How good was Imran Khan?

[ankitj]

Not a bad call, but I'd argue Sobers myself. Allan Border would also disagree, he's often said he'd like to come back as Akram.

Sobers is great but he didn't win a world cup (not his fault of course) and did not rally around a bunch of talented but undisciplined chaps. When he didn't have enough batting strength in his team (what with Miandad being a near complete failure against WI), Imran just went 'what the heck, I'll do it' and averaged 50+ for latter half of his career. The guy simply has no hole in his CV except the one called out by Daemon

Ian Botham is another dream cricketer but for a relatively short period of time.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Sobers is great but he didn't win a world cup (not his fault of course) and did not rally around a bunch of talented but undisciplined chaps. When he didn't have enough batting strength in his team (what with Miandad being a near complete failure against WI), Imran just went 'what the heck, I'll do it' and averaged 50+ for latter half of his career. The guy simply has no hole in his CV except the one called out by Daemon

Ian Botham is another dream cricketer but for a relatively short period of time.

Imran became a boring politician. Sobers continued to party hard and drink like a champ.

 

[Zinzan]

Sobers is great but he didn't win a world cup (not his fault of course) and did not rally around a bunch of talented but undisciplined chaps.

I think a few many would argue against with that.

I also think him averaging 50+ towards the latter part of his career was very much helped as much by not outs, than loads of runs and hundreds. I remember reading he had someone like 12 not-outs in his last 30 odd innings. Not holding that against him, but it's often worth pointing out.

All that said, his only equivalent as a bowling all-rounder was Keith Miller.

 

[ImpatientLime]

is botham considered a batting or bowling all rounder?

i suppose its fairly hard to define a supposed underachiever who scored 13 test match centuries and took 27 5w hauls.

 

[Zinzan]

is botham considered a batting or bowling all rounder?

Funny you say that, because at his very best, he was a genuine star & matchwinner with with both & it's hard to say. I'm talking circa 1979-1984.

 

[Red]

The Imran/Sobers debate is pointless in a way.

Sobers is probably the second best bat of all time, plus a better than handy bowler.

Imran is in the top echelon of quicks, plus he is a better than handy bat.

Both are elite in one discipline, and very good in their second discipline. On the whole you'd have to rank them pretty much evenly for what they can contribute to a team.

 

[Red]

is botham considered a batting or bowling all rounder?

i suppose its fairly hard to define a supposed underachiever who scored 13 test match centuries and took 27 5w hauls.

Think this has been discussed before, but he and Miller are probably the two most genuine all rounders ever. Both would have played tests for their nations based on either their batting or bowling.

 

[Zinzan]

The Imran/Sobers debate is pointless in a way.

Sobers is probably the second best bat of all time, plus a better than handy bowler.

Imran is in the top echelon of quicks, plus he is a better than handy bat.

Both are elite in one discipline, and very good in their second discipline. On the whole you'd have to rank them pretty much evenly for what they can contribute to a team.

They are very different. But Sobers batting >>> Imran bowling for me & Imran's batting was probably about on par with Sobers' bowling.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Keith Miller wasn't a bowling all rounder imo. Batting all rounder who underperformed with the bat in tests.

 

[DriveClub]

Keith Miller wasn't a bowling all rounder imo. Batting all rounder who underperformed with the bat in tests.

And overperformed with the ball?

 

[OverratedSanity]

Arguably, yes.

 

[Red]

Keith Miller wasn't a bowling all rounder imo. Batting all rounder who underperformed with the bat in tests.

Well, in 95 test innings, he opened the bowling or bowled first change in 85 of them....

 

[Zinzan]

Keith Miller wasn't a bowling all rounder imo. Batting all rounder who underperformed with the bat in tests.

Disagree with that, I know he averaged late 40s with the bat in FC cricket as was pretty even in both disciplines, but if anything was the stronger of the two suits, it'd be bowling for me.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Well, in 95 test innings, he opened the bowling or bowled first change in 85 of them....

And in 80 out of 87 innings, he batted in the top 5.

 

[Top_Cat]

Keith Miller the ultimate ****pit all-rounder in Messerschmitt and lady kills tbh.

 

[cnerd123]

Ashwin's a better batsman than Imran Khan tbh

 

[listento_me]

khan at 6?

jesus, what a waste of a huge list of all time great batsman.

the bloke tonned up 6 times in 88 games.

He also averaged in excess of 50 in 48 of his 88 tests. My pure batting line up would include Tendulkar, Bradman, Richards and Sobers with a couple other names that aren't nailed down. Khan in at 6 isn't that difficult, which also allows for a great keeper/bat at 7 such as Gilly and 4 out and out bowlers. That gives me 6 bowling options...world class options.

 

[listento_me]

Let's not mention Miller in the same breath as Sobers and Khan. Please. Have some shame.

 

[Zinzan]

Let's not mention Miller in the same breath as Sobers and Khan. Please. Have some shame.

Why can't Miller be compared to Imran considering their numbers are almost identical, because you simply assert it or do you actually have an argument?

 

[listento_me]

Why can't Miller be compared to Imran considering their numbers are almost identical, because you simply assert it or do you actually have an argument?

If you can't see how Khan was a better bowlers and a comparable batsman if not better at times (speaking only of tests) then you have no reason to be on a cricketing forum.