Call me a heretic, Shane Warne was a true great but Abdul Qadir was better. I say this for several reasons.
Warne was barely able to bowl a googly, Qadir had several.
Umpires have become much more sympathetic towards legspinners over the last decade or so. Qadir had some of the plumbest decisions turned down for no better reason than the ball “might” spin. That rarely happens now and it makes the batsman’s approach less sure and stay more uncomfortable.
Qadir had to battle the madness of Pakistan’s cricket system and if Imran Khan had not supported him he might have been lost. Warne had the smartest cricket board behind him.
Warne played for the premier team of his age. Qadir began when Pakistan were nowhere and ended with Pakistan battling for the top spot.
Qadir had to bowl at the world’s strongest batting team (West Indies), with great success too. Warne never had to.
Warne usually bowled with the luxury of a big score behind his team. Qadir was more often bowling under the pressure of a low score.
Warne had always been part of a powerful bowling attack. For most of Qadir’s career it was him and Imran and much cannon fodder.
Global cricket coverage made today’s stars more prominent than even the stars of the 80s. Many of Qadir’s dazzling performances were never seen in England and Australia, the countries that dominate cricket writing and coverage.
Scyld Berry, the incoming editor of Wisden Almanack: “It is impossible to believe that wrist-spin has ever been bowled better than Qadir did in his home city of Lahore in 1987-88, when he took 9 for 56 against England.”
More from Scyld: “Graham Gooch, who faced him that day, said Qadir was even finer than Shane Warne, to whom he passed on the candle.” Gooch faced both bowlers in their prime.
Thank you Shane but let’s not forget Abdul the Googly.
Although Abdul Qadir was a genuine leg break googly bowler I would still pick Shane Warne as the best leg spinner ever. Warne had much more control over the flight and line whereas Qadir's bowling action gave him turn but not the accuracy. Warne had the capability to put six balls in an over at the same spot.
Also, Warne always had a googly but rarely deployed it because he believed he could get more wickets with his leg break variations. Warne was very skillful at varying length, speed and dip. Also his flipper is unparalleled.
It is difficult to compare players of different eras, because opposition is almost always different and level of play and sophistication of sport changes with time. I had seen Qadir bowl in his prime and have also seen Warne at his peak. I am not about to get into a statistical debate, but purely from a follower-of-cricket stand point, I'd pick Warne over Qadir any day of the week. The command Warne had on his deliveries is simply unbelievable.
Put simply, Qadir was good. Warne is great.
Sorry, even my supreme patriotism can not cloud my choice in this matter.
No doubt about it, Warne is the best. He may not have had a googly but that shows that even though batsmen could pick him, they still couldn't play him.
His pinpoint accuracy and sublime control over subtle variations makes him by far the greatest legspinner ever after Stuart MacGil (Kidding, hehe)
I agree with you guys. Kamran Abbassi dissapointed me this time :(
Qadir was the innovative reviver of the art of leg spin, but Warne will always be regarded as greatest leg spinner of all time. The command and control he showed is unmatched.