Looking terrible at the moment, but he has pledged to play for South African LoI side until the end of the World Cup next year - but in a batting role only.

 

His scores in the current series against Lanka are 0, 1 and 4. His average this year in ODIs is 1.66 as a result, it was 19.00 last year (2013) and 31.50 the year before (2012).

 

In addition, I think players with a batting style like him are passe in ODIs. The 2011 50-over World Cup saw a few of those still around (Tendulkar, Ponting, Graeme Smith, etc.) but now the role calls for a little more biffing a la Maxwell or de Villiers or Kohli.

 

Best of luck to him, but it's not looking good.  

 

Discuss

 

On this day in 2009 Fawad Alam made 168 vs Sri Lanka. 2 Tests later he was dropped & hasn't played a Test since then.  

 

Discuss

 

I have watched many such scenario, and I was wondering if the umpires give more benefit of doubt to the batsman if he is high profile and a great batsman, in the sense that giving him out can become a topic of the newspapers the day after and if it is a wrong decision, there will be more criticism ?

 

I saw umpires not hesitating to send tail-enders on their way at the first chance, may be with professionalism it is getting reduced, but what's your opinion on it?  

 

Discuss

 

Who is the worst or unluckiest bowler out of Ishant and Sami?  

 

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There have been many great cricketers from Asia, but selecting at most 3-4 from each country, my picks are as below (I have only considered Test cricket as the criterion, but if a player has crossed the threshold of greatness in Test matches, I have also given importance to their ODI performances, just to give a bonus weight). I have given preference to the charisma and conditions too. I haven't included BD as they are very new. 

 

India : Tendulkar, Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Kumble

Pakistan : Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas.

SL : Murali, Sangakkara, DeSilva

 

Picking only one from each country, raising the threshold even higher to filter all but the absolute legends, my picks will be :

 

Tendulkar, Imran Khan and Murali. 

 

Picking one of them as greatest is an extremely difficult task, each of them has carried his team, expectation of the nation, and each of them was a charismatic hero. But if I have to pick one: 

 

I would go with Murali for keeping his small country competitive almost single handedly and also for the bravery and dignity he showed in the face of constant ridicule towards his bowling action.. he stood the test of scrutiny and faced the doubters and critics who wanted him out of the game. He did that, with a smile to his face, is phenomenal. Add to that, 800 wickets in Test matches and 500+ wickets in ODI cricket, makes him statistically the best bowler that ever lived. A nicer human being, would be difficult to find. 

 

Murali it is, for me, the greatest Asian cricketer of all time. What's your opinion?  

 

Discuss