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Harbhajan Singh vs Saqlain Mushtaq

El_Pipita

By El_Pipita
in Cricket Talk

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Pak_Forever Newbie

Pak_Forever

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Bhajji usually is either very average or just rubbish in ODI cricket, though a decent Test bowler. But he has only done well against Australia, and has always been average against all others. Comparing him to Saqi is childish as he was absolutely one of the best ODI spinners and was pretty good in his short Test career. Unlike Harbhajan who has been playing for around 13 years? And what's with all the comparisons? I have seen you guys actually giving facts and figure to prove who's better bw Sachin and Afridi :hysterical: so this comparison and defence of your player comes with no surprise.

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Ultimate_Game Proficient

Ultimate_Game

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Can any Pak fan let me know why Saqlain's career was cut short? He was pretty good when he was dropped from the team and it wasn't as if there was a great spinner in place to replace him. In odis he was a wicket taker as well as a bowler who could dry runs up - absolute must have. For that matter would want to know what happened to Basit Ali as well who was in the team in 90s. I found him to be one of the better Pak batsmen in a few odis I watched him play but he only lasted such a short time. I thought him to be an ideal successor to Saleem Malik or Miandad.

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Asim Newbie

Asim

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Can any Pak fan let me know why Saqlain's career was cut short? He was pretty good when he was dropped from the team and it wasn't as if there was a great spinner in place to replace him. In odis he was a wicket taker as well as a bowler who could dry runs up - absolute must have. For that matter would want to know what happened to Basit Ali as well who was in the team in 90s. I found him to be one of the better Pak batsmen in a few odis I watched him play but he only lasted such a short time. I thought him to be an ideal successor to Saleem Malik or Miandad.
It is a complex story but in short AFAIK it can be blamed 50% on PCB and 50% Saqlain himself for early end of his great career. He got injured in 2001 and went UK for surgery, probably PCB didn’t sponsored him, it was era of Gen, Tauqir Zia who was handling PCB with his own methods. Saqlain released few angry statements against PCB because PCB never asked about his status but I think somehow he came back in team again after 6 months, played for team in 2002, he was still very effective but this time he was not as great as he used to be because he started experimenting too much with the ball (he was not just a bowler, a spin bowling scientist or research worker too... lol... ) also he carried few minor injuries along with him... furthermore it was a time when people started to compare his position with Malik, because Malik was doing reasonably well in bowling with a huge bonus of his batting specially when he scored two 100s in 3 games in 2002. More importantly at that time team got the services of Wasim+Waqar+Shoaib+Razzaq that time who all were doing great and Malik+Afridi were considered enough in spin area. And well, after 2003 WC early exit when whole team was dropped from the team in Army Style including Wasim, Waqar, Saeed, Inzamam, Saqlain, all of them were asked to now first perform in domestic cricket and IF they did well and IF PCB felt their need, they will be back, most of them said sorry because they thought they already have done enough for team and should be picked straight... Wasim & Waqar announced retirement, Inzi got place back in team and Saqlain done nothing, went UK and started to play ON and OFF county, could not concentrate any where properly... later on upon some pressure of media and people he was called back as trial only for 1 ODI vs SA in 2003, could not perform, dropped... called for one test vs IND in 2004, could not perform, Dropped... this was PCB’s fault because he was not such a player who deserve ONLY 1 game as comeback chance but his fault was to not play consistently in Paksitan's domestic cricket or actually anywhere properly after he got dropped…
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ganeshran Explorer

