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Who's the best Indian bowler ever?
- Thread starter BhupinderSingh
- Start date
Perm
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Tony Lock is a finger-spinner, Richard probably hates himYeah, but its interesting that you'd characterize him as superhuman. Unless of course you also consider someone like Tony Lock superhuman. And hes not even a wristspinner.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Superhuman is obviously an exaggeration, but yes anyone who can control wristspin and still spin it loads is pretty special. You can count on 2 hands those who've ever been able to do it in the post-1900 era.Yeah, but its interesting that you'd characterize him as superhuman. Unless of course you also consider someone like Tony Lock superhuman. And hes not even a wristspinner.
Tony Lock was a routine fingerspinner - he was fantastic (as were his predecessors Rhodes and Verity, his contemporary Laker and his successor Underwood) on uncovered wickets but is highly unlikely to have offered that much on covered ones.
Kumble was a great bowler ,won many matches for India , a relentless fighter ,last word for determination. But then he got pitches suit his bowling style .
Once upon a time there was a bowler who used to bowl long spells in the dead pitches during hot weather conditions without complaining ,without burning out ,without getting injured . He had no idols to follow ,no systematic training ,no exposure ,nothing .Coming from a remote village and making into the national team as the ''only '' quality bowler in the fast bowling department .
He took the huge reponsibility on his shoulders as a lone fighter ,but indeed inspired the next generation of fast bowlers giving them a ray of hope . We could see that change in the next generation.
Once upon a time there was a bowler who used to bowl long spells in the dead pitches during hot weather conditions without complaining ,without burning out ,without getting injured . He had no idols to follow ,no systematic training ,no exposure ,nothing .Coming from a remote village and making into the national team as the ''only '' quality bowler in the fast bowling department .
He took the huge reponsibility on his shoulders as a lone fighter ,but indeed inspired the next generation of fast bowlers giving them a ray of hope . We could see that change in the next generation.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
That's an interesting thing actually; I wonder how much idolatry there was from Kumble towards Bedi, Chandra, Pras and Venkat.
Sanz
Hall of Fame Member
There was a lot, esp toward Chandra.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Definitely. Many would consider him the best spinner produced by India that alone deserves a spot here.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Forgot him again, and so did BhupinderSingh.A better bowler than any of the spin quartet by common consent.
BhupinderSingh
Banned
TBH,I think I need pills to enhance my memory.I forgot to include Gupte just like I had forgotten to include Sutcliffe in the opening batsmen's poll.I did I realize my mistake,but then it was too late.
BhupinderSingh
Banned
No,he's not someone very easy to forget,I blame my memory for leaving out his name at the time of posting the poll.When you're posting a poll with so many options,its not easy to keep all names in my mind.
The Sean
Cricketer Of The Year
No worries mate - it certainly wasn't an attack on you, you've done well with both polls. 
I was talking more about the cricketing public as a rule, as a group we seem to talk a lot more about the quartet than about Gupte when discussing the greatest Indian spinners.
I was talking more about the cricketing public as a rule, as a group we seem to talk a lot more about the quartet than about Gupte when discussing the greatest Indian spinners.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
I certainly do - the quartet was the best spin-attack in history, pretty much beyond doubt, but whenever I remember about Gupte I remember that he's generally thought to have been better than the lot of them.
I mean, some estimates were that the guy had catches dropped pretty much every Test!!!!
Just imagine how effective he'd have been had he had the Solkars et al that the spin-quartet did.
I mean, some estimates were that the guy had catches dropped pretty much every Test!!!!
Just imagine how effective he'd have been had he had the Solkars et al that the spin-quartet did.
JBMAC
State Captain
India's Greatest Ever Bowler
Mohd Nissar: India's legendary fast bowler
IT WAS India's first ever test and the team was to play the colonial masters, England at Lord's in 1932. It would have been too much to expect from Indians who were playing against the country where cricket not only originated but was a way of life.
It was India's batting which seemed more formidable with Nayudu, Wazir Ali, Colah, Jehangir Khan and Naoomal. But on the first day of the match Mohd Nissar bowled with such vengeance that the great England team was restricted to just 259.
The fiery pace of this right arm fast bowler dazzled the English. It was no less than a miracle that batsmen of the calibre of Sutcliffe, Holmes, Paynter, Woolley, Hammond, Jardine and Ames (four of whom had more than 100 centuries in first class cricket).
Just a few days before the test Sutcliffe and Holmes had shared a record first wicket partnership of 555 but were both bowled by Nissar for 6 and 3.
The spectators had barely settled in their seats that Nissar, ably supported by Amar Singh, tore through the batting lineup of England.
Nissar's bolwing surprised the English. His spell of 5-93 was not only devastating but the manner in which he troubled the legendary batsmen made the critics sit and take notice.
India came to bat and could score just 189 though Naoomal, Nayudu and Wazir Ali made substantial scores. However, when England came to bat in their second innings, the Indian bowlers gave a fright to the batsmen.
Jehangir Khan took four wickets, Amar Singh had four wickets and Nissar, one. Though India lost the test, it was the Express speed of Nissar that stole the limelight. It was a befitting answer to the colonial masters.
