Who is the most skillful bowler?

[smash84]

After 2021 WTC Final
Many people criticized bumrah and doubted his ability to swing the ball in english condition.

I mean Bumrah does have swing, it is not that he doesn't but Wasim was a master of swing. Heck, he was called the "Sultan of Swing" precisely because he could swing both the new and old balls in both directions so well.

 

[sayon basak]

So you mean wasim was stupidly swinging it around?

I don't know why, but this sounds funny.

 

[subshakerz]

So you mean wasim was stupidly swinging it around?

No but his bowling IQ wasn't as high as others. He himself admitted early career he was taking instructions from Imran every ball, and he wrote in his own book that he often didn't know what ball would be next as he is bowling. He stated in an interview once on dead pitches he would often just go through the motions of bowling outside off robotically.

He had all the tools but wasn't a mastermind. And this was clear watching him ball. He wasn't trapping bats in some plan based on reading them, he was bedazzling them with swing.

 

[smash84]

I don't know why, but that sounds funny.

Because that was also the first thing that sprung to my mind after subs comment.

 

[smash84]

No but his bowling IQ wasn't as high as others. He himself admitted early career he was taking instructions from Imran every ball, and he wrote in his own book that he often didn't know what ball would be next as he is bowling. He stated in an interview once on dead pitches he would often just go through the motions of bowling outside off robotically.

He had all the tools but wasn't a mastermind. And this was clear watching him ball. He wasn't trapping bats in some plan based on reading them, he was bedazzling them with swing.

That was just in the beginning of his career. He picked it up later and then was the best at swing that there was.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

If not Barnes it would be

1. Hadlee
2. Wasim
3. Murali

 

[Johan]

@sayon basak @capt_Luffy I reckon when Barnes and Herbie met here in 1928/29, there must've been a serious "well, hello again old friend" vibe.

 

[vidiq]

No one has voted for Jimmy Anderson

"Anderson first bowler who could bowl 'reverse' reverse swing ": - Sachin Tendulkar

 

[sayon basak]

No one has voted for Jimmy Anderson

"Anderson first bowler who could bowl 'reverse' reverse swing ": - Sachin Tendulkar

Yeah he was very skillful. Could swing the ball both ways from over the wicket, and then could come round the wicket to bowl away swingers to the left hander, almost like a left armer. But he wasn't nearly as skillful as some of these bowlers tho.

Regarding Tendulkar's quote, yeah he did say that, but I couldn't find actual footage of Anderson bowling away going reversers to Sachin. He definitely bowled it, and pretty sure Stokes also did it as well.

 

[sayon basak]

Shane Bond deserves some mentions imo. Had express speed, along with a stock inswing delivery. Could swing the ball away too, although that wasn't his main weapon. Could seam it off the pitch as well, along with great yorkers and nasty bouncers.

 

[vidiq]

Yeah he was very skillful. Could swing the ball both ways from over the wicket, and then could come round the wicket to bowl away swingers to the left hander, almost like a left armer. But he wasn't nearly as skillful as some of these bowlers tho.

Regarding Tendulkar's quote, yeah he did say that, but I couldn't find actual footage of Anderson bowling away going reversers to Sachin. He definitely bowled it, and pretty sure Stokes also did it as well.

This one?

Sachin Tendulkar bold by Jimmy Anderson

Sachin Tendulkar bold by Jimmy Anderson

youtube.com

 

[sayon basak]

This one?

Sachin Tendulkar bold by Jimmy Anderson

Sachin Tendulkar bold by Jimmy Anderson

youtube.com

The footage? it was 11-2 when Anderson dismissed him, so I'd assume the ball wasn't old enough to reverse yet.

 

[Thala_0710]

Yeah he was very skillful. Could swing the ball both ways from over the wicket, and then could come round the wicket to bowl away swingers to the left hander, almost like a left armer. But he wasn't nearly as skillful as some of these bowlers tho.

Regarding Tendulkar's quote, yeah he did say that, but I couldn't find actual footage of Anderson bowling away going reversers to Sachin. He definitely bowled it, and pretty sure Stokes also did it as well.

Regarding just swing, Anderson might even be ahead of Akram. But he doesn't have the seam, pace, bounce etc. and other skills to be able to match the ATG pacers being talked about.

 

[subshakerz]

That was just in the beginning of his career. He picked it up later and then was the best at swing that there was.

No the comment in his book was 97. And on dead pitches was later.

I don't think it's controversial to say he wasn't a thinking mans bowler who focused on batsmens weaknesses.

 

[reyrey]

Pace bowling is more a genetic/natural talent, and a pace bowler who does nothing with the ball (has minimal skill) is still a hell of a lot more dangerous than a slow bowler who does nothing with the ball.

Based on that I'm ruling out pace bowlers so that leaves slow bowlers and Warne (maybe Barnes)

 

[smash84]

No the comment in his book was 97. And on dead pitches was later.

I don't think it's controversial to say he wasn't a thinking mans bowler who focused on batsmens weaknesses.

You have to see some of his insane setups of batsmen to know he was a thinking bowler.

Rahul Dravid in India in 99 is Exhibit A

 

[subshakerz]

You have to see some of his insane setups of batsmen to know he wasn't a thinking bowler.

Rahul Dravid in India in 99 is Exhibit A

Of course he was a thinking bowler to have got that many wickets but not Marshall or Bumrah level to consistently outthink bats.

I mean 99 Dravid it was more a setup of brilliant swing ability to pull off but it wasn't the greatest trap I have seen. I don't think Wasim even meant for that to hit offstump but for him to nick it.

 

[reyrey]

For what it's worth in an old Sky Sports documentary on Wasim and Waqar, Wasim said the one who was bowling would typically take instructions on which ball to bowl from the other.

Might just have been said for the documentary though and to show they got on more than people thought.

 

[subshakerz]

For what it's worth in an old Sky Sports documentary on Wasim and Waqar, Wasim said the one who was bowling would typically take instructions on which ball to bowl from the other.

Might just have been said for the documentary though and to show they got on more than people thought.

That must be those periods of their career when they were on speaking terms.

 

[smash84]

Of course he was a thinking bowler to have got that many wickets but not Marshall or Bumrah level to consistently outthink bats.

I mean 99 Dravid it was more a setup of brilliant swing ability to pull off but it wasn't the greatest trap I have seen. I don't think Wasim even meant for that to hit offstump but for him to nick it.

What does this even mean?

And I remember wasim saying that Dravid 99 was one of his perfect executions. So I guess he did want to get him out bowled.