ganeshran

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It is a complex story but in short AFAIK it can be blamed 50% on PCB and 50% Saqlain himself for early end of his great career. He got injured in 2001 and went UK for surgery, probably PCB didn’t sponsored him, it was era of Gen, Tauqir Zia who was handling PCB with his own methods. Saqlain released few angry statements against PCB because PCB never asked about his status but I think somehow he came back in team again after 6 months, played for team in 2002, he was still very effective but this time he was not as great as he used to be because he started experimenting too much with the ball (he was not just a bowler, a spin bowling scientist or research worker too... lol... ) also he carried few minor injuries along with him... furthermore it was a time when people started to compare his position with Malik, because Malik was doing reasonably well in bowling with a huge bonus of his batting specially when he scored two 100s in 3 games in 2002. More importantly at that time team got the services of Wasim+Waqar+Shoaib+Razzaq that time who all were doing great and Malik+Afridi were considered enough in spin area. And well, after 2003 WC early exit when whole team was dropped from the team in Army Style including Wasim, Waqar, Saeed, Inzamam, Saqlain, all of them were asked to now first perform in domestic cricket and IF they did well and IF PCB felt their need, they will be back, most of them said sorry because they thought they already have done enough for team and should be picked straight... Wasim & Waqar announced retirement, Inzi got place back in team and Saqlain done nothing, went UK and started to play ON and OFF county, could not concentrate any where properly... later on upon some pressure of media and people he was called back as trial only for 1 ODI vs SA in 2003, could not perform, dropped... called for one test vs IND in 2004, could not perform, Dropped... this was PCB’s fault because he was not such a player who deserve ONLY 1 game as comeback chance but his fault was to not play consistently in Paksitan's domestic cricket or actually anywhere properly after he got dropped…
The bottomline was Saqlain never was able to consistently perform for his country. The reasons for it might be many. His talent might be enormous. but unless potential/talent translates into consistent performances it is meaningless. The same thing can be said about Akhtar. Enormous potential but squandered it all away. When he finally improved his attitude, his age caught up with him. When I compare two players I will look for talent, consistency, longevity and performance. Saying one has more potential so the comparison isnt valid, wont cut ice because potential is subjective. you as a Pakistani fan might rate Saqlain higher and me as an Indian fan might rate Bhajji higher. That doesnt mean either is true or false. At the end of the day, performance is what counts.
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pinkfreud Newbie

pinkfreud

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what a rubbish thread
If some one says that Harbhajan is better the SAQLAIN, then we must send him to hospital for treatment of brain. Harbhajan is not even half of, what SAQLAIN was.
Hmm. So much for objectivity, eh? :roll: These dumbass comparison threads should really be banned.
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Ultimate_Game Proficient

Ultimate_Game

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Again list of Stupid threads has been increasing day by day:icflove:........what a rubbish thread If some one says that Harbhajan is better the SAQLAIN, then we must send him to hospital for treatment of brain. Harbhajan is not even half of, what SAQLAIN was.
I wouldn't go that far but yes, Saqlain at his peak (1998-2001) was better than Harbhajan. Unfortunate that Saqlain's peak lasted just 4 years or so.
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ganeshran Explorer

ganeshran

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Cant believe the level of patriotism in most of the posters. Bhajji is not fit to lace Saqi's shoes. What next?????? Unadkat vs Akram/ Munaf vs Ambrose or Sreesanth vs Marshall.
I am yet to see a decent argument on why Saqlain was better than Bhajji as a test bowler. All of the reasoning seems to exist in your's and other Pakistani posters' minds
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Ultimate_Game Proficient

Ultimate_Game

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I am yet to see a decent argument on why Saqlain was better than Bhajji as a test bowler. All of the reasoning seems to exist in your's and other Pakistani posters' minds
Actually in Test cricket their numbers are not that different... I thought Saqlain would be much better but I stand corrected. Harbhajan Mat Runs HS Bat Av 100 Wkts BBI Bowl Av 5wi 93 2008 115 18.59 2 393 8/84 31.85 25 Saqlain Mat Runs HS Bat Av 100 Wkts BBI Bowl Av 5wi 49 927 101* 14.48 1 208 8/164 29.83 13
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Midfielder Newbie

Midfielder

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Saqlain was good but Harbhajan is definitely better. Just remember something these stats dont point out, the hidden variables. When Harbhajan was bowling he was doing it in the shadows of the greatest spinner of all times Anil "The Gentlemen" Kumble. He had to share his wickets with him. Saqlain never bowled with any decent spinner at the same time so no stat will always reflect that. Please people who hate Harbhajan will pull some nos out that are very meaningless. He is the best spinner right now. period.

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