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Ian Botham vs Kapil Dev

Who so you think was a better allrounder?


  • Total voters
    48

Athlai

Not Terrible
Shouldn't that be Sir Ian Botham? He didn't slay a dragon and save a Princess for us to treat him as any other common man.
 

archie mac

International Coach
Just finished the Botham bio, once I would have said it very close, but now I think for a period Botham close to the greatest AR ever:)
 

archie mac

International Coach
I'm half way through it and so far it's tedious self-triumphant claptrap.
:laugh: I was sick of all the mentions of his wife, 'Poor Cath, blah blah blah'

But the amount of tons and wickets he seemed to be taking for a period, almost every other Test a ton or a 5 for:cool:
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
:laugh: I was sick of all the mentions of his wife, 'Poor Cath, blah blah blah'

But the amount of tons and wickets he seemed to be taking for a period, almost every other Test a ton or a 5 for:cool:
There's no doubting his cricketing ability, indeed for a time he was almost as good as he keeps on telling everyone he was. For me his description of the Randall run out by Boycott at Trent Bridge in 1977 is so bad it calls into question the accuracy of his other recollections. According to Botham, Boycott played the ball straight to a fielder in the covers, when in reality the ball went back to the bowler - Jeff Thomson - who returned to Marsh and he ran out Randall. A small detail perhaps, but if his memory is that distorted it makes you wonder about the rest of the book.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Just finished the Botham bio, once I would have said it very close, but now I think for a period Botham close to the greatest AR ever:)
I've never really had any doubt TBH.

Botham between 1977 and 1981, especially sans-captaincy, was sensational beyond sensation. Something Kapil Dev - even Imran Khan - never managed.

But sadly, it was only for a relatively short time. Had he twigged some sort of back muscle after the First Test in India in 1981\82 and never been able to bowl again, then damaged a cruciate-ligament after the first-innings of the Third Test in 1984, maybe he might just be remembered as the greatest all-rounder ever, or someone who was completely ruined by injury.

As it is, though, he kept going and became a wholly average player for a fair time. I don't really think this makes any impact on his earlier skills (unlike the C_Cs of this World) so hence I'd just say.

"Early" Botham >>>>>>>>>>> Kapil. "Later" Botham <<<<< Kapil.

Kapil who really did remain remarkably the same with bat and ball virtually thoughout his career.
 

Engle

State Vice-Captain
Kapils feat of 5000+ runs and 400+ wkts will take a while to beat.

However, Botham is one of the few AR on my list who could be picked for either batting or bowling. (Kapil would never be picked for batting alone).
 

iamdavid

International Debutant
Kapil played better cricket for longer than Botham did, however at their peaks Botham clearly superior.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
This isnt even a question.

Botham by the proverbial country mile.

No matter how bad he got later in his career, he will always have the fact that for a period he was challenging for possibly the best player to have played the game.

Bonus points for Kapil and his longevity but no extra bonus points can make a Champonship Level team compete for the Premiership.

I his favour, Kapil was consistent. His bowling average barely changed from around 30 for the majority of his career.

Botham took his 200th wicket in only his 41st Test at an average of 21 by which point he had also 8 Test centuries. :blink:

There has been noone in the history of the game to put the 2 disciplines together like Botham did.

I still find it amazing that after 25 Tests he averaged over 40 with the bat and under 20 with the ball. Different league to numbers anyone else can claim.

EDIT- The above is purely for Test cricket. Kapil may shade ODIs
 
Last edited:

Poker Boy

State Vice-Captain
Botham. If I was asked to rank the"big four"of the 1980s it would be Imran, Botham, Kapil and Hadlee (not quite sure the later's batting was as good as the other three)
 

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
I am not going to vote because I never saw either of the two play but my Dad (who admittedly knows jack-all about cricket but was an avid fan in the 80s and early 90s) said that Botham's wickets were usually quite lucky - e.g. caught at cover, strangled down leg side...etc...is this true?
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
I am not going to vote because I never saw either of the two play but my Dad (who admittedly knows jack-all about cricket but was an avid fan in the 80s and early 90s) said that Botham's wickets were usually quite lucky - e.g. caught at cover, strangled down leg side...etc...is this true?
No it is not.
 

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