I think the following will be all-time greats provided they stay free of injury:
Brett Lee --I think he will be THE fast bowler of the Noughties (2001-2010) and well beyond. Is only fractionally slower than Shoaib (c.98 mph) and has a much better action, and is a better Test bowler. Has it in him to be the greatest Aussie fast bowler since Lillee…awesome and a joy to watch!
Shoaib Akhtar–if he can stay fit (see above!) he has the extreme pace (c.100 mph!) to be an all-time great and the new Waqar Younis but his test record to date is ordinary which is probably a result of him getting carried away with his pace and attempts to bowl 100 mph all the time! He should learn to slow down a mile or two and concentrate on accuracy and variation. Has a great swinging yorker though. Just needs to use his head more…
Muhammad Zahid…IF he ever gets a chance in the team again (our selectors need to be shot!) he can be a phenomenon…depends on his health and our selectors. Lara already rates him as the fastest he’s faced (this includes Shoaib and Lee!!) so this guy MUST be bowling 100+!!
Mohammad Akram..This guy should be in our Test side. He has a perfect bowling action, great control, swing and a lot of pace. He reminds me of Holding…When I saw him play against England he really impressed me. Allah knows why he was then dropped. But he is young and should be brought back…Could be the new Akram if given a chance!
Saqlain–already a mainstay of the one-day team he has an excellent Test record too and should become one of the great off spinners. Great record already!
Zaheer Khan (India)–this fellow is the best Indian fast bowler I have yet seen. To be honest he is the ONLY one who can bowl genuinely quickly at times (90 mph) and has a good action and seam movement. If he can get good bowling coaches (eg someone like Wasim) he could become India’s breakthrough quicky. Heaven knows they need one desperately! They are the only major Test playing nation without a genuine quick bowler in their history (along with SL)!
Sehwag–the guy looks GOOD! Haven’t scene enough of him though…The next Tendulkar?
What do you think?
ps Looking at the above list (and adding Muhammad Sami too) Pakistan’s fast bowling future looks good eh even once Wasim and Waqar have retired (next couple of years).
I agree of Brett and Shoaib, and in recent times Shoiab's test record has improved rapidly, it will continue-hopefully. Brett too has had a great change, but has yet to play on the Subcontinent which is the acid test of a pace bowler's heart and worth. Much like Australia is for test batsmen.
Muhammed Zahid had pace-but what does he have left?
He's played 1 test-too early to throw his name up I reckon. Although he took 11 wkts in that 1 game......:)
Mohammed Akram-could have been the linchpin of our attack by now. Its too old and underused to cement a place in history now-politics ruined his career.
Saqlian is a great spinner, but his game has become ODI orintated. You'll see him bowl leg stump lines in test games to keep the runs down. Thats why his test record is gradulaly getting worse, that and his variations are not evolving. He has the arm ball, the 25 yard ball and the doosra-all of which have become familiar with batsmen across the globe. His mastwery of flight is his biggest assett-cos he's not a big ripper of the ball ala Murali.
Zaheer Khan-I am not saying this os he's an Indian, but the man lacks the ability to remain fast and accurate for sustained periods. His average over includes a host of stray balls and is normally in the mid 80's in pace. His ability to move the ball is top-and he's by far the best Indian seamer of his generation (exc. Srinath).. If he can find a strike partner and develop a consistancy to his bowling he can go far.
How can anyone forget ADAM GILCHRIST. Already the best wkt/bat of alltime-and great at both as well. match winner of the highest calibre-he will kepp Australia at no.1 for a long time. Not so young, but over the next 10 he will dominate wkt and batting rankings.
Zaheer Khan no way.
The guy has no quality.
I think one of the following Indian bowlers, I like Youhannan.
I only go the chance of see him once and that was against WI.
Good bowler of line and length.
Out of current I'm going to go with Shoaib Akhtar and Shane Bond.
I think none of you have mentioned Bond because none of you have seen him play, he is brilliant.
Shoaib Akhtar can get back to form than he will be brilliant again and for years to come.
Virender Sehwag will be the Tendulkur for the next decade.
Joking and pulling leg of our Indian friends aside, I honestly believe Parthive Patel is an exceptional talent. Although his wicket keeping may need a some work (however not bad for a 17 year old - he will do doubt improve).
What really impressed me was the way he batted in the second innings of the Trent Bridge test. Although he did not make many runs, his little not out, and the confidence with which he batted should have put to shame some of the 'greats' in the Indian team. For a 17 year old playing in his first test, he steaded the ship that looked as though it was about to roll-over, and give England an opportunity to win the match. He made Hogard look ordinary, after he had bowled very well up-to that point.
If not as a wicketkeeper, I am sure he will play in the Indian team as a batsman for many years to come. Let's hope the Indian selectors persever with him more than the Pakistani selectors have done with the talented youngster that had come into the Pakistan team.
Whats so impressive about him ?
I remember Razzaq played his first one day when he was 16.
Shahid Afridi destroyed Lankans when he was 17.
Sachin Tendulkur started playing when he was 16.
Muhammad Ashraful scored a century against SL when he was 17.
Miandad started playing when he was 14.
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*Originally posted by Xpress: *
Zaheer Khan no way.
The guy has no quality.
I think one of the following Indian bowlers, I like Youhannan.
I only go the chance of see him once and that was against WI.
Good bowler of line and length..
[/QUOTE]
Once again tells about your knowledge of the game. Zaheer Khan has no Class and Youhanan is a good bowler. Sure :)
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Out of current I'm going to go with Shoaib Akhtar and Shane Bond.
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Why do you contradict yourself so much - First you select a bowler on the basis of his line and length and again pick a bowler who has no control over his line and length.
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Virender Sehwag will be the Tendulkur for the next decade.
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Now, hold on right there...Shehwag may be good but Next Tendulkar..Never !! But according to your logic Shehwag-> Sachin, Afridi-> Richards..Very similar.
Imran Qadir : He's the son of Abdul Qadir. A very useful leg spinner who takes after his father and he can also bat a bit. He should be in the running for a place in the national side in a few years time.
Imran Farhat: The most talented left handed batsman in Pakistan today. He is a carbon copy of Saeed Anwar in his prime - and Imran has started working harder on his technique and should be back in the side very soon. He is the most naturally talented batsman Ive seen for a long time.
Humayun Farhat: Brother of Imran. Humayun is a hard hitting batsman and a very good wicket keeper. He should be in the running once Moin Khan decides to retire. Not as talented as his brother but he is a gritty cricketer.
Mohammad Wasim : Deserves to be back in the side. He has been the victim of selection blunders but is still scoring heavily in dometic cricket. He would be the perfect addition at number 3 in the test side.
i am surprised to find 'Saqlain Mushtaq' in the list...he is already a seasoned veteran and accompolished bowler.. wee bit on the down but certainly he cannot be called as the one of the future..
in addition to above , I guess the players to look out for the next ten years would be
Kumar Sangakkara - a lovely stroke maker but very inconsistent
Mahela Jayewardena - a promising batsman
Andrew Flintoff - right temperament
Sadly enuff we dont see promising bowlers - only a bevy of promising batsmen..
Why are you people are so paranoid.
when I say something bad you cry.
when I say something good you cry.
what is your problem?
look who is talking.
Last time I saw Shoaib play his line and length was almost to perfection and he was blowing stumps off the aussies, he is out of form currently but his line length has been almost perfect for the past year.
i say something nice about the Indian players and you start whining.
