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Jayasuriya vs Afridi?

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Its arguable that Jayasuriya can sometimes be a better ODI bowler when conditions suit, but you'd back Afridi almost every other time.

With the bat its Sanath no question in both forms, and Sanath wasn't even that crash hot in tests anyway.

EDIT: Whoops didn't even read the first post, guilty as charged.

Afridi is a better pinch hitter IMO. I Reckon when he stands still and hits through the line, he's more likely to get you the quickfire 30 off 15 needed than even Sanath.

One thing about Sanath, he would play the best flick off his pads for six in the game. Looked so simple when he did it, and then I'd go in a practice match attempting to do something similar and give mid wicket a dolly catch every time
 
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ret

International Debutant
both of them have had their moments against India but Jayasuriya is likely to pull things off more often than Afridi

and it's hard to believe that Jayasuriya is being reduced to pinch hitter status!!!!
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
I don't think he is. I think the question is asking you, if given the situation where you needed a batsman to play that role, who would you choose.

There are others like Gilly, McCullum etc. who also have the ability to solely play that role, doesn't mean they are only pinch hitters.
 

ret

International Debutant
I don't think he is. I think the question is asking you, if given the situation where you needed a batsman to play that role, who would you choose.

There are others like Gilly, McCullum etc. who also have the ability to solely play that role, doesn't mean they are only pinch hitters.
yeah and I answered it by saying that Jayasuriya is more likely to pull things off than Afridi

may be Jayasuriya vs Gilly would have been a better comparison even for pinch hitting
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
What I meant was, no one in this thread is suggesting Sanath is/was just a pinch hitter.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
If we are talking when both were at a reasonable point in their careers, then Jayasuriya by a fair way.

Different class to Afridi and less one dimentional. Not that Afridi isnt scary, just that Jayasuriya can attack early and then continue the innings in a variety of ways.
 
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DaRick

State Vice-Captain
we all know Jayasuriya is a much better batsmen. but who would you have on the team just as a pinch hitter? jayasuriya is more reliable but afridi is more destructive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4h-cmqEXMw
Afridi is certainly the greater pinch-hitter, in terms of ability to score runs quickly. That being said, since Jayasuriya's strike rate is not much lower, I'd take him.

As a Test/ODI batsman, I'd not hesistate to pick Jayasuriya, obviously.

As a bowler, though, Afridi seems more attractive to me. Jayasuriya is a clever bowler, varying his pace and darting it into leg-stump, but Afridi has so much more variation - a legbreak, a googly, a topspinner, an offbreak, an awesome quicker ball - he can also get a little bit of drift if he bowls slowly enough (he generally doesn't; I've never seen him bowl <90 km/h). I think Afridi's ODI bowling stats are as poor as they are because he was utterly unpenetrative during the early stages of his career.
 

Googenheim

U19 12th Man
Afridi could pinch-hit, but the turning of a match by him would require a lot of input from the rest of the lineup too.

Jayasuriya isn't dependant on the rest of the lineup to turn a match as much as Afridi is.

So it boils down to what exactly constitutes a pinch-hit innings - a 30 off 18 or a 70 off 60?
 

James_W

U19 Vice-Captain
70 off 60 is not exactly astronomical, a good innings yes, but I wouldn't call it a 'pinch-hitter' innings. Examples of a pinch-hitter innings would be Jayasuriya's 76 off 28 balls, Afridi's 37 (IIRC) ball century, his 29 off 9 balls in a T20I against England etc.
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
Easy decision here, Sanath. IMO, Afridi had the potential to become a very good cricketer since his debut a decade ago, but hes wasted his talent by failing to expand his game beyond looking for the big slog shot. Jayasuriya, when required, showed patience and therefore was of much greater value to Sri Lanka throughout his career than Afridi has ever given to Pakistan.
 

Engle

State Vice-Captain
Although I'd sooner have Jaya in my ODI side than Afridi, the latter would be spoken of in more prominence historically.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Although I'd sooner have Jaya in my ODI side than Afridi, the latter would be spoken of in more prominence historically.
You think so?

Id be interested to see why you think that would be. Im not saying you are wrong, quite the opposite. I wouldnt have considered it (Sanath had longer career, more consistent success, 1996 explosion and winning WC etc), but Im willing to be convinced otherwise by a good case being put forward for Afridi. :)
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Easy decision here, Sanath. IMO, Afridi had the potential to become a very good cricketer since his debut a decade ago, but hes wasted his talent by failing to expand his game beyond looking for the big slog shot. Jayasuriya, when required, showed patience and therefore was of much greater value to Sri Lanka throughout his career than Afridi has ever given to Pakistan.
Not really sure Afridi ever had the potential. Those who know him speak of how he has always been a loose-cannon and people like that don't often want to change. I'm sure Afridi is more concerned about maintaining his reputation as ultra-aggressive and hence interest from sponsors than about actually becoming the best cricketer he could be.

For no other reason can one play for so long in such an idiotic manner.
 

Engle

State Vice-Captain
You think so?

Id be interested to see why you think that would be. Im not saying you are wrong, quite the opposite. I wouldnt have considered it (Sanath had longer career, more consistent success, 1996 explosion and winning WC etc), but Im willing to be convinced otherwise by a good case being put forward for Afridi. :)
Well, the short answer is explosiveness. Akin to Jessop being similarly remembered. And this is no Hirwani/Massie type flash-in-the-pan. He played for 253 ODI’s. With most records for fast-scoring bearing his name. Indelible records will stand the test of time, particularly the 37 ball hundred.

Combine his ‘idiotic’ batting with an art that requires guile (LBG) and one would be hard-pressed to find a similar character. The generation of today will tell those of tomorrow how crowds would leave on Afridi’s departure.

I believe his place in ODI history is secure. And will be so for a long time.
 

shortpitched713

International Captain
Neither, Abdul Razzaq ftw in a pinch-hitting situation. Symonds as well, although hes rarely been needed to be used in that capacity.
 

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