Bowlers with worse stats than Ishant Sharma

[akshayxyz]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/826053.html Ishant Sharma has taken 187 wickets in 61 Tests, at an average of nearly 40, and managed only six five-wicket hauls. Does anyone have worse figures than this?

Of the 171 bowlers who have now taken 100 or more Test wickets, there are 11 with worse averages than Ishant Sharma's, which is currently 37.30. Easily the worst of all the 100-wicket men is the West Indian allrounder Carl Hooper (114 at 49.42), and then come Nicky Boje (South Africa; 100 at 42.65), Ravi Shastri (India; 151 at 40.96), Mohammad Rafique (Bangladesh; 100 at 40.76), Ashley Giles (England; 143 at 40.60), Doug Wright (England; 108 at 39.11), John Emburey (England; 147 at 37.87), Paul Harris (South Africa; 103 at 37.87), Fidel Edwards (West Indies; 165 at 37.87), Dilhara Fernando (Sri Lanka; 100 at 37.84) and Phil Tufnell (England; 121 at 37.68). Most of them are spinners, apart from Edwards and Fernando. As for five-wicket hauls, the only bowlers to have taken more wickets than Sharma with fewer five-fors are Andrew Flintoff (226 wickets, but only three five-wicket hauls) and Jacques Kallis (292 and five). Garry Sobers (235 wickets) and Morne Morkel (currently 217) also took six five-fors.

He is in elite company.

[Marut]

If he is doing this at the peak of his prowess, imagine where he would end up at the age of 33-34. Assuming he plays that long and does not improve from here, at ten tests per year, he would finish with 140 tests, 400 wickets at an average of 45! Inspite of all this, he is still one of our best bowlers. Most of our bowlers are spray guns, Ishant bowls decently compared to them.

[Cricket_Hacker]

Mohammad Sami

[maniac]

It's unfair to judge Ishant based solely on stats. He has played on some lifeless pattas,hence the inflated average....when the pitch had some juice,he was India's best bowlers by some margin. The reason why the 2 W's and the 2 C's have such good averages is because of the support bowlers.....I am not saying Ishant is in their league..he is not in the league of Zaheer either but one must consider,Zak has a wonderful average because during Zak's golden period,he had Sreeshanth,RP,Bhajji and even Ishant stepping up in their roles. In Eng and Aus 2011,everyone sucked that is where the spiral in his average began. In Nz AND Eng 2014 he was a different bowler,really stepped up but say he is taking up the mantle of bowling really tight overs,when the other bowlers are leaking runs left and right he will have an increased workload..His eco rate has mprved in recent times as well. I think I still see a realistic average of 35.00 for him at the end of his career.

[Marut]

It's unfair to judge Ishant based solely on stats. He has played on some lifeless pattas,hence the inflated average....when the pitch had some juice,he was India's best bowlers by some margin. The reason why the 2 W's and the 2 C's have such good averages is because of the support bowlers.....I am not saying Ishant is in their league..he is not in the league of Zaheer either but one must consider,Zak has a wonderful average because during Zak's golden period,he had Sreeshanth,RP,Bhajji and even Ishant stepping up in their roles. In Eng and Aus 2011,everyone sucked that is where the spiral in his average began. In Nz AND Eng 2014 he was a different bowler,really stepped up but say he is taking up the mantle of bowling really tight overs,when the other bowlers are leaking runs left and right he will have an increased workload..His eco rate has mprved in recent times as well. I think I still see a realistic average of 35.00 for him at the end of his career.

Well, Ishant bowls worst when there is juice in the pitch. Which is why I think, unless he improves dramatically, he will end up with worse stats. Once in a while he comes up with an insane burst of bowling, but at other times he is accurate but appears to lack the fire to take wickets. Averages 62 in Aus, 41 in Eng, 54 in SA. Averages 33 in India and 31 in NZ. Averages 49 in SL. There is really no excuse for a front line pace bowler to average 37, having played 39 matches away compared to 22 at home. He averages 33 at home and 39 away - certainly for a senior bowler he does not know how to bowl when conditions favour bowling.

[Pagalpanti]

If on his 3rd tour as well the bugger can't learn that the key to bowling well in Australia is to hit the top of good length and not just sending down half-trackers, there's just no hope for him. Although he will get a free-ride till the likes of Bhuvy, Yadav, Shami and Aaron get more consistent.

