Harbhajan vs. Saqlain in Tests?

[vcs]

yeah the aus side >>>> indian side in almost everything except in playing spin it is probably the other way around.

Playing spin in the subcontinent was probably their Achilles Heel compared to the other aspects of their cricket, but you could hardly call a team with Hayden, Waugh and Waugh, and Gilchrist weak against spin on an absolute level (disregarding Ponting who is usually a good player of spin for the purposes of that particular series). It was just freakish that one guy could effect four collapses in a row against such a strong team, probably a bit of luck involved as well, but it's still astonishing what he managed to do.

 

[Sanz]

Saqlain was the better all conditions bowler when he played but he had a relatively small career ,specially for a spinner and he just disappeared almost.
And so Harbhajan easily beats him in the longevity factor .

Really tough one this. Have probably a slight personal bias for Saqlain so that makes it even tougher.

Saqi was a highly overrated bowler, who is always talked as if he is some sort of great mainly because of his ODI stats and partly because of his awesome performance in India in 1998-99 series.


i

 

[Dan]

Personally, I prefer Saqlain.

I don't have a statistical reason and I can't quantify it in any way, I just rate Saqlain higher.

 

[Borges]

Saqlain. Don't remember him bowling absolute rubbish, test after test.

Though if one considers only the peaks, Harbhajan was better.

 

[vcs]

Saqlain. Don't remember him bowling absolute rubbish, test after test.

Though if one considers only the peaks, Harbhajan was better.

Think this statement is a classic example of only glorifying the highs of a retired player, while forgetting the times he struggled. Harbhajan is in front of us, warts and all, so it is easy for people to look at how he has struggled to be an attacking Test bowler in the last couple of years (though he has still won India Tests in that timeframe and been a serviceable option even otherwise) and judge his entire career on the basis of that.

 

[Sanz]

Awta

 

[BlazeDragon]

For the moment I will give Saqlain the edge.

 

[Champ]

Saqlain. Only spin bowler in our time to trouble IND in IND. PAK should have persisted with him. Harbhajan's level of performance has been going down for 4-5 years although he has taken 400 wickets.

 

[smash84]

Saqlain. Only spin bowler in our time to trouble IND in IND. .

This

 

[vcs]

This

Shaun Udal says hi.

 

[smash84]

Who?

 

[Howe_zat]

Quite. I'm sure there's a few exceptions.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't a successful tour of India turn out to be Nicky Boje's claim to fame?

 

[G.I.Joe]

Nah, that would be tormenting New Zealand with the bat - a feat replicated by Harbhajan a decade later.

 

[Cevno]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't a successful tour of India turn out to be Nicky Boje's claim to fame?

It was so successful, that the Delhi police are still searching for him to get tips for their cricket team

 

[vcs]

Quite. I'm sure there's a few exceptions.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't a successful tour of India turn out to be Nicky Boje's claim to fame?

Yeah, he was very good in that series where SA beat India 2-0 in 2000.. awful series that was.

 

[Cevno]

Awful series in more than one way ,tbf.
Indian cricket reached a all time low after that.

He had a good all round series, if i recall correctly. Wasn't that great with the ball except for the 5fer in the second innings of the second test now that i have checked.

 

[Prince EWS]

Shaun Udal says hi.

So does Krejza.

 

[cricpk]

I have personal liking & biasness towards Saqlain because he won us so many ODI's. But since its about Tests Harbhajan wins because of Long Carrier, also because india plays on more spinners friendly pitches at home whereas Pakistan mostly plays on Dead Batting pitches .

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, he was very good in that series where SA beat India 2-0 in 2000.. awful series that was.

Haha so out of place. It's so much easier when the fast bowlers get the job done in the first innings when there's no turn.

 

[smash84]

I have personal liking & biasness towards Saqlain because he won us so many ODI's. But since its about Tests Harbhajan wins because of Long Carrier, .

tbf India does have an aircraft carrier and Pakistan doesn't