Who was the greatest left-handed cricketer after Gary Sobers?

[Harsh Thakor]

Without doubt Gary Sobers was simply in another league from any left-hand cricketer if not any cricketer .However who was closest or 2nd to him.This is my order below

 

1.Wasim Akram

2.Brian Lara

3.Adam Gilchrist

4.Graeme Pollock

5.Clive Lloyd

6.Alan Border

7.Alan Davidson

8.Kumar Sangakaara

8.Bishen Bedi

9.Kumar Sangakaara

10.David Gower

11.Neil Harvey

12Sannath Jayasuriya

13.Saed Anwar

14.Graeme Smith

15.Saurav Ganguly

 

Wasim at the top because he was virtually the magician of fast bowling taking its' wizardry to heights unexplored and having a phenomeal combined haul of scalps in tests and ODI's.He also won or saved games with the bat.

 

Lara was in terms of genius as a batsmen the equal of what Wasim was with the ball who traversed regions  in batting as arguably  none else.No batsmen had such a penchant for amassing huge scores.A whisker below Wasim because he did not have Akram's all-round skills with both ball and bat and as succesful in ODI's and tests.

 

Gilchrist was the great set match-winner of his day who matched the domination of a Viv Richards.Created the impact of adynamite exploding in full flow and averegaged an incredible 60 +average for the 1st half of his career.

 

Graeme Pollock was in the Lara class as a batsmen. but was never given a chance to reveal his complete potential.A master in any conditions.

 

 

Clive Loyd as a leader and a player was instrumental in defining a new epoch in West Indies  cricket making his nation arguably the most invincible side ever.Loyd even overshadowed the great Viv Richards often in a crisis and revealed phenomenal consistency even in his last 4 years .Played some of the best innings against sustained pace like down under in 1975-76.

 

 

Alan Border was the best or ultimate batsmen to bat for your life in his era and statistically the best batsmen of his era.Also one of the best skippers of all time who laid the base for Australia to emerge as one of the greatest cricketing sides ever by ressurecting their status as world tset champions.Displayed the same patience in knitting a bunch of scattered but talented individuals as with the bat.

 

 

 

Alan Davidson was the equivalent of a Wasim Akram of his era and a better batsmen.Very quick and economical with a great action.

 

 

Kumar Sangakaara was a statistical giant surpassing even Gilchrist or even Lara in that respect and was close to the best batsmen in the world.

 

Bishen Bedi was arguably the most complete of all spinners of his time with the most perfect arm action.In unhelpful conditions better than Derek Underwood.Instrumental in many a famous win for India beit against  West Indies,England ,New Zealand or Australia.

 

David Gower literally took cricketing grace to regions of divinity with his golden touch.A master against great pace or on bouncy surfaces.No batsmen was as effortless in executing strokes.

 

Neil Harvey morally was in the class of a batsmen who averaged above 50 with his mastery on bad wickets like when scoring an unbeaten 151 in an epic match-winning run chase in the 4th innings v South Africa .

 

Sannath Jayasuriya gave the art of opening an innings anew dimension in ODI cricket in the 1996 world cup and played some of cricket's most squash buckling innings.

 

Saed Anwar was one of the most explosive openers ever but never executed his strokes at the cost of feline grace.On his day could sit with the gods of olympus.

 

Graeme Smith wasa an epitome of skill both a leader and batsmen who played a major role in the Proteas emerging as the worlds no 1 test side.

 

Suarav Ganguly was one of the most dynamic cricketers ever to emerge from Asia who gave Indian cricket a new face after his emergence .To me India's no1 captain ,ahead of Dhoni .

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2019 by Harsh Thakor

[Khota]

33 minutes ago, Harsh Thakor said:

 

Saed Anwar was one of the most explosive openers ever but never executed his strokes at the cost of feline grace.On his day could sit with the gods of olympus.

 

 

 

 

 

He was good but enough is enough.

 

Getting back to your original question I would say Lara.

[Harsh Thakor]

1 minute ago, Khota said:

He was good but enough is enough.

 

Getting back to your original question I would say Lara.

You are right.He could well be at no 1 as he was Wasim's equal in terms of talent and a better performer in test cricket.Adding ODI'S i put Wasim ahead by a whisker.

