• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Bedi or Murali?

Faisal1985

International Vice-Captain
Recently i read this....

Muttiah Muralitharan has, in an extraordinary outburst, responded to longtime critic Bishan Bedi, the former Indian captain, calling him an 'ordinary bowler'. Bedi, who took 266 wickets in 67 Tests and was known for his classical action, has repeatedly questioned the legality of Murali's action, even likening it to a javelin throw.
"He (Bedi) did not have any variation," Murali - who retired from cricket last week - told PTI. "He just bowled left-arm spin and the pitch did the variation for him. That is what he bowled." This is perhaps Murali's first retort to those who have long questioned his action and the legality of his doosra.
"I saw some (of his) bowling of his playing days. He would have been hammered every ball had he played in the modern era."
Bedi was part of India's famous spin quartet in the 70s, which also included offspinners S Venkataraghavan, Erapalli Prasanna and legspinner Bhagwath Chandrasekhar. Murali said he rated the other members of the quartet above Bedi. "Prasanna is a good bowler. I have seen his bowling. Venkataraghavan is good. But Bedi does not come under it."
Murali, 38, retired last week after a fairytale Test in Galle where he took eight wickets to set up Sri Lanka's win and become the first man to reach 800 wickets. On the occasion of Murali's retirement, Bedi had praised the Sri Lankan as a wonderful human being. "I may not agree with Murali's action or may have called all Murali wickets as run-outs, but I have the highest respect for him as a human being, a kindhearted man."
In August 2007, Murali had reportedly considered taking legal action, seeking US$17 million in damages for defamation, after Bedi had compared him to a "shot putter". Murali had also threatened to sue Bedi in June 2004 for similar statements.

I know this may or may not be a controversial subject but what the heck, let us be a bit frank, honest here...how many people agree with Bedi and how many with Murali?

I know Bedi is highly rated in India and Murali needs no introduction...

Was Bedi the lowest of the quartet of the Indian bowling of the 70s? and would have been hammered in modern day cricket?

I have no intention for this thread to become a war zone...
 

Faisal1985

International Vice-Captain
Ok, it is not a comparison of the bowlers...it is a comparison of their take on each other...

Good you fixed it in time ...lol
 

Fusion

Global Moderator
Not sure how much positive discussion will come out of this thread. I'll be watching it very carefully to see if it turns into a "Murali is a chucker/No he's not" flame war.
 

Teja.

Global Moderator
Though the statements in Murali's outburst were a little OTT, The Outburst in-itself was long coming and Bedi completely deserved it tbh. If a good but not great Batsman like say, Larry Gomes took the piss about Ponting and his batting for a decade and a half and called him a disgrace to cricket etc., I would expect Ponting to make an OTT statement at some point in time.
 
Last edited:

vcs

Request Your Custom Title Now!
TBF, it was Bedi who first chucked mud at Murali's image, Murali merely picked up the gauntlet and threw it back at him... :ph34r:

Seriously, I don't think people are going to change their opinions on the legality of Murali's action (you either accept it or you remain forever sceptical), and Bedi is just too outspoken to shut up about it.
 

Black_Warrior

Cricketer Of The Year
Its always difficult to answer these hypothetical questions..how Bedi would have done given this situation and that situation. You can never talk about these things with certainty.
 

pskov

International 12th Man
Bedi was an excellent left arm spinner, but I think that in the modern game with covered wickets it is difficult to imagine any left arm spinner averaging below 30 for a significant period of time. I don't think he'd get smashed or anything, but I think it's not unreasonable to say that Bedi wouldn't be as effective if he had played in the 90s and 00s.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Bedi's personality was always at odds with his gentle "smooth as silk" bowling action - one of the most highly principled men ever to play Test cricket is one description - stroppy **** is another
 

Faisal1985

International Vice-Captain
Well Murali is a special bowler.. We have to agree with this at the least...he has a special/unique action which allows him to bowl a bunch of varieties...i guess a more daring question would be...would a right arm off break ever be able to break Murali's record with a regular action...or Ajmalish action...?

Bedi is without a doubt below Murali...but where Bedi had the pitch advantage as some suggest or no variety as Murali suggests, i have started to feel that Murali had an advantage as well and modern day off break have an advantage which Bedi didn't.....and i feel that this advantage in action is much bigger then what Bedi had in turning pitches....so i wouldn't necessarily rule out what Bedi's comment's core is.....
 

vcs

Request Your Custom Title Now!
With all due respect, I don't think a Randiv or an Ojha will come close to Murali's records. Haven't watched enough of Swann or Ajmal. I think you need atleast a "doosra" these days.
 

four_or_six

Cricketer Of The Year
You can't really say how well Bedi would do if he played now, because if Bedi grew up in a different decade he may well have developed different skills.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Bedi's a curmudgeon, but one does have some sympathy for his view point.

I haven't seen enough of Bedi's bowling to know if Murali's accusation has any merit, but I'm a little dubious. Certainly had a beautiful high armed action.
 

Black_Warrior

Cricketer Of The Year
Well Murali is a special bowler.. We have to agree with this at the least...he has a special/unique action which allows him to bowl a bunch of varieties...i guess a more daring question would be...would a right arm off break ever be able to break Murali's record with a regular action...or Ajmalish action...?
To be able to take 800 wickets, you have to be able to spin the ball like crazy. The only way you can spin the ball like crazy is if you are Muralitharan. So no to your question.

Bedi is without a doubt below Murali...but where Bedi had the pitch advantage as some suggest or no variety as Murali suggests, i have started to feel that Murali had an advantage as well and modern day off break have an advantage which Bedi didn't.....and i feel that this advantage in action is much bigger then what Bedi had in turning pitches....so i wouldn't necessarily rule out what Bedi's comment's core is.....
Yes I agree, Murali's action offers him a great advantage but if you consider the action legal, that makes the action part of his skill, and no longer an extra advantage.
 

Faisal1985

International Vice-Captain
With all due respect, I don't think a Randiv or an Ojha will come close to Murali's records. Haven't watched enough of Swann or Ajmal. I think you need atleast a "doosra" these days.
Ajmal has a doosra which took England to cleaners in the last test....Swann is probably the best off break bowler ATM....(you should see the amount of drift he was getting through the air..i haven't seen this much drift from an off spinner before).

Yes, no one will come close to his records...but how much does that have to do with Murali's unique action (legal or not isn't the debate here)...
 
Last edited:

Faisal1985

International Vice-Captain
To be able to take 800 wickets, you have to be able to spin the ball like crazy. The only way you can spin the ball like crazy is if you are Muralitharan. So no to your question.



Yes I agree, Murali's action offers him a great advantage but if you consider the action legal, that makes the action part of his skill, and no longer an extra advantage.
Why can't be there other bowlers who can "spin like crazy"???
 

vcs

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Swann gives it a real rip from what little I've watched of him.. Murali has the physiological advantage of amazingly flexible joints.
 

Top