Migara
International Coach
When Kapil retired, he was still the third best pace bowler in the country, after Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble.

When Kapil retired, he was still the third best pace bowler in the country, after Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble.
Shouldn't have used the term 'too long' regarding Kapil. There as nothing too long about his stay. He was a great servant of Indian cricket.Think the point is that if India's dearth of seam-bowling in the early-1990s wasn't so abysmally dear, Kapil would have been able to retire without going on so long past his outstanding time.
Sanz ! What happened to you ?When Kapil retired, he was still the third best pace bowler in the country, after Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble.
Kapil looking at himself in the mirror and being happy with his career is more important in the end than whatever stats one wants to use.Welllllllll... no it's not TBH.![]()
Agreed. If a player chooses to leave even when he's good enough, because he isn't playing at a level he expects of himself and hence doesn't want to continue, of course his decision must be respected.HOWEVER, I'm never sorry to see a player leave even if they're still in their team's best XI, if they wish to avoid risking getting any worse than the level they want to perform at. Each player is different in his wishes. Some prefer to wring every last drop from their play and don't care if they end-up with a few games at the end with nothing left to give.
Of course it is. But bowling averages aren't the only numbers invovled in cricket.Kapil looking at himself in the mirror and being happy with his career is more important in the end than whatever stats one wants to use.
That's what I thought too . He was amazing to watch on those flat tracks . I was so surprized to see him swinging the ball at a speed atleast 20-30 km less than Wasim Akram and Imran Khan . His ability to hit sixes was amazing too. A far better batsman than all the other tailender batsmen of that time .A few statistics about his peak bowling period from September 1979 to the end of 1983. He played in 49 tests and took 207 wickets at 26 with 17 5-wicket hauls. 11 of those tests were against the West Indies in 1983 and he averaged an amazing 21 with the ball against them.
There are very,very few bowlers in the history of the game who could have done what he did in those years in the kind of circumstances he had to bowl in.
yes, and it is sad that ppl rate him as a 'good bowler' and not an 'out-standing' bowler as he wasA few statistics about his peak bowling period from September 1979 to the end of 1983. He played in 49 tests and took 207 wickets at 26 with 17 5-wicket hauls. 11 of those tests were against the West Indies in 1983 and he averaged an amazing 21 with the ball against them.
There are very,very few bowlers in the history of the game who could have done what he did in those years in the kind of circumstances he had to bowl in.
He wanted the record, He was bowling well enough, He was batting well enough.There was no one better to replace him.He obviously wanted Richard Hadlee's record. The interesting thing is that in each of his last 4 years he averaged below 30; he was actually lowering his career average at this point though he wasn't getting too many wickets. And he still averaged 30 with the bat so he was clearly contributing to the team. Even purely as a bowler in his final years he was probably good enough to play for most sides today.
One thing to be honest ! He was the fittest in sub-continent regardless he being the 4th best bowler bowling along with Wasim , Imran and a young Srinath .He wanted the record, He was bowling well enough, He was batting well enough.There was no one better to replace him.
Who cares what the Statsguru says. He is arguably India's finest Cricketer ever and certainly the biggest its work horse. We used him like an OX.
So Waqar was the 5th best then ?One thing to be honest ! He was the fittest in sub-continent regardless he being the 4th best bowler bowling along with Wasim , Imran and a young Srinath .
were Imran and Botham tailenders?That's what I thought too . He was amazing to watch on those flat tracks . I was so surprized to see him swinging the ball at a speed atleast 20-30 km less than Wasim Akram and Imran Khan . His ability to hit sixes was amazing too. A far better batsman than all the other tailender batsmen of that time .
Yeah, absolutely. People look at the fact he was bowling at, my guess from looking at him, probably little more than 70mph and say he looked a bit of a joke. But still he was taking wickets at an acceptable average.Even purely as a bowler in his final years he was probably good enough to play for most sides today.
Struggle to see how his peak could have surpassed the careers of Lindwall, Davidson at least. I never saw the man so i wouldn't stand by this point with any certainty but the likes of Garth McKenize, McDermott & modern day Lee are bowlers who best years i feel were better than Dev or comparable.If he played for,say, Australia his record would have been much better and I suspect he would be considered their third best quick after Lillee and McGrath in the last 35 years.
lee-best years in test are you nuts,if any of these bowlers would have toiled even for 1 season in dead sub continent tracks,they would be slow medium pacers when they ended,the man never got injured inspite playing,show some respect manStruggle to see how his peak could have surpassed the careers of Lindwall, Davidson at least. I never saw the man so i wouldn't stand by this point with any certainty but the likes of Garth McKenize, McDermott & modern day Lee are bowlers who best years i feel were better than Dev or comparable.