SJS
Hall of Fame Member
You said it. Plus I did not sit down to edit at all. Have been rushing between going out with friends and writing this
There is more left - I am sorry to inform you
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Hear, Hear, Hear : Lend me your Ear
- Thread starter SJS
- Start date
There is more left - I am sorry to inform you
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
“Ajit Agarkar is a way better all rounder than Akram – Prove it!”
Okay. So what have we found so far?
That should really be it but since the question that has been raised has not just hurt our sporting pride but caused deep trauma to our spiritual psyche we are determined to treat the spreaders of myths with the contempt they deserve.
4. A Dedicated Team Man versus A Selfish Bowler
5. Agressive attitude and a great defense.
6. Great Players aren't Bunnies
Absolutely. Even the great Bradman was somewhat of a bunny against Alec Bedser and some say even Hedley Verity. But players of the very highest category are not going to be anyone's bunny are they? We looked at both AA (PBUH) and Akram to see whose bunny they were?
Akram seems to have been the bunny of a whole lot of bowlers; eight in fact. Even though I knew he was a good for nothing batsman compared to my cricketing God, I never realised he was such a *****...oops bunny. One can understand being a bunny of greats like Murali, Walsh, Ambrose, and Macgrath but Jayasuriya and Danny Morrison?
This is laughable. Have a look.
I hear some protestations in the background about four dismissals being too few to call a batsman someone's bunny. Oh really. Well my friend we are not discussing any batsman. We are discussing one of the greatest cricketers of all time and someone who is claimed to be even superior. Secondly we are not going to use different standards for both so whats your problem, eh?
So how many bowlers claimed AA(PBUH)'s wicket 4 times or more you think?, I ask again.
Did I hear ten, eight, minimum six? Forget it. This time you have it wrong. The correct answer is Zero, Cipher, Zilch, Zip, Zot !!
No bowler, none whatsoever, has been god enough to take the wicket of the maestro four times. Only two (Kallis and Bravo) got it thrice other wise his clear motto was, "You fooled me once, you fooled me twice, now forget it. I am not giving you my wicket a third and certainly not a fourth time time" and he did it throughout his illustrious career.
Now that is class
7. A Champion Bowler away from home : even in Test matches
For the purpose of most of this study we have used odi stats since the Indian corrupt authorities kept our hero away from the longer version of the game in order to prevent him from making records in the highest fornat; records that would have staggered mankind.
Nevertheless, even in the small Test career that he was allowed, AA(PBUH), showed himself to be a champion of champions.
Now one of the major allegations against cricketers from the sub-continent (from which both these players come) has been that they are lions at home and pussies abroad; that they are provided with wickets to suit them at home and even worse, the umpires too tend to favour them in front of screaming home fans. Well, one has to admit there is some element of truth in that but it shouldn't affect the real champions now should it?
We decided to investigate.
We checked the bowling records of both Agarkar (PBUH) and Akram, in Test matches, at home and away to see how their bowling averages (and strike rates) came down when playing away from home.
We were scandalised by the results.
I am sorry I am too shell shocked to be able to say anything further.... not that anything needs to be added to this.
CONCLUDED
Okay. So what have we found so far?
1. In the company of Cricketing Gods ... is where we find our Ajit Agarkar (PBUH) so comfortable amongst Bradman, Hobbs, Richards, Sobers, Botham and Hadlee (amongst other legends) Of course the pretender is nowhere in the vicinity
2. Early signs of potential... Our hero took a head start over the joker from Pakistan at the outset (in both batting and bowling) and achieved every single milestone in his career far far ahead of the latter.
3. The Myth of the Bombay Duck We have completely demolished this mischievous canard spread about our hero and much more. We have shown how the world of cricket has missed a "tandoori" Murgha from Lahore's streets - so glaringly high is the proportion of "zilch" scores by the left handed bundle of mediocrity from that city.
2. Early signs of potential... Our hero took a head start over the joker from Pakistan at the outset (in both batting and bowling) and achieved every single milestone in his career far far ahead of the latter.
3. The Myth of the Bombay Duck We have completely demolished this mischievous canard spread about our hero and much more. We have shown how the world of cricket has missed a "tandoori" Murgha from Lahore's streets - so glaringly high is the proportion of "zilch" scores by the left handed bundle of mediocrity from that city.
That should really be it but since the question that has been raised has not just hurt our sporting pride but caused deep trauma to our spiritual psyche we are determined to treat the spreaders of myths with the contempt they deserve.