[sandeep]

Saeed Anwar believes that he lost his daughter's life due to his actions related to match-fixing.  He has turned into a 'born again' muslim after this.  

 

Just because the corrupt inept PCB did not punish him, does not absolve him of his crimes.  He does not belong on any list of 'greatest' cricketers.  Just like Azhar, despite his brilliance with bat in hand, doesn't belong in any such list.

[Gollum]

Majid Khan in front of a mirror.

[putrevus]

4 minutes ago, sandeep said:

Saeed Anwar believes that he lost his daughter's life due to his actions related to match-fixing.  He has turned into a 'born again' muslim after this.  

 

Just because the corrupt inept PCB did not punish him, does not absolve him of his crimes.  He does not belong on any list of 'greatest' cricketers.  Just like Azhar, despite his brilliance with bat in hand, doesn't belong in any such list.

Is that true, I did not know he had any role in match fixing??? I knew he turned to his religion after his daughter's death.

[maniac]

Adam Gilchrist. There are greats and then there are players who change the game itself. 

 

Actually Gilchrist is on par with sobers 

[philcric]

I'd rather watch Majid Khan in the mirror than average cricketers like Lara and Gilly.

 

 

[maniac]

1 minute ago, philcric said:

I'd rather watch Majid Khan in the mirror than average cricketers like Lara and Gilly.

 

 

Don’t worry. There is always Wasim Raja as mentioned in the list

[Gollum]

No love for Alan Davidson? Akram was poor in tests for ATG standards, also feasted a lot on lower order batsmen. And then the blatant tampering...

[Gollum]

2 minutes ago, philcric said:

I'd rather watch Majid Khan in the mirror than average cricketers like Lara and Gilly.

 

 

At last someone agrees with me.

[raki05]

29 minutes ago, Khota said:

He was good but enough is enough.

 

Getting back to your original question I would say Lara.

Yuvraj is much more explosive than maulana anwar

[raki05]

1 hour ago, Harsh Thakor said:

Without doubt Gary Sobers was simply in another league from any left-hand cricketer if not any cricketer .However who was closest or 2nd to him.This is my order below

 

1.Wasim Akram

2.Brian Lara

3.Adam Gilchrist

4.Graeme Pollock

5.Clive Lloyd

6.Alan Border

7.Alan Davidson

8.Bishen Bedi

9.David Gower

10.Neil Harvey

11.Sannath Jayasuriya

12.Saed Anwar

 

Wasim at the top because he was virtually the magician of fast bowling taking its' wizardry to heights unexplored and having a phenomeal combined haul of scalps in tests and ODI's.He also won or saved games with the bat.

 

Lara was in terms of genius as a batsmen the equal of what Wasim was with the ball who traversed regions  in batting as arguably  none else.No batsmen had such a penchant for amassing huge scores.A whisker below Wasim because he did not have Akram's all-round skills with both ball and bat and as succesful in ODI's and tests.

 

Gilchrist was the great set match-winner of his day who matched the domination of a Viv Richards.Created the impact of adynamite exploding in full flow and averegaged an incredible 60 +average for the 1st half of his career.

 

Graeme Pollock was in the Lara class as a batsmen. but was never given a chance to reveal his complete potential.A master in any conditions.

 

 

Clive Loyd as a leader and a player was instrumental in defining a new epoch in West Indies  cricket making his nation arguably the most invincible side ever.Loyd even overshadowed the great Viv Richards often in a crisis and revealed phenomenal consistency even in his last 4 years .Played some of the best innings against sustained pace like down under in 1975-76.

 

 

Alan Border was the best or ultimate batsmen to bat for your life in his era and statistically the best batsmen of his era.Also one of the best skippers of all time who laid the base for Australia to emerge as one of the greatest cricketing sides ever by ressurecting their status as world tset champions.Displayed the same patience in knitting a bunch of scattered but talented individuals as with the bat.

 

 

 

Alan Davidson was the equivalent of a Wasim Akram of his era and a better batsmen.Very quick and economical with a great action.

