Javagal Srinath: One in a billion

[rkt.india]

Do not let facts ruin their fun. :giggle: Serious question for my Indian friends, if Srinath was so quick in that time - why did the whole world regard him as being a fast medium bowler? I am in my mid 40s - I watched much cricket in the period he played, and frankly, he never looked truly fast like Donald or Younis or Bishop for example. :two_thumbs_up:

Why listen to people? Watch his bowling videos of 96 England tour on youtube and see if he was quick or not.

[gattaca]

"In 1998, Australia toured India and for the first time on Indian soil the speed guns were to be a fixture. The Indian press chose to give the speed battle between Glenn McGrath and Srinath top billing but most so-called 'experts' at the time found this to be bordering on the insane." McGrath didnt tour india in 1998.

The comparison was from 99 World Cup. http://manmathdeshpande.blogspot.com/2014/06/javagal-srinath-how-quick-was-he-real.html?m=1

[kosingh]

Exclude Zimbabwe and see what Vaas averages.

29.86 excluding Zimbabwe. Pretty much the same whether you exclude Zimbabwe or not.

[rkt.india]

29.86 excluding Zimbabwe. Pretty much the same whether you exclude Zimbabwe or not.

Excluse Zim ad BD, Vaas averages 30.13. So, it isnt different from Srinath?

[kubrickian]

If Srinath had played in Aus, Eng, SA conditions, he would have averaged under 25 easily. Indian pitches are rank turners where seamers mostly exist just to take the shine off the new ball and spinners come in to play. Whatever damage seamers could do is with the new ball and then with reverse swing with the older ball for a few overs and majority of wickets are picked by spinners. Despite that, he managed to be one of the best fast bowlers. To make my point clear, Kumble got 619 wickets, Harbhajan picked 400+ wickets in tests. Even Ashwin who started his career recently got 100+ wickets in tests. How many teams have spinners who picked these number of wickets ? Pakistan dont have a single spinner who picked 300 wickets in tests. Despite pitches being flat in Pakistan and UAE compared to England or Australia, they are still more conducive to fast bowlers than India or Sri Lanka. The nature of pitches dictates the type of players you produce and type of cricket you play.

[rkt.india]

If Srinath had played in Aus' date=' Eng, SA conditions, he would have averaged under 25 easily. y.[/quote'] FYI, he has better record in India than overseas. Our fast bowlers lacked the knowledge of how to bowl in overseas conditions. They know how to take wickets in home conditions.

[kubrickian]

FYI' date=' he has better record in India than overseas. Our fast bowlers lacked the knowledge of how to bowl in overseas conditions. They know how to take wickets in home conditions.[/quote'] That's because of unfamiliarity of conditions because they dont play regularly there. India play in Aus or Eng every 4 years or so. If you bowl regularly there, you will know how to use the conditions better. Conditions in Eng, SA, Aus are completely conducive to seamers whereas Indian conditions are conducive to spinners. This is common knowledge.

[rkt.india]

That's because of unfamiliarity of conditions because they dont play regularly there. India play in Aus or Eng every 4 years or so. If you bowl regularly there' date= you will know how to use the conditions better. Conditions in Eng, SA, Aus are completely conducive to seamers whereas Indian conditions are conducive to spinners. This is common knowledge.

Yes that is the reason. They develop bowling styles that suit their home conditions. The ones who does well all over becomes greats.

[Temujin Khaghan]

whats the use of bowling fast if you dont have an aggressive body language? scott styris and ganguly had better body language as trundlers than the fast bowling srinath aaquib javed once said that srinath was faster than him by 10mph but couldnt make the batsman feel the pressure of a crippling injury which a real dominating fast bowler should. how many of you remember srinath apologizing to ponting when the ball whisked past his helmet and punter shooing him off?

[Gambit]

He bowled the second fastest delivery, after Akhtar, in the 1999 World Cup as well.

[kubrickian]

whats the use of bowling fast if you dont have an aggressive body language? scott styris and ganguly had better body language as trundlers than the fast bowling srinath aaquib javed once said that srinath was faster than him by 10mph but couldnt make the batsman feel the pressure of a crippling injury which a real dominating fast bowler should. how many of you remember srinath apologizing to ponting when the ball whisked past his helmet and punter shooing him off?

Dont be a moron. His body language earned him 236 test wickets and he was the fastest Indian bowler. Not everyone has to behave like a goon to get wickets.

[CG]

Srinath was not a fast bowler he was fast medium may be in a season he cranked it up and in spells he would and others he would ask mongia to come closer he sure was a thinking bowler.Fastest indian bowlers are aaron and yadav easily.

[express bowling]

E

Srinath barely bowled a ball above 135km's in the 1999 test series in Aus too.

That is not true. I watched almost all deliveries by Srinath in that series. He was almost always between 135 k to 142 k. This was after he had reduced his pace distinctly after his rotator cuff surgery. He was still as quick or quicker than other similar aged pacers of that time. Don't compare him to young guys at that time.

[sweetaskandy]

Why listen to people? Watch his bowling videos of 96 England tour on youtube and see if he was quick or not.

I did watch it - live at the time on tv. I have been in the UK since 1990. He had a faster ball - but he was a 135-140k bowler on the average. I watched Srinath bowl many times. He was not express. :two_thumbs_up:

[sweetaskandy]

Srinath was not a fast bowler he was fast medium may be in a season he cranked it up and in spells he would and others he would ask mongia to come closer he sure was a thinking bowler.Fastest indian bowlers are aaron and yadav easily.

This is the truth. Quicker ball - maybe even a a spell - but consistently not quick.

[express bowling]

"In 1998, Australia toured India and for the first time on Indian soil the speed guns were to be a fixture. The Indian press chose to give the speed battle between Glenn McGrath and Srinath top billing but most so-called 'experts' at the time found this to be bordering on the insane." McGrath didnt tour india in 1998.

This article has mixed up the year. Speed guns were regularly used from 1999. This pace " showdown " between Srinath and McGrath happened during the 1999 world cup. Speeds were published in miles. Srinath's fastest was 93 mph. McGrath's fastest was 88 mph. I rate McGrath to be a far better bowler than Srinath ......but Srinath was quicker. Both these pacers were very bouncy. McGrath was far more verbally aggressive though.

[express bowling]

I did watch it - live at the time on tv. I have been in the UK since 1990. He had a faster ball - but he was a 135-140k bowler on the average. I watched Srinath bowl many times. He was not express. :two_thumbs_up:

He was never an express bowler.... meaning he did not bowl 150 k deliveries at will. Like a younger Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee used to. Or a Jeff Thompson in his peak years. Even Johnson is rarely express barring a few matches. But, between 1992 to 1997, he was FAST . We can't be sure of the exact pace as speed guns were not used most of the times but he was distinctly quicker than his post operation years .... when he was bowling 135 to 142 k. That is the time you are talking about .... when speedguns were being regularly used.... Srinath's post operation years when he was distinctly slower. One cannot know exactly but during his prime ......1992 to 1997.... Srinath looked 135 to 148 k consistently.

[sweetaskandy]

I said he had a quicker ball and maybe good keep the pace for a short spell. But he was not a 'full time' fast bowler. FM with some quicker moments.

[express bowling]

You are wrong.

[sweetaskandy]

Ok - me and the entire world is wrong and just the bias Indian fans are right. All our eyes lied to us for these years, we saw a bowler getting tap whilst you saw the same man beat all with his express pace. :hysterical: