Sachin vs Steyn: Who would you have wanted in 1989?

[goggi]

Simple really, if one had to choose between Tendulkar or Steyn to make his debut for India in 1989 who would you select? (obviously based on knowing what they would go on to achieve) One a legend who has scored runs everywhere capturing the hearts and minds of millions with his batting style and the other a lethal strike bowler, probably the greatest, with an awesome combo of average and strike-rate in both forms of the format. Both staying clear from controversies and ego driven feuds and great ambassadors for the game.

[Crookbond]

Stupid question to ask - BOTH.

[goggi]

alya!, forget to tick polls box. MODs pls add public poll?! Thanks.

[Ultimate_Game]

My rule of thumb... A genuine all-rounder > a great bowler >> a great batsman Rationale... You want to go for a player which is in the game maximum amount of time and thus make the biggest impact. A genuine all-rounder, not bits & pieces ones, can change things with both bat and ball and is more than likely to contribute in one discipline at least so are my top picks. Then comes a genuine wicket taker as at the end of the day bowlers win you matches. Also, bowlers are in the game more than a batsman. A great batsman may get a good delivery first up or make one mistake and he can no longer take part in the rest of the innings/game, but a bowler can always come back from a bad ball, a bad over or a bad spell. A bowler will always bowl his quota of overs or bowl as many as he wants (in Tests) to make the impact but a batsman doesn't have the same luxury once he makes the mistake. Thus a great wicket taking bowler over a great batsman.

[Trichromatic]

Steyn easily.

[Crookbond]

My rule of thumb... A genuine all-rounder > a great bowler >> a great batsman Rationale... You want to go for a player which is in the game maximum amount of time and thus make the biggest impact. A genuine all-rounder, not bits & pieces ones, can change things with both bat and ball and is more than likely to contribute in one discipline at least so are my top picks. Then comes a genuine wicket taker as at the end of the day bowlers win you matches. Also, bowlers are in the game more than a batsman. A great batsman may get a good delivery first up or make one mistake and he can no longer take part in the rest of the innings/game, but a bowler can always come back from a bad ball, a bad over or a bad spell. A bowler will always bowl his quota of overs or bowl as many as he wants (in Tests) to make the impact but a batsman doesn't have the same luxury once he makes the mistake. Thus a great wicket taking bowler over a great batsman.

So Steyn then? :acute: What if DTW says - Sreesanth or Tendulkar? :whistle3:

[1983-2011]

Sachin, because we have had so many genuine fast bowlers since Sachin made his debut but we have had only one sachin, list of highest wicket takers in international cricket after sachin made his debut.

[Ultimate_Game]

So Steyn then? :acute: What if DTW says - Sreesanth or Tendulkar? :whistle3:

Sreesanth :giggle: I think my smiley says it all

Sachin' date=' because [b']we have had so many genuine fast bowlers since Sachin made his debut but we have had only one sachin, list of highest wicket takers in international cricket after sachin made his debut.

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: Pls name one. In our history we haven't had one genuine fast bowling wkt taker barring Kapil and you claim we had plenty since Sachin came along :cantstop:

[Precambrian]

Steyn would've ended up being the avg trundler.. well.. an above avg one... in the league of Srinath... stupid qn really.. who'd ask to choose between a bowler and a batsman to debut? and heck, Steyn would've been in his chaddis then.. :wtf: he could do on a cricket field?

[Trichromatic]

Sreesanth :giggle: I think my smiley says it all :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: Pls name one. In our history we haven't had one genuine fast bowling wkt taker barring Kapil and you claim we had plenty since Sachin came along :cantstop:

He meant many fast bowlers in the world. http://s10.postimage.org/to7pemamf/bowling.png

[Cricket Tragic]

A six year old Steyn would not have been of much use imo.

[Trichromatic]

A six year old Steyn would not have been of much use imo.

:giggle:

[goggi]

It's a hypothetical question. The pedantic levels some of you take it to is :facepalm:

[carnish]

Sachin ... offcourse.. Steyn ke jaise bahut aaye hain cricket mein .. lekin sachin jesa maybe just one .. He is the best player of all time .. steyn may be an ATG but isnt in the list of 5 best bowlers to have ever played cricket

[Crookbond]

It's a hypothetical question. The pedantic levels some of you take it to is :facepalm:

:giggle:

[jairamesh]

a toughy. India's lack of producing a bowler anywhere near close to Steyn makes it tempting to choose Steyn, especially considering we had Dravid and co. But I am sure Sachin's success played some part in the emergence of Dravid and co. and securing India's supply of future batting starlets (I hope :nervous: with Kohlis, Rahanes, y Pujaras). hmmm, probably Sachin because he has left his legacy on the field and revolutionized the dynamics of cricket commercially in India and globally. Sachin gave birth to BCCI. Steyn will never achieve the all-time highest wicket takers crown or most fivers or something like that, though he might have won us more Tests. :--D The 3rd Test match in South Africa comes to mind.

[f.b.m]

Sachin. Steyn would have never the kind of support that Smith and co. showed in the initial stages of his career and (pre NZ series in 2006 I think). Before that he looked quite ordinary and only occasionally showed he was capable of. Edit: Even in the series against us in 2006-07 he opened the bowling ahead of Pollock (!!).

[Vilander]

It's a hypothetical question. The pedantic levels some of you take it to is :facepalm:

Steyn. But i dont understand what the hypothetical nature of your question has as relevance towards you asking the responders to not dwell in details. P.S :goggi no need to answer, just read precambrians response.

[CoverDrive]

Sachin because we would have found a way to destroy Steyn's career also.

[Ultimate_Game]

He meant many fast bowlers in the world. http://s10.postimage.org/to7pemamf/bowling.png

By that logic we have seen plenty of batsmen as well in world cricket - Lara, Ponting, Kallis, Dravid, Waugh etc. At the end of the day it's tougher to unearth a high quality wkt taker compared to a batsman. By high quality wkt taker I mean likes of Ambrose, Marshal, McGrath, Steyn and not the likes of Harmison, Jones, Hilfenhaus etc. In fact if I were running a franchise I would trade 3-4 high quality batsmen for 2 genuine wkt taking pacers.