 

Bishen Bedi was arguably the most complete of all spinners of his time with the most perfect arm action.In unhelpful conditions better than Derek Underwood.Instrumental in many a famous win for India beit against  West Indies,England ,New Zealand or Australia.

 

David Gower literally took cricketing grace to regions of divinity with his golden touch.A master against great pace or on bouncy surfaces.No batsmen was as effortless in executing strokes.

 

Neil Harvey morally was in the class of a batsmen who averaged above 50 with his mastery on bad wickets like when scoring an unbeaten 151 in an epic match-winning run chase in the 4th innings v South Africa .

 

Sannath Jayasuriya gave the art of opening an innings anew dimension in ODI cricket in the 1996 world cup and played some of cricket's most squash buckling innings.

 

Saed Anwar was one of the most explosive openers ever but never executed his strokes at the cost of feline grace.On his day could sit with the gods of olympus.

 

 

 

 

 

Where is my favorite cricketer majid khan. Though he never played with left hand, had he played these no name cricketers in your list would have ashamed of their achievement.

Edited May 22, 2019 by raki05

[Harsh Thakor]

19 minutes ago, Gollum said:

No love for Alan Davidson? Akram was poor in tests for ATG standards, also feasted a lot on lower order batsmen. And then the blatant tampering...

No doubt very great,better btasmen and statistically better test cricketer than Wasim in all-round sense.

[Laaloo]

Majid khan batting lefty 

[maniac]

6 hours ago, Harsh Thakor said:

No doubt very great,better btasmen and statistically better test cricketer than Wasim in all-round sense.

You said cricketer? How is Akram a more path breaking cricketer than Adam Gilchrist. 

 

Akram at best is the top 5-10 fast bowlers ever. Great player no doubt. 

 

But as a keeper-bat Gilchrist is the benchmark. He is like the Bradman equivalent of keeper-bats.

 

How is he not the greatest left handed cricketer of all time?

Edited May 22, 2019 by maniac

[First class]

6 hours ago, sandeep said:

Saeed Anwar believes that he lost his daughter's life due to his actions related to match-fixing.  He has turned into a 'born again' muslim after this.  

 

Just because the corrupt inept PCB did not punish him, does not absolve him of his crimes.  He does not belong on any list of 'greatest' cricketers.  Just like Azhar, despite his brilliance with bat in hand, doesn't belong in any such list.

You just made this up, never heard this before, pure jealousy . 

[sandeep]

15 minutes ago, First class said:

You just made this up, never heard this before, pure jealousy . 

"jealousy"? of what exactly? The length of his beard?  I could care less buddy, I just have very little time for guys who betrayed the game we love.  

 

Anwar was a decent bat who had his moments in the sun - he was one of the best that Pakistan had.  I can understand that its difficult when the 'stars' you look up to, are exposed.  I was a huge Azhar fan in my younger years.  I was devastated when I found out about him.  I know you probably feel compelled to "defend" him, especially since the criticism is coming from an "enemy" fan.  But it is what it is.  

[Harsh Thakor]

1 hour ago, maniac said:

You said cricketer? How is Akram a more path breaking cricketer than Adam Gilchrist. 

 

Akram at best is the top 5-10 fast bowlers ever. Great player no doubt. 

 

But as a keeper-bat Gilchrist is the benchmark. He is like the Bradman equivalent of keeper-bats.

 

How is he not the greatest left handed cricketer of all time?

Wasim Akram is the  most complete or talented of all paceman and also an accomplished batsmen.Gichrist was a great match winner as s bat but not the most skilled of keepers.Very close but I feel even Lara shades Gilly with his staggering achievements with the bat.ofcourse Gilly the most explosive.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Harsh Thakor

[Rightarmfast]

1 hour ago, Harsh Thakor said:

Wasim Akram is the  most complete or talented of all paceman and also an accomplished batsmen.Gichrist was a great match winner as s bat but not the most skilled of keepers.Very close but I feel even Lara shades Gilly with his staggering achievements with the bat.ofcourse Gilly the most explosive.

Lara, even on his worst day was as good, if not better than wasim akram. Wasim akram's strike rate against top order bats is pathetic. He was a vulture against tail enders. Theres no way you can put Lara below akram!