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Is Mohammad Asif currently the best fast bowler in the world ?

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Jhyes, is there anyone connected with Indian bowling who's not mediocre to you?
I suppose if you twist my arm, I would say Kumble and Kapil Dev are the two Test quality bowlers in the past 25 years. Nothing fantastic, but test quality at least.
 

Beleg

International Regular
Fill-ins are test quality. Srinath would have played for most of the sides during the late 90's. I'd have loved to have him in the Pakistan side on several occasions. Just because he wasn't as glamourous or as penetrative as the best doesn't mean he wasn't a decent test bowler.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Fill-ins are test quality. Srinath would have played for most of the sides during the late 90's. I'd have loved to have him in the Pakistan side on several occasions. Just because he wasn't as glamourous or as penetrative as the best doesn't mean he wasn't a decent test bowler.
But he wasn't a decent bowler. He was one of the most unintelligent bowlers I've ever seen. Like a Mahmood. I don't know about making most sides TBH.
 

FRAZ

International Captain
Both Srinath and Parsad were definitely test quality.
I agree with you upon Srinath but Prasad was a good ODI bowler with considerable amount of swing , seam and slower delivery . He was kinda Indian version of Rana Naved with off course a much lesser speed , swing and attacking tactics . He wasn't a potential test class bowler .
For me Kumble is a great bowler and might squeeze into any all time great Asian side . Kumble is an attacking bowler with superb stamina .
 

FRAZ

International Captain
But he wasn't a decent bowler. He was one of the most unintelligent bowlers I've ever seen. Like a Mahmood. I don't know about making most sides TBH.
I disagree with the legend upon this intelligence issue . He was an intelligent bowler and I guess that he always lacked the presence of a quality bowler to bowl from the other end .
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
With all these test quality bowlers in Srinath, Kumble, Prasad...coupled with Tendulkar and a couple good batsmen, you'd think India would have won more than ONE GAME overseas in the nineties. And by the way, that one game came against Sri Lanka in 1993, so its not like it was outside the subcontinent (our record was 1-15-23).

Oh, and another tidbit...how many Indian bowlers have a test average (by the end of their careers) under 28? Hint: rhymes with 'hero'.
 
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FRAZ

International Captain
Fill-ins are test quality. Srinath would have played for most of the sides during the late 90's. I'd have loved to have him in the Pakistan side on several occasions. Just because he wasn't as glamourous or as penetrative as the best doesn't mean he wasn't a decent test bowler.
I'll prefer Srinath to have come as a first change bowler after the initial spells of Wasim and Waqar and I want him to share the slightly old ball partly with Shoaib AKhtar and then Saqlain / Kumble (ODIs / Tests) and so on !
 

FRAZ

International Captain
With all these test quality bowlers in Srinath, Kumble, Prasad...coupled with Tendulkar and a couple good batsmen, you'd think India would have won more than ONE GAME overseas in the nineties. And by the way, that one game came against Sri Lanka in 1993, so its not like it was outside the subcontinent (our record was 1-15-23).

Oh, and another tidbit...how many Indian bowlers have a test average (by the end of their careers) under 27? Hint: rhymes with 'hero'.
Told you that the bowling technicians are supposed to work in partnerships from the both ends and if there is a slight stupidity from one bowler then it gives the batsman some time to adjust and even play shots against the quality bowler bowling from the other end . Wasim is the great cuz of Imran , Waqar , Aaqib and some what the other legend Shoaib to re-attack after his over !
What could Srinath do if had non-test quality bowlers to share the ball with him !!!
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Told you that the bowling technicians are supposed to work in partnerships from the both ends and if there is a slight stupidity from one bowler then it gives the batsman some time to adjust and even play shots against the quality bowler bowling from the other end . Wasim is the great cuz of Imran , Waqar , Aaqib and some what the other legend Shoaib to re-attack after his over !
What could Srinath do if had non-test quality bowlers to share the ball with him !!!
He had Kumble. You'd think with both of them, they'd manage to win one outside the subcontinent.
 

FRAZ

International Captain
He had Kumble. You'd think with both of them, they'd manage to win one outside the subcontinent.
Gentleman ! The thing is the fast bowler duo ..... And I don't consider a duo of Fasty from one end and the spinner from the other . Fast bowler combination is the key thing tbh . One great bowler can bring 30 % of the work to be completed (If accompanied by a Prasad or Pasag) But might get 100 % if accompanied by Imran , Waqar or Shoaib . Thats how it is . How many victories did Shoaib bring when he had to pair up with Sami? But along with Asif , The combination can bring victories . So Gentleman this is the difference that one has to understand !!!
 
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Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
I suppose if you twist my arm, I would say Kumble and Kapil Dev are the two Test quality bowlers in the past 25 years. Nothing fantastic, but test quality at least.
You sure you wouldn't go so far as to say Kapil was Test-class only for a time (not sure precisely when that would be)?

And you sure you wouldn't go so far as to say Anil Bhai was Test-class only on the right pitches (ie mostly at home)?

(I would go so far as to say the 2nd, BTW)
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
With all these test quality bowlers in Srinath, Kumble, Prasad...coupled with Tendulkar and a couple good batsmen, you'd think India would have won more than ONE GAME overseas in the nineties. And by the way, that one game came against Sri Lanka in 1993, so its not like it was outside the subcontinent (our record was 1-15-23).
India did not win a single Test outside the subcontinent between 1986 and 2001. Upon winning that one, in Zimbabwe, they prompty won 4 in 30 months. Didn't manage another for the next 28 months, but when they did it gave them their first series win outside the subcontinent (against serious opposition) in 20 years. And like that 1986 win, it was achieved against a side at rock-bottom. This also applied to a victory in West Indies in 1971.

The only time India beat a side away from home against the odds was a few months later in England - in the summer of 1971.

Which just makes me wonder... India are soon to be playing England, who, as in 1970\71, have just returned from Australia...

(BTW, this post wasn't directed at you ss, I presume you know all this, was just general ramblings)
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
The only time India beat a side away from home against the odds was a few months later in England - in the summer of 1971. Which just makes me wonder... India are soon to be playing England, who, as in 1970\71, have just returned from Australia...
India did tie England in England and won a match there. Our bowling is better than it was then, but our batting is worse. We'll see how that plays out. Still a long way away, and both teams will be a bit rusty after a lot of ODI cricket.


(BTW, this post wasn't directed at you ss, I presume you know all this, was just general ramblings)
Yes, and another interesting thing is that Indian bowlers from 1990-2000 averaged 26 at home, but 40 away.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
India did tie England in England and won a match there. Our bowling is better than it was then, but our batting is worse. We'll see how that plays out. Still a long way away, and both teams will be a bit rusty after a lot of ODI cricket.
Well we have West Indies to get us back into nick first. :p

You'd never drawn a series in England until 2002. Both the previous occasions you'd managed to win a game here, you'd won the series. And in 1986 a team of clowns could've beaten us (though not Australia).

In 1971, though, it was a brave denounement, and put India briefly at the top of The World (if you discount the South Africans). Just a shame they didn't tour Australia 2 winters later, because I reckon they could well have beaten a sans-Lillee side.
 

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