Waqar/Wasim bit overrated?

[jonas10]

Wasim is one of the few Pakistani players that do not pretend to like India in front of the camera then bad mouth them behind their backs. The Imran Khans of the world who say one then and then do another can learn a lot from a great player and sportsman like Wasim Akram.

[nballa]

See, I created this thread with some evidence. I dont mind people proving me wrong as long as they can bring stats into it. People talk about bradman when even their father wasn't there to watch him play. So, just because i wasn't able to see the matches doesn't mean i can't hold an onion. Moreover, just by looking at this thread. No one backed up how they weren't overrated compared to other great bowlers such as Donald, Mcgrath etc. All they did was wet their chaddis and started bashing this thread.

agree about bradman. definitely overrated and could not play the short ball. averaged like 10 in the bodyline series.

[Sir john]

i remember wasim abusing indian player while batting r in asia cup of 1999-2000 :hmmmm:

[Utalk]

Wasim was definitely overrated as a test bowler.Despite all his skill he never delivered away from home on consistent basis. Waqar was an amazing bowler in early 90s but went downhill 95 onwards.He won us tests overseas in Eng,SA and NZ but suffered because Wasim did not like him and he basically ran the side most of times. As a test bowler I rate Imran way better then these two.

[Bublu Bhuyan]

Wasim was definitely overrated as a test bowler.Despite all his skill he never delivered away from home on consistent basis. Waqar was an amazing bowler in early 90s but went downhill 95 onwards.He won us tests overseas in Eng,SA and NZ but suffered because Wasim did not like him and he basically ran the side most of times. As a test bowler I rate Imran way better then these two.

Same here.

[saneindian]

Wasim Akram gets named as the most difficult bowlers many a great batsman of past 25 years have faced. So no question of him being overrated. The guy could do magic with a run up of 4-5 steps. He did underachieve a lot IMO especially in tests. As for Waqar, the reason why he is adored by his fans is what he did during those glorious years of the early 90s as a young pacer. Bottle caps or whatever, but what he did with the ball during those years bowling those toe crushers was a sight in itself. No one before him from the 70s onwards had made the reverse swinging yorker such a pleasant sight to watch. The pace quartret of the WI were intimidating due to their abilities to frighten the batsmen with their lengths, Imran did it with his swing, Hadlee was the master of seam, swing and accuracy, Lillee was a complete fast bowler but didn't reply too much on yorkers.

[express bowling]

Im having a very strange day. First of All Sehwag is miles better than Anwar ever was. Inzimam was useless Wasim and Waqar were over-rated.

Well, Inzamam was a very good batsman. I think he was the best batsman you have ever had. But is there any doubt that Sehwag is miles better than Anwar, especially in test matches -- the real test of a quality batsman ! I have not seen anybody bat like Sehwag does in tests against genuinely good bowlers. He has an average of 53.4, strike rate 81.9 ( way higher than anybody else of any standard) , 2 triple hundreds ( highest ever jointly ), 7 double hundreds, 22 hundreds, total runs 7692 ( 87 tests ) and unparalled fearlessness. Anwar has an average of 45.5, strike rate of 55.7, total runs 4052 ( 55 tests ), 11 centuries, no double hundreds in tests. Anybody with an average of less than 50 in tests is just good and never great. Waqar and Wasim were very good but Wasim's pace during the last 2/3 rd of his career was just fast-medium and not fast as he was styled to be.

[express bowling]

I think Waqar and Wasim are bit overrated compared to other great bowlers. I didn't watch them playing, but when i take a look at the youtube clips, they were really good. But quality of teams that they got wickets were Zimbabwe and New Zealand. When i used cricinfo to find thier stats against four better batting line ups (South Africa, India, Australia and England) their avg. comes up 5 runs per wickets or more. Wasim Avg goes from 23 to nearly 29, and waqar's avg goes from 23 to above 30. Then, i looked at other bowlers such as Donald, McGrath and Steyn. Their avg against top opposition is phenominal. Even, then i looked at our bowler, Srinath who is considered very average according to our neighbours, his avg is also 30 against these top teams. But his overall avg is more than 30, so he wasn't minnow basher in his times. I am not disgrading Waqar/Wasim, according to me Wasim is the best left arm bowler ever produced. But Waqar is just good, a great for Pakistan. But not in top 10/15 list of all time.

It is an interesting point that you have raised. But we also have to consider that they have played a lot of cricket on flat subcontinent wickets where many fancied pacers from other parts of the world have stumbled and the 2 Ws have succeeded. Their records must be seen in that light. Srinath was the most under-rated bowler of his time. He was really fast during the first 6/7 years -- ( quicker than Wasim ) but was hardly recognised as such because he came from India, a country not known for fast bowlers. . He had injured many batsmen inspite of protective gear, which I think is the true test of genuine fast bowling. He had performed really well in many important test matches and his figures do not look as impressive as it should because Indian captains of yesteryears did not know how to set field for a true quick. He was very bouncy but hardly bowled with a short-leg where many catches popped up.

[jonas10]

Why do some Indians and Pakistanis refuse to use their brains? No point for blindly patriotic Indians to say a player like Wasim was overrated and a blindly patriotic Pakistani to say Sehwag was overrated. Both were amazing players. Pakistanis would LOVE to have a guy like Sehwag open their batting and before you blink 40 runs are already up. Look what he just did 1 month ago to Gul...he smashed the poor guy so bad that he couldnt even finish his quota. Viv Richards himself said this is the player that reminds him most of how he played - absolutely fearless. Same thing with Indians if Wasim was born on this side of the border we would be in near euphoria as our batting is untouchable and we'd have a second world class seamer with Zaheer. Brian Lara among others has remarked he is the best bowler he has ever faced. BOTH ARE NOT OVERRATED! Enough with the stupid threads!

[Sir_Afridi]

Srinath was the most under-rated bowler of his time. He was really fast during the first 6/7 years -- ( quicker than Wasim ) but was hardly recognised as such because he came from India, a country not known for fast bowlers. . He had injured many batsmen inspite of protective gear, which I think is the true test of genuine fast bowling. He had performed really well in many important test matches and his figures do not look as impressive as it should because Indian captains of yesteryears did not know how to set field for a true quick. He was very bouncy but hardly bowled with a short-leg where many catches popped up.

Srinath was not under rated. He was ordinary averaging 50 in Aus, 39 in Eng, 34 in NZ & 42 in WI where pitches helped fast bowlers in 90s. He was probably only opening bowler in 90s who never bowled outswing http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/34105.html?class=1;home_or_away=2;template=results;type=allround

[jonas10]

Sigh