4. A Dedicated Team Man versus A Selfish Bowler
Wasim Akram is one of the most selfish bowlers seen in the sub continent (maybe the entire world). He just does not believe in sharing his glory with his team mates. Its so obvious from a simple analysis of his mode of dismissals of opposing batsmen.
In taking as many as 54 % of the wickets he has claimed in ODI's he has not bothered to involve his other ten team mates; bowled and LBW is his preferred mode. He will even go to such devious and doubtful methods as 'hit wicket' (3 dismissals) but refuses to involve his hard working mates.
Our man on the other hand has merely 37.8 % of the dismissals on his own. For the rest (almost two thirds) he gladly takes the help of his mates spread across the field and behind the stumps. This is a true team man.
In taking as many as 54 % of the wickets he has claimed in ODI's he has not bothered to involve his other ten team mates; bowled and LBW is his preferred mode. He will even go to such devious and doubtful methods as 'hit wicket' (3 dismissals) but refuses to involve his hard working mates.
Our man on the other hand has merely 37.8 % of the dismissals on his own. For the rest (almost two thirds) he gladly takes the help of his mates spread across the field and behind the stumps. This is a true team man.
5. Agressive attitude and a great defense.
Before we embark on this I want to ask you a simple question.
Before that, once again, I am going to ask you two simple questions.
Now look at the figures in the table below and tell me who has both the far superior defense and the far greater propensity to attack the bowling?
Ok. Point made. We move on.
"What do you need from a world class batsman in the shorter version of the game", I ask?
"A good solid game and an aggressive mindset", you reply.
Very true. Now how do we decide on these two apparently mutually exclusive criteria. It really isn't that difficult - not when you have "The SJS Stats Factory" doing the analysis for you. Here is what we have for you."A good solid game and an aggressive mindset", you reply.
Before that, once again, I am going to ask you two simple questions.
"What kind of a batsman keeps getting bowled between bat and pad (or between an assortment of limbs and bats)?", I ask.
"One with a poor defense." you reply.
Well done. That's one out of one for you."One with a poor defense." you reply.
"What is likely to be the final fate of a batsman with an aggressive attitude who goes after the bowling?" I ask.
"He is likely to finally get caught somewhere in the outfield" you say.
Bingo! You really are smart."He is likely to finally get caught somewhere in the outfield" you say.
Now look at the figures in the table below and tell me who has both the far superior defense and the far greater propensity to attack the bowling?
Code:
[SIZE="2"][B]Player Bowled caught (other than keeper)[/B]
[B][COLOR="Navy"][B]AA (PBUH)[/B][/COLOR] 14.90% 50.60%
[COLOR="DarkGreen"][B]Akram[/B][/COLOR] 26.70% 37.30%[/B][/SIZE]6. Great Players aren't Bunnies
Absolutely. Even the great Bradman was somewhat of a bunny against Alec Bedser and some say even Hedley Verity. But players of the very highest category are not going to be anyone's bunny are they? We looked at both AA (PBUH) and Akram to see whose bunny they were?
Akram seems to have been the bunny of a whole lot of bowlers; eight in fact. Even though I knew he was a good for nothing batsman compared to my cricketing God, I never realised he was such a *****...oops bunny. One can understand being a bunny of greats like Murali, Walsh, Ambrose, and Macgrath but Jayasuriya and Danny Morrison?
This is laughable. Have a look.
Code:
[B]Bowlers Dismissals[/B]
Murali 8
Walsh 6
Ambrose 5
Jayasuriya 5
Morrison 4
Srinath 4
Bishop 4
McGrath 4I hear some protestations in the background about four dismissals being too few to call a batsman someone's bunny. Oh really. Well my friend we are not discussing any batsman. We are discussing one of the greatest cricketers of all time and someone who is claimed to be even superior. Secondly we are not going to use different standards for both so whats your problem, eh?
So how many bowlers claimed AA(PBUH)'s wicket 4 times or more you think?, I ask again.
Did I hear ten, eight, minimum six? Forget it. This time you have it wrong. The correct answer is Zero, Cipher, Zilch, Zip, Zot !!
No bowler, none whatsoever, has been god enough to take the wicket of the maestro four times. Only two (Kallis and Bravo) got it thrice other wise his clear motto was, "You fooled me once, you fooled me twice, now forget it. I am not giving you my wicket a third and certainly not a fourth time time" and he did it throughout his illustrious career.