On the entire tour he grabbed 71 wickets at an average of just 18. In the 1933-34 tour of MCC to India, Nissar's heroics were demonstrated at Brabourne where he again took five wickets in an innings.
Playing for Vizzy XI, his 9-114 was responsible for the only tour defeat of MCC. Once again he was superb with the bowl when Jack Ryder's Aussie team arrived in 1935. He took 35 wickets in 4 'tests' at an average of 13.
On the final tour to England, Nissar once again showed his tremendous ability when he redued England from 422 for 3 to 463 for 7 in just a couple of overs. He departed from international cricket thereafter.
In a match against Sind in Rancji trophy, Nissar took 6 for 17 and sent them packing for just 23. In first class cricket, Nissar secured 396 wickets at an average of 17 is enough to tell his class.
Nissar was born in Hoshiarpur in 1910. He died in Lahore in 1963. After Mohd Nissar and Amar Singh, India never had a fast bowler though medium pacers like Ghavri, Kapil and Sri Nath came on the scene. But India became a country known for its spinners.
Mohd Nissar: India's legendary fast bowler
IT WAS India's first ever test and the team was to play the colonial masters, England at Lord's in 1932. It would have been too much to expect from Indians who were playing against the country where cricket not only originated but was a way of life.
It was India's batting which seemed more formidable with Nayudu, Wazir Ali, Colah, Jehangir Khan and Naoomal. But on the first day of the match Mohd Nissar bowled with such vengeance that the great England team was restricted to just 259.
The fiery pace of this right arm fast bowler dazzled the English. It was no less than a miracle that batsmen of the calibre of Sutcliffe, Holmes, Paynter, Woolley, Hammond, Jardine and Ames (four of whom had more than 100 centuries in first class cricket).
Just a few days before the test Sutcliffe and Holmes had shared a record first wicket partnership of 555 but were both bowled by Nissar for 6 and 3.
The spectators had barely settled in their seats that Nissar, ably supported by Amar Singh, tore through the batting lineup of England.
Nissar's bolwing surprised the English. His spell of 5-93 was not only devastating but the manner in which he troubled the legendary batsmen made the critics sit and take notice.
India came to bat and could score just 189 though Naoomal, Nayudu and Wazir Ali made substantial scores. However, when England came to bat in their second innings, the Indian bowlers gave a fright to the batsmen.
Jehangir Khan took four wickets, Amar Singh had four wickets and Nissar, one. Though India lost the test, it was the Express speed of Nissar that stole the limelight. It was a befitting answer to the colonial masters.
On the entire tour he grabbed 71 wickets at an average of just 18. In the 1933-34 tour of MCC to India, Nissar's heroics were demonstrated at Brabourne where he again took five wickets in an innings.
Playing for Vizzy XI, his 9-114 was responsible for the only tour defeat of MCC. Once again he was superb with the bowl when Jack Ryder's Aussie team arrived in 1935. He took 35 wickets in 4 'tests' at an average of 13.
On the final tour to England, Nissar once again showed his tremendous ability when he redued England from 422 for 3 to 463 for 7 in just a couple of overs. He departed from international cricket thereafter.
In a match against Sind in Rancji trophy, Nissar took 6 for 17 and sent them packing for just 23. In first class cricket, Nissar secured 396 wickets at an average of 17 is enough to tell his class.
Nissar was born in Hoshiarpur in 1910. He died in Lahore in 1963. After Mohd Nissar and Amar Singh, India never had a fast bowler though medium pacers like Ghavri, Kapil and Sri Nath came on the scene. But India became a country known for its spinners.
Arjun
Cricketer Of The Year
Interesting article. This was a time when India's pace attack was respected worldwide, and then came a few nine-wicket hauls, which then led to the theory of 'play to your strengths and pick three spinners'. The theory had limited success. Which is why an all-time XI for India ideally should have both of these, along with Kapil, ahead of the spinners.
Looking at the poll, we'd have an all-time XI with a bowling attack of Kapil, Srinath, Chandra, Bedi and Kumble. It's a pity Bedi contributed nothing apart from bowling- he was, after all, one of the best spinners of his time.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Aye, my Indian lineup would be:
If you put Kumble, Bedi, Prassanna, Gupte, Chandra, etc on a dart board and picked two randomly, I wouldn't have a problem.
Though Bedi's average of 14 in the fourth innings of a Test match warrants some consideration. He was ludicrously good on pitches that turned later on, pretty much unplayable. Averages 14, with an economy rate of 1.8 and S/R of 47. On any pitch that I knew was going to turn, it would be utter stupidity to leave him out.
- Merchant
- Gavaskar
- Dravid
- Tendulkar
- Amarnath
- Kirmani
- Dev
- Kumble
- Amar Singh
- Nissar
- Prasanna
If you put Kumble, Bedi, Prassanna, Gupte, Chandra, etc on a dart board and picked two randomly, I wouldn't have a problem.
Though Bedi's average of 14 in the fourth innings of a Test match warrants some consideration. He was ludicrously good on pitches that turned later on, pretty much unplayable. Averages 14, with an economy rate of 1.8 and S/R of 47. On any pitch that I knew was going to turn, it would be utter stupidity to leave him out.
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