World Cricket II

[Riyazz]

Lara vadu 2 teamla vadu irkan . Kapil adula kuda illa

[Plum]

Sourav, yes, Imran, though I like Kapil more because I have seen Imran very less, objectively viewed, is the better all-rounder.
Someone like Moviecop can perhaps articulate better. But I think, the following points illustrate Imran's superiority

As bowler
* Statistics are strongly in Imran's favour. Kapil did get the larger number of wickets but at significant levels lesser potency.
* Imran ran rings around *arguably* the best batsman of his times, Sunil Gavaskar.
* He was the better exponent of swing and seam, I think.

As batsman
* Kapil has the impact innings - like 175*, 163, 120 at more than run-a-ball against Aussies etc but Imran was the more reliable one
* Kapil's batting career was always a long set of mediocre scores interspersed with an occasional Rocket Singh innings.
* Imran could slot himself at #3 and rebuild innings in the latter part of his career - he had the better technique

As captain
* Both won a world cup each but Imran inspired his rag-tag constantly-at-each-others' throat to draw series with West Indies, the best team of the times.
* In general, Imran as a strategist, tactician, selector(as captain), dictatorial team manager(when he was captain), motivator etc was superior as acknowledged by people who worked for and against him.

Overall, yes, despite my personal affinity to Kapil, one of my earliest cricketing heroes*, I'd have to admit Imran was periya thillAlangadi.

* A skeleton in my closet is that my first cricketing hero was...er...Ravi Shastri!

[Plum]

Lara vs Richards is a tough one for me. I am a Lara fan, and cannot really view it objectively. I'd prefer someone else to comment on it.

[satissh_r]

Lara vs Richards is a tough one for me. I am a Lara fan, and cannot really view it objectively. I'd prefer someone else to comment on it.

I thought about doing it but then enakkum kashtam than. Richards was THE star in a team full of talents but Lara was the saving grace in a team that was on decline

[satissh_r]

*A skeleton in my closet is that my first cricketing hero was...er...Ravi Shastri!

I empathize with you!!

[ajithfederer]

Enna man kelvi idhu?? .

Lara - Richards is a no contest for me actually. Viv just trumps Lara hands down.

No kapil dev

Lara-ve illa...
Plum, Pls clarify this,,,
Imran khan was better all-rounder than kapil dev?
Viv richards had more impact in test matches Lara?

[Plum]

Enna man kelvi idhu?? .

Lara - Richards is a no contest for me actually. Viv just trumps Lara hands down.

No kapil dev

Lara-ve illa...
Plum, Pls clarify this,,,
Imran khan was better all-rounder than kapil dev?
Viv richards had more impact in test matches Lara?

Actually, yes, idhai solla vENdi irukkumnu dhAN I bailed out of answering it

Thing is it is easy to say that Richards shone in a galaxy of stars who made it easy for him - but unlike Ricky, who benefitted from Hayden, Martyn, Waughs and Langer's presence - it was Viv Richards who made the West Indian batting machine what it was. The arrogance which made him avoid a helmet(and not even a skull cap like Gavaskar) till the end to the fastest of bowlers, the sheer disimissal of opponents with a chew of a gum and a wave of a hand. The man's a legend.

He definitely had more impact on West Indies' Cricketing success(even given the excelelnt supporting cast) than Lara.

[Sourav]

Ok, thanks a lot plum,
Feddy,
I have never watched viv's innings, hardly watched lara's inningses as most of the WI matches were broadcasted in pay channels wen i was in my native...cable-la varathu...paathathu illa...

[Plum]

*A skeleton in my closet is that my first cricketing hero was...er...Ravi Shastri!

I empathize with you!!

adhAn chinna size-la pOtturundhEnla, ipdi quote paNNi mAnatha vAngaNumA?

[raajarasigan]

Lara vs Richards is a tough one for me. I am a Lara fan, and cannot really view it objectively. I'd prefer someone else to comment on it.

I thought about doing it but then enakkum kashtam than. Richards was THE star in a team full of talents but Lara was the saving grace in a team that was on decline

Obviously, Viv Richards is better than Lara though the stats favour Lara.. Viv did NOT play as many test matches as Lara did but the bowling attack thrashed by Viv was way ahead of Lara's period... Viv richards is a kind of player who can hit any ball whenever he wants to hit... he is more dominant than Lara... Lara's is a sheer class and elegance...