Now that is class
7. A Champion Bowler away from home : even in Test matches
For the purpose of most of this study we have used odi stats since the Indian corrupt authorities kept our hero away from the longer version of the game in order to prevent him from making records in the highest fornat; records that would have staggered mankind.
Nevertheless, even in the small Test career that he was allowed, AA(PBUH), showed himself to be a champion of champions.
Now one of the major allegations against cricketers from the sub-continent (from which both these players come) has been that they are lions at home and pussies abroad; that they are provided with wickets to suit them at home and even worse, the umpires too tend to favour them in front of screaming home fans. Well, one has to admit there is some element of truth in that but it shouldn't affect the real champions now should it?
We decided to investigate.
We checked the bowling records of both Agarkar (PBUH) and Akram, in Test matches, at home and away to see how their bowling averages (and strike rates) came down when playing away from home.
We were scandalised by the results.
Wasim Akram's
Fair enough it appears. Most bowlers would expect some home advantage and this does not look to bad. So we look at AA (PBUH)
Ajit Agarkar(PBUH)'s
- away Test bowling average is 10% higher than at home
- away Test bowling strike rate is 11% higher than at home
- away Test bowling strike rate is 11% higher than at home
Fair enough it appears. Most bowlers would expect some home advantage and this does not look to bad. So we look at AA (PBUH)
Ajit Agarkar(PBUH)'s
- away Test bowling average is 30.1% LOWER than at home
- away Test bowling strike rate is 42.4% LOWER than at home
- away Test bowling strike rate is 42.4% LOWER than at home
I am sorry I am too shell shocked to be able to say anything further.... not that anything needs to be added to this.
CONCLUDED
Last edited:
Son Of Coco
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Dammit SJS...I volunteered to start this on Monday without thinking about the work I had to do for Summer Camp this week. IT's been keeping me busy most nights, but I'll get onto my assignment and have it in by the end of the weekend I promise!
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
Gentlemen, we have just been witness to the greatest piece of cricketing literature EVER...
Neville Cardus, who?
Neville Cardus, who?
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Gentlemen, we have just been witness to the greatest piece of cricketing literature EVER...
Neville Cardus, who?
Bouncer
State Regular
I thought i will never agree with Rajni da's fan...But man are you right or what....Gentlemen, we have just been witness to the greatest piece of cricketing literature EVER...
Neville Cardus, who?
SJS, Paaagrrri (Hat in punjabi) Off for you....you have proven, once for all that the greatness of Ajit can not be even compared with any gaaama phajaaa, billou of cricket.
Now how about proving that Boycott was wrongly labeled as selfish.? and he was the biggest team player to play the game
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
weekend a rather long one, I presume..
Son Of Coco
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Longest one of my life! 
(and yes, maybe that reply was partly to get this thread back on the front page).
(and yes, maybe that reply was partly to get this thread back on the front page).
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
While clearing out my battery of external drives, I came across,dozens of finished and unfinished cricket articles among which was the first instalment on that last bit on Ajit Agarkar (PBUH) and I started wondering whether I ever finished that and if I did, how did it end. So I came to CW looking for it and found it. It was fun writing this stuff. It really was. Writing the serious stuff on CW became tedious and unpleasant after a time which is what took me away initially and then my photography kept me away from this and everything else that could claim my time.
I am here today to say how much I enjoyed writing this and a lot of other stuff on CW. I wish I had the time to do it but I haven't. I do visit CW once in 3-4 months or so but so many old friends are not there and one feels like a stranger although that is not the reason I am not here more often, I seriously do not have the time to spare from my photography which I can pursue only for a few more years i suspect before my body packs up. I guess one day, when I am in a wheel-chair, I will be seen here more often
Love you guys.
I am here today to say how much I enjoyed writing this and a lot of other stuff on CW. I wish I had the time to do it but I haven't. I do visit CW once in 3-4 months or so but so many old friends are not there and one feels like a stranger although that is not the reason I am not here more often, I seriously do not have the time to spare from my photography which I can pursue only for a few more years i suspect before my body packs up. I guess one day, when I am in a wheel-chair, I will be seen here more often
Love you guys.
vic_orthdox
Global Moderator
Haha, always smile when this thread pops up.
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
We all need a smile now and then... What a champion poster SJS is We need him more around here.
We need him more around here.
mackembhoy
International Debutant
This thread is the work of the gods.
I have shot out likes galore to such fine men.
I have shot out likes galore to such fine men.