Most successful bowler-captain

[CricAddict]

We have seen that bowler captains are quite rare in cricket and also a bit more tough if being a pace bowler. Who do you think is the most successful pace bowler-captain in cricket all time?

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Chris Woakes captained the England Lions to a great triumph away in Sri Lanka in a 3 match unofficial Test series vs Sri Lanka A.

I expect he's the first player most of us think of for this topic.

 

[cnerd123]

Kapil Dev and Imran Khan both won world cups, so that's the starting point.

 

[the big bambino]

cnerd scoring a ko on the thread a few short posts in.

 

[Victor Ian]

cnerd scoring a ko on the thread a few short posts in.

No. The title didn't mention odi's so we are taking about tests.

Edit:. He could still be right, but not on the basis of ODIs. Here the list to consider.

A brief and successful history of fast-bowling captains | cricket.com.au

History indicates any concern that Pat Cummins the bowler will be weighed down, should he be named...

www.cricket.com.au

 

[Starfighter]

I don't give much of a toss about captaincy records because they have a lot of luck (see Brearley, J.M.) but I remember digging some stats a few years ago showing bowing captains often averaged better when captain, whereas batting captains did not.

 

[ataraxia]

I don't give much of a toss about captaincy records because they have a lot of luck (see Brearley, J.M.) but I remember digging some stats a few years ago showing bowing captains often averaged better when captain, whereas batting captains did not.

Interesting. You'd be well-placed to judge so how much do you reckon that is due to bowptains bowling themselves at opportune times?

 

[Starfighter]

Interesting. You'd be well-placed to judge so how much do you reckon that is due to bowptains bowling themselves at opportune times?

Who knows? You can't tell much from highlights. I think people try to invent reasons as to why things aren't as they expect.

I found the post and it turns out I didn't do batting stats.

 

[Coronis]

Kapil Dev and Imran Khan both won world cups, so that's the starting point.

I thought they were all rounders

 

[Fuller Pilch]

There was a captain who took 92 test wickets and 195 ODI wickets and had a test winning % of 70+%.

 

[Burgey]

I thought they were all rounders

They were

 

[Migara]

If all rounders are allowed it would be Imran and Sobers.

If only fast bowlers are allowed, that would be Walsh.

 

[smash84]

If all rounders are allowed it would be Imran and Sobers.

If only fast bowlers are allowed, that would be Walsh.

Sobers wasn't a very good captain though. Lost more matches than he won.

 

[Ashes81]

I don't give much of a toss about captaincy records because they have a lot of luck (see Brearley, J.M.) but I remember digging some stats a few years ago showing bowing captains often averaged better when captain, whereas batting captains did not.

Why are you singling out Brearley as a lucky captain?

He was very good tactically and was also an exceptional man manager who got the best out of key players, most notably Willis and Botham.

That's not luck, it's very good captaincy.

 

[Starfighter]

Why are you singling out Brearley as a lucky captain?

He never captained a series against the West Indies while he did against an Australia team much more weakened by WSC than England. even in 1977 and 1981 Australia were missing lynchpin players (Lillee and Chappell respectively). He did against a full strength Australia side in 79/80 and got whitewashed. There's more as well but suffice to say he had an easer run than might have been possible. That was luck.

 

[Ashes81]

He never captained a series against the West Indies while he did against an Australia team much more weakened by WSC than England. even in 1977 and 1981 Australia were missing lynchpin players (Lillee and Chappell respectively). He did against a full strength Australia side in 79/80 and got whitewashed. There's more as well but suffice to say he had an easer run than might have been possible. That was luck.

Complete nonsense my view.

Brearley was an outstanding g captain and is widely recognised as such.

To say he was lucky in 77 and 81 because you had a key player missing is laughable. Key players miss series all the time, particularly bowlers.

To say Brearley was lucky because Chappell was missing in 81 is like saying Pat Cummings was a lucky captain in last years Ashes because we were without Jofra Archer.

We lost in 79/80 because Australia were a much better side than us and no captain who has ever lived could have turned that series around.

If you read any analysis of the greatest cricket captains, Brearley's name will usually feature.

 

[Line and Length]

I rank Benaud as one of the best bowler/captains.

 

[Burgey]

Complete nonsense my view.

Brearley was an outstanding g captain and is widely recognised as such.

To say he was lucky in 77 and 81 because you had a key player missing is laughable. Key players miss series all the time, particularly bowlers.

To say Brearley was lucky because Chappell was missing in 81 is like saying Pat Cummings was a lucky captain in last years Ashes because we were without Jofra Archer.

We lost in 79/80 because Australia were a much better side than us and no captain who has ever lived could have turned that series around.

If you read any analysis of the greatest cricket captains, Brearley's name will usually feature.

Your argument has merit re 81 but not 77. That Aus side was arguably the weakest ever turned out (it or 85/86).

 

[Midwinter]

The Big Ship -
Would Warwick make the list ?