Bowlers then and now

[AndrewB]

Quote on X from Kevin Pietersen:

"Don’t shout at me but batting these days is way easier than 20/25 years ago! Probably twice as hard back then!

Waqar, Shoaib, Akram, Mushtaq, Kumble, Srinath, Harbhajan, Donald, Pollock, Klusener, Gough, McGrath, Lee, Warne, Gillespie, Bond, Vettori, Cairns, Vaas, Murali, Curtley, Courtney and the list could go on and on…

I’ve named 22 above. Please name me 10 modern day bowlers that can compare to the names above?"

His list is a bit of a cheat, as several of the names listed were past their peaks by 2000 and no longer playing Tests by 2005; and some of the others are hardly ATG level... but how do "modern day bowlers" compare to this list? (Given Pietersen's list, I would say it'd be fair to include anyone who's played since 2020).

 

[capt_Luffy]

It's certainly over a big period and at no time feel they all played together. Whatever, just current ones from 3 best bowling countries:

Bumrah
Cummins
Rabada
Hazlewood
Lyon
Jadeja
Shami
Jansen
Maharaj
Starc
Kuldeep
Ngidi
Boland
Nortje

14 names. 3 compares well with almost anyone there. He legit slipped in Harby and Vettori and really made my job so simple..... Not even including those who retired recently like Ashwin let alone from other countries like Jimmy, Wagner, Boult, Southee et all. Batting is significantly harder now than the 2000s, KP is just a dick talking out of his arse.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

As always KP is talking out of his arse to make himself look better. Just jealous of Roots success and the fact he is loved by all England fans unlike him.

 

[Coronis]

It's certainly over a big period and at no time feel they all played together. Whatever, just current ones from 3 best bowling countries:

Bumrah
Cummins
Rabada
Hazlewood
Lyon
Jadeja
Shami
Jansen
Maharaj
Starc
Kuldeep
Ngidi
Boland
Nortje

14 names. 3 compares well with almost anyone there. He legit slipped in Harby and Vettori and really made my job so simple..... Not even including those who retired recently like Ashwin let alone from other countries like Jimmy, Wagner, Boult, Southee et all. Batting is significantly harder now than the 2000s, KP is just a dick talking out of his arse.

Shocker.

 

[ataraxia]

This era's bowling will inevitably look a lot better once everyone's completed their career. It's a hack take. Much more fun to compare the batsmen of these two eras.

 

[Johan]

Kevin Pietersen on his best and most intelligent day.

 

[capt_Luffy]

And people now really call Twitter "X"!!?

 

[DrWolverine]

I don’t agree with KP’s statement but got me thinking

There have been less ATG bowlers who have made their debut this century. Why is it?


ATG bowlers who made their debut between 1970-1995

Lillee.
Hadlee.
Marshall.
Holding.
Garner.
Ambrose.
Akram.
Donald.
McGrath.
Warne.
Murali.

ATG bowlers who made their debut between 1995-2025
Steyn
Bumrah

 

[Johan]

Rabada and Cummins are arguably gonna be ATGs

 

[sayon basak]

I don’t agree with KP’s statement but got me thinking

There have been less ATG bowlers who have made their debut this century. Why is it?


ATG bowlers who made their debut between 1970-1995

Lillee.
Hadlee.
Marshall.
Holding.
Garner.
Ambrose.
Akram.
McGrath.
Warne.
Murali.

ATG bowlers who made their debut between 1995-2025
Steyn
Bumrah

Because bowlers who have debuted recently cannot already be ATGs. Cummins and Rabada are probably already there. Jansen, Seales etc are coming up.

 

[Johan]

Rabada isn't much different than Lillee.

 

[DrWolverine]

Rabada and Cummins are arguably gonna be ATGs

Sure.
Still it’s quite low at least compared to 1970-1995.

Steyn. Bumrah. Rabada. Cummins.
That’s just 4.

 

[Thala_0710]

I don’t agree with KP’s statement but got me thinking

There have been less ATG bowlers who have made their debut this century. Why is it?


ATG bowlers who made their debut between 1970-1995

Lillee.
Hadlee.
Marshall.
Holding.
Garner.
Ambrose.
Akram.
McGrath.
Warne.
Murali.

ATG bowlers who made their debut between 1995-2025
Steyn
Bumrah

You forgot Donald in the upper list... Cummins and Rabada are ATGs arguably already as well... You could argue for Pollock, Ashwin and Anderson in the lower one..
There were a few more like Bond, Asif who were potential ATGs but just couldn't achieve that due to differing reasons.
Also for the ones who've debuted more recently, they're going to be a few ATGs there. Jansen, Seales, Jamieson etc all have the potential

 

[Johan]

West Indies has fallen. That's the difference.

 

[Johan]

ATG pacers basically dissapeared in 2000s in the flat road era, after that era ended we already have three, soon we'd have more.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I don’t agree with KP’s statement but got me thinking

There have been less ATG bowlers who have made their debut this century. Why is it?


ATG bowlers who made their debut between 1970-1995

Lillee.
Hadlee.
Marshall.
Holding.
Garner.
Ambrose.
Akram.
McGrath.
Warne.
Murali.

I don’t agree with KP’s statement but got me thinking

There have been less ATG bowlers who have made their debut this century. Why is it?


ATG bowlers who made their debut between 1970-1995

Lillee.
Hadlee.
Marshall.
Holding.
Garner.
Ambrose.
Akram.
McGrath.
Warne.
Murali.

Roberts
Walsh
Donald
Pollock
Waqar

all contenders too

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

We all remember when KP bashed Waqar to all parts…

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

West Indies has fallen. That's the difference.

Even so, they still have good (potentially great in the case of Seales) bowlers

 

[Johan]

Even so, they still have good (potentially great in the case of Seales) bowlers

Shamar is just as good imo

 

[Fuller Pilch]

If not for injuries I think Shoaib, Bond, R Harris, and Jamieson would have been ATGs as well.

Also (I hate to admit it), but also Anderson if he had debuted 5 years later.