Cricketers closest to each other on overall merit?Lists of both same era and different eras.

[Harsh Thakor]

 

This is my list in order of cricketers closest to each other in stature or overall merit.Made one list for those in same era and another for different eras.

 

Same era

 

1.Zaheer Abbas-Gundappa Vishwanath

 

2 supreme stylists,Vishy relished pace and bounce,while Zaheer was the ultimate master on flat decks and spin.Zaheer had more prowess for run -making or big scores while Vishy was better in a crisis.

 

 

2.Andy Roberts-Michael Holding

 

Holding had the best ever bowling action and quickest speed through the air while Andy was the craftiest of paceman ,posessing mastery of the slower ball.Robets had more subtle variations but Holding could be more lethal at his best.

 

 

3.Imran Khan-Ian Botham(purely as an all-rounder)

 

2 Great match-winners .Botham was a better performer with both bat and ball and more flamboyant with the bat while Imran was the more lethal bowler and more consistent performer.

 

 

4.Sunil Gavaskar- Barry Richards

 

Playing styles differed like chalk;k and cheese but both champions.Barry was the epitome of batting perfection perfectly blending technical skil with attacking agression while Sunil was the one you would back to score a tset hundred than anyone,concentration personified.

 

 

5.Javed Miandad- Alan Border.

 

2 stalwarts in retrieving a sinking ship ,niggling oponents like few have ever done.Javed was the more attacking or talented while Border wa sthe more determined.

 

 

6.David Gower-Martin Crowe

 

Both took bating artistry to regions of divinity and could have been close to the very best had they done complete justice to their great talent.On their day effortlessly destroyed the most lethal of  bowlers

 

 

7.Richard Hadlee-Malcolm Marshall

 

Hadlee was the epitome of control and accuracy while Marshall took the dynamics of fast bowling to another dimension.Hadlee bore the brunt for a weak team in contrast with Marshal who was part of arguably the best team ever.

 

 

 

 

8.Graham Gooch-Geoff Boycott

 

Boycott was the epitome of technical perfection in bating while Gooch could take to shared the best of pace bowling attacks.

 

 

9.Wasim Akram-Curtly Ambrose

 

Ambrsose took accuracy and agression to heights of the sublime while Wasim simply took fast bowling artistry to another dimension with a series of incredible variations.Ambrose more letahl in single spell sbut overall Wasim was the more daunting.

 

 

10.Sachin Tendulkar-Brian  Lara

 

Blended together would make the perfect batsmen-the magical genius of Brian with the phenomenal mastery of Sachin.

 

 

11.VVS Laxman-Inzamam Ul Haq

 

Both had incredible natural ability and were masters aginst great pace.VVS was the more wristy while Inzy was the more explosive.

 

 

12.Alan Donald -Waqar Younus

 

Waqar was the marginaly quicker,Donald the more versatile and intelligent.Waqar more lethal with new ball still or in single spells.

 

 

Different eras

 

1.Sunil Gavaskar-Len Hutton

 

Close to carbon copies in style with phenomenal concentration.

 

2.Keith Miller-Imran Khan(As an all-rounder)

 

Miller better with both bat and ball while Imran marginally better as a bowler.

 

3.Alan Border-Steve Waugh

The ultimate men to ressurect a side from the grave

 

4.Viv Richards-Sachin Tendulkar

 

Both exhibited supremacy over rivals as non nsince Bradman  and arguably resmbled the Don more than anyone.

 

 

 

5.Dennis Lillee-Ray Lindwall

 

Both were simply the epitome of bowling perfection be it pace,control,variations or movement.Lillee was the more correct in  terms of bowling action and more hostile while Lindwall by a whisker was quicker and swung the ball more.

 

6.Everton Weekes-Walter Hammond

 

Took dominating to regions rarely traversed.Weekes was more pugnacious and unorthodox,Hammond equally punishing.

 

7.Brian Lara-Gary Sobers

 

Lara was simply a magician taking artistry to regions of divinity while Sobers was the more technically correct and consistent.

 

 

8.Jacques Kallis-Gary Sobers(As an all-rounder)

 

Statistically on par but Sobers was far more artistic and a greater match-winner.Kallis was better in batting for you rlife and could bowl as quick as Gary.

 

 

9.VVS Laxman-Gundappa Vishwanath

 

Both supreme stylists with Laxman more determined in making big scores ,particularly in a run chase in 4th inings.Vishy,the more talented or technically correct.

 

 

10.Glen Mcgrath-Dennis Lillee

 

Almost on par in pure figures withy Mcgrath posessing better control and Lille having more variation and being more agressive.

 

11.Wasim Akram-Dennis Lillee

 

Lillee was more complete in the conventional sense while Wasim was a magician

 

 

 

12.Kapil Dev-Mike Procter

 

Both supreme entertainers with P[rocter being a better batsmen and faster bowler.Still Kapil proved his worth in international cricket unlike Procter.

 

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Edited December 17, 2019 by Harsh Thakor

[Norman]

Majid khan comments coming in 4, 3, 2 , 1....

[rtmohanlal]

I can't take ball tamperor Imran Khan's  credentials as such any more. Would replace Kapil with him for comparison with Botham. They were similar not only  in their playing  styles but  close to each other in credentials too with Kapil being the better of the two..

[Khota]

Holding and Roberts.

[R!TTER]

Majid & Sajid 

[maniac]

Majid Khan and his shadow/reflection .
 

No one was even close to the legend.

[Khota]

Guys let it go. 

[kohli]

Dravid & kallis 

[Vilander]

Mmmmaajid khan and Moshin khan in terms of x factor and imraand khan in terms of kale daal factor 

[Vilander]

8 hours ago, Khota said:

Guys let it go. 

Not even one thread from harris taukeer will be spared. 

[Vk1]

Glenn McGrath's success across countries including subcontinent is difficult to replicate.