[rahulrulezz]

and the sad part is some folks still think he is a good bowler.... The guy has got so many opportunities to play on green seaming pitches of RSA, Aus, Eng and NZ and yet is the most pathetic bowler

[goose]

Forget the wicket, the conditions and all that stuff, you can tell he is about to deliver pure leg side filth the moment the ball leaves his hand.

[singhprakash72]

and the sad part is some folks still think he is a good bowler.... The guy has got so many opportunities to play on green seaming pitches of RSA' date=' Aus, Eng and NZ and yet is the most pathetic bowler[/quote'] The Problem is rest of the stock is nothing Earth shattering ...so Andho mein kana Raja kind of scenario with him PLUS Dhoni can't see any further.

[Straight Drive]

Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron

[AmreekanDesi]

I used to think the same but it certainly cannt just be bad luck if you dont show any progressio nover 3 tours of Australia spread over 7-8 years

[rkt.india]

If he is doing this at the peak of his prowess, imagine where he would end up at the age of 33-34. Assuming he plays that long and does not improve from here, at ten tests per year, he would finish with 140 tests, 400 wickets at an average of 45! Inspite of all this, he is still one of our best bowlers. Most of our bowlers are spray guns, Ishant bowls decently compared to them.

I think Ishant showed a lot of improvement in last 1 year or so since NZ tour. He is more disciplined now. He is still now a strike bowler. At best a support bowler.

[termination]

Well, Ishant bowls worst when there is juice in the pitch. Which is why I think, unless he improves dramatically, he will end up with worse stats. Once in a while he comes up with an insane burst of bowling, but at other times he is accurate but appears to lack the fire to take wickets. Averages 62 in Aus, 41 in Eng, 54 in SA. Averages 33 in India and 31 in NZ. Averages 49 in SL.

Predict what his averages is going to be in UAE if indo-pak series does go ahead in december 2015.

[govinda]

pissanth might end up as with average of 50 and 300 wickets

[bharat297]

I have said for a little while now that Ishant is crucial in our attack, but he can't lead our attack. I think long-term we need to look at Ishant, Varun, Yadav, Shami (all 140+ guys) and get a really solid bowling coach to work with these guys day-in, day out.

[Marut]

Ishant is now in his eighth international year. He should be leading our attack, but he is still happy to play the second fiddle, inspite of India not yet finding a good pace bowler. He is the king of mediocrity. But surprisingly he is still one of our better bowlers. :)

[Trichromatic]

Ishant now averages below 35. 

 

He has taken last 100 wickets at avg of 29.

[Trichromatic]

