Standard of Cricket compared to 90s.

[jairamesh]

:fail: ODIs for them is not their best format and they're rated on tests. Sehwag has been criticised so often for not being a great ODI player and he still has better stats. Gayle has a rubbish average even though ODIs is his format according to you. Compare his stats with great ODI players or players who are awesome in tests and ODIs. A great player with an average of 34. :hysterical: I think that Pathan is greater than Dravid since more people watched him score 28 runs in the circus league match between Mumbai Mugs and Bangalore Bandits than when Dravid made 148at Headingley.

Stats have to be considered with a pinch of salt. Is Trott potentially a great ODI player (aver 55!)? You are taking me off tangent here. I defined them "great" in terms of excitement. Hence I have omitted some other obvious great players but definitely not exciting. From players of recent years people will choose 9 out of 10 times Chris Gayle for openers slot in ODIs, (above Graeme Smith, Hayden, Gibbs etc.) Many would not hesitate even putting him in the Test openers slot. In my opinion Gayle, and another I missed was Jayasuriya are greats. Stats will never be kind to them because of the niche role of very aggressive cricket they play. And as for comparing them to Gilchrist and Sehwag's stat is different, because these two are legends who are on many expert's all-time World XI. Give me Gayle in ODIs anytime over Dravid or Laxman!

[f.b.m]

The standard of cricket has really gone down the drain since the 17th century.

[panesarv]

Maybe it seems that standard is gone down because no one is able to DOMINATE anymore unlike in the past days

[Era of Gold]

Oh man....Lara and Tendulkar in the 90s. Perfection~

[Utalk]

No one excites me like tendulkar and Lara in mid 90s.

[Era of Gold]

everybody loves to be nostalgic, it makes you feel warm and fuzzy. The generation who grew up watching Sehwag, Gilchrist, Gayle, and co will consider them the most exciting batsman to watch ever. In 10 or 20 years time the same generation will say there is no one like the greats of Sehwag or Gayle to play the game. When I started watching cricket about 8 years ago, I thought Ponting was an all-time great and Lara was over-rated, because every-time I followed Lara he failed more often than not. Yet people keep banging on about the Legend of "Lara". What I have witnessed in my time, Ponting and Tendulkar are ahead of Lara. And the game evolves, especially in terms of technology where every weakness/strength is magnified. Thicker bats, influence of one day game in Tests, introduction of T20, neutral umpires, etc. And things will continue to evolve, and people's perception of greats will change. As an Indian, 2011 was the best period of cricket in terms quality, popularity, and number of cricket greats playing the game.

The ****? Did you just call Lara over rated? Lara, the man who allowed WI to maintain some pride?! :ohmy:

[Midfielder]

I have watched cricket for long time and I can tell you that standard is much higher now. I used to remember overweight players like Parsanna, Bedi and some others. The game is much faster paced with better athletes. I think standard is higher now than before.

[bihutoli]

90s had several players who had a star factor if you would (many because of the nostalgia factor), but I really think the standards of cricket has gone a notch up. Certain aspects of the game (like fielding, tail end batting etc) were embarassing in those days.

[mishra]

where is the link to that .... Is it available on net? I am sure discussion will involves panels only from WI, England,Aussie, and Pakistan..... For me, I dont understand why a English will complain. They are at best. They allready got three players in the team who will end up being great (Cook,Trott,Swann). Howmuch more they want? For Pakistan..... Aamir was no less than Wasim..... If it wasnt shooting and scandals, standard of cricket wouldnt have gone down.... Aussies loss is legendary. Probably irreplaceable for atleast over a decade.... Rest(India, Srilanka,NZ) are doing better.... Infact Neterland,Irelad, bangladesh have improved too

[Sidhoni]

Stats have to be considered with a pinch of salt. Is From players of recent years people will choose 9 out of 10 times Chris Gayle for openers slot in ODIs, (above Graeme Smith, Hayden, Gibbs etc.) Many would not hesitate even putting him in the Test openers slot. Give me Gayle in ODIs anytime over Dravid or Laxman!

:omg: :WTF: :WTF: :WTF: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

[Raghav_12]

The standard of cricket has really gone down the drain since the 17th century.

:hysterical::hysterical:

[Fontaine]

I wouldn't say the bowling standards are lower, just that it's more difficult to be a dominating bowler. Heavier bats, covered pitches, flat pitches that hardly crack or degrade, shorter boundaries, fast outfields etc etc all make it easier for batsmen.

[Vijay.Sharma]

The standard of cricket has really gone down the drain since the 17th century.

:hysterical:

[mishra]

The ****? Did you just call Lara over rated? Lara' date=' the man who allowed WI to maintain some pride?! :ohmy:[/quote'] And probably got you on the board... Welcome...:icflove:

[Vijay.Sharma]

I have watched cricket for long time and I can tell you that standard is much higher now. I used to remember overweight players like Parsanna' date=' Bedi and some others. The game is much faster paced with better athletes. I think standard is higher now than before.[/quote']I think Prasanna and Bedi did not play in the 90s...thank goodness they didn't

[Jersey #10]

Mumbai needs to pick up Lara in the next IPL edition just for the sake of having two legends in one team. I don't think the standard of cricket has gone down. I think it's a transition time for most of the teams including WI, NZ, OZ, Pak etc. We still have quality rookies like Tylor, KP, Kohli, Cook, U. Khatmal etc. It will be upto the boards to develop their new talents. I feel that ICC has played a huge part in the decline of interest in countries like England and West Indies. One major is the 10 team WC for '15. Why would they not want more countries to take part in the event and truly globalize the market?

[tatters]

I wouldn't say there is much difference between the two decades in terms of quality. On the face of it, there has been a big change however in cricket turning into a batsman's game. jairamesh is right. We do like to be nostalgic, but cricket has lost some of the 'rawness' that made it edgy and exciting since the late 80s, in my opinion. Gavaskar - he was a man. Viv Richards - man. Ponting - pussy. Sehwag - fat pussy. With stump mic's ensuring sledging is kept to a minimum, and batsmen padding up like King Arthur, the game is too sanitised these days.