Kapil Dev - last 3 & quarter years

[rtmohanlal]

We all know that the great Kapil Dev has often been blamed for  going in hunt of Richard Hadlee's world record there by being selfish & spoiling his stats. But here are some data that reveal exactly the opposite. Your thoughts.

 

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30028.html?class=1;spanmin1=01+jan+1991;spanval1=span;template=results;type=allround 

 

 

[express bowling]

Kapil was criticized in his last 2 years ( after Srinath came )  and not  before that.

 

Kapil Dev in his last 2 years

 

Tests  16

Wickets  33

Wickets per test    2.06   ( very low despite playing 9 of those 16 tests outside India )

SR    84

Average   29.48

 

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30028.html?class=1;spanmin1=20+Mar+1992;spanval1=span;template=results;type=bowling

 

Kapil Dev before his last 2 years

 

Tests  115

Wickets   401

Wickets per test   3.50

SR    62.2

Average   29.66

 

 

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30028.html?class=1;spanmax1=19+Mar+1992;spanmin1=01+Jan+1978;spanval1=span;template=results;type=bowling

 

 

 

This points to the fact that,  in the last 2 years, he became very economical ( good average despite few wickets )  ,   took wickets at a very slow rate ( very high SR )   and did not take many wickets ( very low wickets per match ) .   

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2017 by express bowling

[Trichromatic]

First 30 matches 124 wickets

Next 30 matches 116 wickets

Next 30 matches 76 wickets

Next 30 matches 96 wickets

Next 11 matches 23 wickets

[rtmohanlal]

11 hours ago, express bowling said:

Kapil was criticized in his last 2 years ( after Srinath came )  and not  before that.

 

Kapil Dev in his last 2 years

 

Tests  16

Wickets  33

Wickets per test    2.06   ( very low despite playing 9 of those 16 tests outside India )

SR    84

Average   29.48

 

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30028.html?class=1;spanmin1=20+Mar+1992;spanval1=span;template=results;type=bowling

 

Kapil Dev before his last 2 years

 

Tests  115

Wickets   401

Wickets per test   3.50

SR    62.2

Average   29.66

 

 

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30028.html?class=1;spanmax1=19+Mar+1992;spanmin1=01+Jan+1978;spanval1=span;template=results;type=bowling

 

 

 

This points to the fact that,  in the last 2 years, he became very economical ( good average despite few wickets )  ,   took wickets at a very slow rate ( very high SR )   and did not take many wickets ( very low wickets per match ) .   

 

 

 

Even that criticism was unfair i feel.This was because of the following all round data in his last 2 years

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30028.html?class=1;spanmax1=17+May+1994;spanmin1=19+Mar+1992;spanval1=span;template=results;type=allround

 

a bat avg: of almost 40 & bowl avg: of 29.48.

Kapil was eligible enough to play as a batsman alone during this period.

[rtmohanlal]

Despite being a little bit more familiar with Kapil's flow of career record myself, the  stats in his last 3 & a quarter years really surprised me .

It was even better than his over all career stats both in batting & bowling. This really shows how  well he adapted  to the 'ageing factor'  in these

final years of his. When he realised that he was no longer at his very best  in striking capacity(taking wkts)  & that he couldn't take benefit much 

from the weak  support bowling unit he played along with, he became more strict with his line & length & got more economical.Thus he maintained his avg: even better than his over all career avg:

Kapil's bowling phases can be split into 4 parts.

1. first 62 tests - 247 wkts . str: rate of 54.1 & avg: of 27.7  in just 5 years & 5 months.

then came the knee injury and surgery. Kapil just ignored this and continued playing immediately.

2.the result was only 64 wkts in next non stop 26 tests(in just 2 years & 5 months).Avg:  35.95 str: rate 81.3 & econ: 2.65
(2.46 wkts/test) .

3.then a series  of 15 tests in just over 2 years where he avg:ed 27.16  with 48 wkts

4.last 28 tests  he avg:ed  32.24 by taking 75 wkts where str: rate was 81.1 & econ 2.38

 

This  flow of his stats shows what a brilliant bowler Kapil was.

In the first phase he was so brilliant despite having such heavy work load.

In the second phase his utter selfless attitude prompted him to  completely ignore his injury & play straight away.Had he taken complete rest and turned out to play again after getting his injury fully healed  would his figures been so distorted in that it went from 4 wkts/test to  2.46 wkts/test? i don't think so.

In the 3rd short phase he readjusted his  tactics to line & length bowling & avg:ed the least.Might be it was here that  he would have been returning to  'fully  recoverd from injury' condition.

After that ageing factor caught up with him.

In one one comparisons with Imran, even great admirers of Kapil are not ready to give enough importance to the 3 factors that affected Kapil's bowl avg:  considerably 1. longevity 2. heavy work load(especially reflected in his attitude  of straight away playing with out fully recovering from injury) 3. lack of adequate  support bowling.