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5	10
MD Marshall (WI)	1978-1991	81	151	17584	7876	376	7/22	11/89	20.94	2.68	46.7	22	4
J Garner (WI)	1977-1987	58	111	13169	5433	259	6/56	9/108	20.97	2.47	50.8	7	0
CEL Ambrose (WI)	1988-2000	98	179	22103	8501	405	8/45	11/84	20.99	2.30	54.5	22	3
FS Trueman (ENG)	1952-1965	67	127	15178	6625	307	8/31	12/119	21.57	2.61	49.4	17	3
GD McGrath (AUS)	1993-2007	124	243	29248	12186	563	8/24	10/27	21.64	2.49	51.9	29	3
AA Donald (SA)	1992-2002	72	129	15519	7344	330	8/71	12/139	22.25	2.83	47.0	20	3
Sir RJ Hadlee (NZ)	1973-1990	86	150	21918	9611	431	9/52	15/123	22.29	2.63	50.8	36	9
DW Steyn (SA)	2004-2018	88	161	17707	9533	421	7/51	11/60	22.64	3.23	42.0	26	5
M Muralitharan (ICC/SL)	1992-2010	133	230	44039	18180	800	9/51	16/220	22.72	2.47	55.0	67	22
Imran Khan (PAK)	1971-1992	88	142	19458	8258	362	8/58	14/116	22.81	2.54	53.7	23	6
SM Pollock (SA)	1995-2008	108	202	24353	9733	421	7/87	10/147	23.11	2.39	57.8	16	1
Waqar Younis (PAK)	1989-2003	87	154	16224	8788	373	7/76	13/135	23.56	3.25	43.4	22	5
Wasim Akram (PAK)	1985-2002	104	181	22627	9779	414	7/119	11/110	23.62	2.59	54.6	25	5
DK Lillee (AUS)	1971-1984	70	132	18467	8493	355	7/83	11/123	23.92	2.75	52.0	23	7
CA Walsh (WI)	1984-2001	132	242	30019	12688	519	7/37	13/55	24.44	2.53	57.8	22	3
JB Statham (ENG)	1951-1965	70	129	16056	6261	252	7/39	11/97	24.84	2.33	63.7	9	1
RGD Willis (ENG)	1971-1984	90	165	17357	8190	325	8/43	9/92	25.20	2.83	53.4	16	0
SK Warne (AUS)	1992-2007	145	273	40705	17995	708	8/71	12/128	25.41	2.65	57.4	37	10
R Ashwin (INDIA)	2011-2018	62	115	17248	8286	326	7/59	13/140	25.41	2.88	52.9	26	7
DL Underwood (ENG)	1966-1982	86	151	21862	7674	297	8/51	13/71	25.83	2.10	73.6	17	6
JN Gillespie (AUS)	1996-2006	71	137	14234	6770	259	7/37	9/80	26.13	2.85	54.9	8	0
JM Anderson (ENG)	2003-2018	142	264	31077	14961	557	7/42	11/71	26.85	2.88	55.7	26	3
M Morkel (SA)	2006-2018	86	160	16498	8550	309	6/23	9/110	27.66	3.10	53.3	8	0
HMRKB Herath (SL)	1999-2018	92	168	25705	12020	430	9/127	14/184	27.95	2.80	59.7	34	9
IT Botham (ENG)	1977-1992	102	168	21815	10878	383	8/34	13/106	28.40	2.99	56.9	27	4
MG Johnson (AUS)	2007-2015	73	140	16001	8891	313	8/61	12/127	28.40	3.33	51.1	12	3
CJ McDermott (AUS)	1984-1996	71	124	16586	8332	291	8/97	11/157	28.63	3.01	56.9	14	2
BS Bedi (INDIA)	1966-1979	67	118	21364	7637	266	7/98	10/194	28.71	2.14	80.3	14	1
M Ntini (SA)	1998-2009	101	190	20834	11242	390	7/37	13/132	28.82	3.23	53.4	18	4
SCJ Broad (ENG)	2007-2018	122	222	24904	12358	427	8/15	11/121	28.94	2.97	58.3	16	2
LR Gibbs (WI)	1958-1976	79	148	27115	8989	309	8/38	11/157	29.09	1.98	87.7	18	2
WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1994-2009	111	194	23438	10501	355	7/71	14/191	29.58	2.68	66.0	12	2
N Kapil Dev (INDIA)	1978-1994	131	227	27740	12867	434	9/83	11/146	29.64	2.78	63.9	23	2
A Kumble (INDIA)	1990-2008	132	236	40850	18355	619	10/74	14/149	29.65	2.69	65.9	35	8
GP Swann (ENG)	2008-2013	60	109	15349	7642	255	6/65	10/132	29.96	2.98	60.1	17	3
B Lee (AUS)	1999-2008	76	150	16531	9554	310	5/30	9/171	30.81	3.46	53.3	10	0
NM Lyon (AUS)	2011-2018	78	149	19194	9859	306	8/50	13/154	32.21	3.08	62.7	12	2
Harbhajan Singh (INDIA)	1998-2015	103	190	28580	13537	417	8/84	15/217	32.46	2.84	68.5	25	5
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	1995-2013	166	272	20232	9535	292	6/54	9/92	32.65	2.82	69.2	5	0
Z Khan (INDIA)	2000-2014	92	165	18785	10247	311	7/87	10/149	32.94	3.27	60.4	11	1
DL Vettori (ICC/NZ)	1997-2014	113	187	28814	12441	362	7/87	12/149	34.36	2.59	79.5	20	3
Danish Kaneria (PAK)	2000-2010	61	112	17697	9082	261	7/77	12/94	34.79	3.07	67.8	15	2
I Sharma (INDIA)	2007-2018	86	152	16254	8782	251	7/74	10/108	34.98	3.24	64.7	8	1

[Tibarn]

Ishant seems to be the #2 pacer overseas, after Bumrah as of now. 

 

He has easily been more consistent than the others, again barring Bumrah,

[Adi BB]

Ishant's control with the ball has been great in the last couple of years ,his main problem still is the strike rate but he does hold on end and picks wkt without conceding much