the greater cricketer.

Whether that' right or wrong is another point, but I don't think fans underrate Wasim vs. Imran on bowling alone.