Average players suddenly becoming very good

First let me tell you that this thread is NOT about players who you thought had potential from the beginning but wasn't delivering as much as they should, then suddenly one day started producing gems. NO.

This thread is about players whose starts gave you the impression that they are average players at best. But later on they IMPROVED (according to you) their game in some way or the other to become good/very good/great.

Stats shouldn't be handy in this case, as this is about your personal impression - and you don't have to prove that you were right/wrong (so averages in the first 10 matches have nothing to do with this). The list will differ from person to person.

I shall start with 6 players who 'I thought' were nothing special when they started, but as their careers progressed I saw them applying themselves well and improving their game to become better - Matthew Hayden, Anil Kumble, James Anderson, Zaheer Khan, Hashim Amla, Younis Khan.

'Suddenly' in the title is a touch misleading if we're talking about players like Anderson.

woah that's so wierd you just posted a thread on that...was just wondering the same thing re Hiflenhaus and Siddle (although tbf, I've always thought Hilf and Siddle did have at least some amount of potential, but which top-level players don't really?).

Will be keenly following the progression of players like Zaheer and Anderson to see how their careers end up in the long run. I find the concept of a player considerably improving their game on a permanent basis pretty fascinating. Ryan Harris is probably another good example. His bowling has apparently improved massively since his early days.

Howe_zat said:

'Suddenly' in the title is a touch misleading if we're talking about players like Anderson.

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Ya, should have omitted the word 'suddenly' from thread title, would make more sense I think...

Wouldnt say very good, but Vinay Kumar has done decently for someone who was a called a 10th grade trundler

Everyones favourite Ladyboy comes into this category. Looked like he wasn't going to live up to the hype and then bang over the last 8 months has been like McGrath.

Be interesting to see if this a good run or the real Broad over the next few years.

flibbertyjibber said:

Everyones favourite Ladyboy comes into this category. Looked like he wasn't going to live up to the hype and then bang over the last 8 months has been like McGrath.

Be interesting to see if this a good run or the real Broad over the next few years.

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But you poms always rated him didn't you? The question was more about players universally thought to be average just coming out of no where and being awesome.

My nomination would be Mussey.

Ruckus said:

Ryan Harris is probably another good example. His bowling has apparently improved massively since his early days.

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He started bowling about 15km/h faster halfway through his career







and it never would have happened if not for T20

Always thought Anderson was going to be a bit gun tbh so he doesn't qualify for my list here.

Broad certainly does though.

oh and scott coyte obvz

/doug bollinger

Spikey said:

oh and scott coyte obvz

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Yeah that's a good one actually. Still bowls a lot of pies but is now at least a genuine threat when he bowls good areas which wasn't really true at all not long ago.

Harris is probably the best recent example.

JHK z

most of the pakistan teams comes to mind really

Stuart Broad is an interesting case, but weren't there many who always thought 'Boy, this boy has talent. If he can slightly improve this and that he would do really well.'? I must confess that I am not one of them, I wrote him off some time ago - so he'll make my list if he goes on to continue his good show for 2-3 more years at least.

Also, as a test opener I must mention Sehwag's name. I never wrote him off as a batsman, but knew that this guy won't succeed opening in the longer version. And o man, was I wrong!

Paul Collingwood.

Vinay Kumar is a good shout, but too early to say that he has improved a lot after 3 matches. He needs to do it on a consistent basis in unfavourable conditions.

Kohli.

Abdul Rahman and Hafeez.

Straight Drive said:

Paul Collingwood.

Vinay Kumar is a good shout, but too early to say that he has improved a lot after 3 matches. He needs to do it on a consistent basis in unfavourable conditions.

Kohli.

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Agent Nationaux said:

Abdul Rahman and Hafeez.

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Collingwood never did something extraordinary to surprise me. Whenever he did well, he didn't do so well as to make me change my opinion on him (unlike Hayden, for example). He always gave the impression of a player with limited ability but good application/temperament.

Vinay Kumar is not applicable for me, as I have had him as a potential good ODI bowler who will play 20-200 ODIs for India. He'll surprise me if he does well in a few test series and/or has a Kapil Dev-esque career as an ODI bowler - which I think he won't be able to do.

Kohli no way, always had potential...

Can't comment on Rehman (didn't follow his career before the England series) but agree partly with Hafeez - he has a long way to go though...

There was a time when I despaired of Andrew Flintoff ever amounting to much

Andrew Strauss and Graeme Swann are a couple of players who spring to mind for me, Ed Cowan being another.

Scott Styris was a big one for this category, he always looks woeful until one day he just sort of got good.

Hashim Alma another one for me too.