Harsh Thakor
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Imran Khan or Viv Richards?
Few decades in the game of cricket ever posessed the level of talent or intensity of those of the 1970's and 1980's.That era posessed more great players than ever with Imran Khan and Viv Richards at the top of the pedestal.In this article I am debating on who was the better cricketer overall and thus the champion cricketer of that era.It is classic duel between a champion fast bowler or allrounder with a super batsman.
There could be few better battles than seeing Imran bowl to Viv ,reminiscent of a gun-slingers shoot-out in a famous Western film.The grit ,determination ,agression and rivalry between the 2 greats reminded you of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in the boxing ring.Both were great match-winners who could turn the complexion of game 180 degress.Viv was the ultimate demolition man who made the impact of a military tank launching a blitzkreig assault on the enemy while Imran was the ultimate powerhouse of energy steaming in firing all cylinders like a plane taking of an airport runway.Both depicted the ferocity of a tiger chasing it's prey A couple of boundaries of Viv or few wickets of Imran could change the entire situation of the game.
From 1981-1988 Imran was the greatest all-rounder in the world averaging over 37 with the bat and 17.6 with the ball taking 236 wickets at a strike rate of 38.1.In his peak period Imran was statistically the best pace bowler ever(23 tests).In 1982 and 1987 he overshadowed Ian Botham as an all-rounder when playing in England on their very soil.In 1982-83 against India in 6 test matches he took 40 wickets at 13,93 with the ball and averaged 52 with the bat.In the 1983 3 test series in England he took 21 wickest at 18.53 and scored 318 runs at an average of 53.In 1982-83 taking into account leadership Imran was closest to Gary Sobers and the best fast-bowling all-rounder ever.Overall Imran was the best ever fast-bowling all-rounder edging Keith Miller.(Ian Botham was fast medium and I am counting him as a batting and bowling all-rounder like Sobers)
From 1976-80 adding Packer cricket scores Viv Richards was arguably 2nd to only Bradman.He averaged over 63 in this period treating bowlers like Denis Lillee as though they were slow bowlers.No batsmen was ever as imperious against great pace as Viv who displayed the command of a great emperor .His batting exuded the control of a driver in racing car and the rest of the filed often was made to look like pawns on a chessboard.His hook shot was simply majestic.He blended the agression of a boxer with the imagination of a painter.The best balls would be dispatched over the fence with touch of a genius.In Packer cricket in 1977-78 he scored 862 runs at 86.2.
Where Imran strode over Viv was that he was a competent batsman in addition to being a great fast bowler,while Viv was a champion batsman but an average spin bowler.Imran also made a greater impact as a leader turning the entire course of Pakistani Cricket while Viv Richards inherited the equivalent of a cricketing empire from predecessor Clive Lloyd.Imran ressurected Pakistan,uniting a bunch of talented individuals like few captains before him .His leadership was like that of a famous military Marshal.Imran shaped the destiny of his nation's cricket more than any cricketer of his generation,taking Pakistan to the mantle of joint test world champions and world cup champions.In the 1992 world cup he literally resurected his team from the grave who were cornered tigers.However Viv was still the more dominant cricketer whose explosive hitting would make a marginally greater impact than Imran Khan's all-round performances in the game or fast -bowling efforts.His 189 n.o at Old Trafford in 1984 ,his 158 at Melbourne in 1979-80 ,his 138 in the 1979 World Cup final in one day Internationals were classic examples of this.In the world series supertest his 170 in 1977-78 was an all-time classic as well as his 291 at the Oval in 1976,145 at Lords in 1980 and 108 at Delhi in 1987-88.Imran was marginally below Viv when taking 8-60 versus India at Karachi in 1982-83,12-165 at Sydney in 1976-77 ,taking 8 wickets for 112 and scoring 11 runs at Leeds in 1982 and taking 11 wickets,taking 11 wickets at Leeds for 77 runs in 1987, and scoring 123 versus India at Faislabad in 1982-83.Intimidation was the crucial factor.Imran became a great batsmen late in his carer but was basically a grafter with the qualities of an architect.Unlike Ian Botham he did not consistently tear the bowling attack to the shreds.Unlike Imran Viv never lost series as a captain.Although one of the greatest leaders of all Imran was not at his best as a tactician like at Edgbaston in 1982-8 when he let the English last pair of the hooks which cost Pakistan the game and at the Oval in 1987 when his ultra-defensive captaincy prevented his team from forcing a win.Viv,was also the better one day cricketer dominating the shorter version of the game more than nay batsmen ever.Imran was not as effective as an O.D.I pace bowler.
On mere figures Imran would win but taking into account all moral considerations and impact Viv would be my choice,by a whisker.He imposed greater fear over the opposition with his characteristic swagger.What ultimately won the battle for Viv was his great flair.Cristopher Martin Jenkins places Richards at 9 and Imran at 16th place in the top 100 while Geoff Armstrong places Imran at 5th place and Viv at 12th place in his all-time 100.Viv would make my 1st xi ,while Imran my 2nd.This does not deny that both were incomparable cricketing icons.
VIV RICHARDS
Viv Richards in Tests Matches Innings Runs Average 100s 50s
Overall 121 182 8540 50.23 24 45
1974-1980 40 63 3629 60.48 11 16
1981-1988 62 89 3933 47.38 12 19
1989- 1991 19 30 978 36.22 1 10
Viv Richards in World Series Cricket Matches Innings Runs Average 100 50
14 25 1281 58.23 4 4
Richards' best years were between 1976 and 1988. In 92 Tests during this period he scored 22 hundreds and was the only batsman to average more than 55 (among those who scored more than 4000). That was an era when several all-time greats were around - Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Sunil Gavaskar and Javed Miandad are all listed in the table below - but Richards' average was marginally higher than theirs (though he obviously didn't have to face his own bowlers, who were easily the most fearsome attack during that period). He averaged more than 50 in 13 out of the 23 series he played during this period.
Performance of top batsmen in Tests between 1976 and 1988 (Qual: 4000 runs) Batsman Matches Innings Runs Average 100 50
Viv Richards 92 135 7091 55.39 22 34
Greg Chappell 50 87 4233 54.97 13 18
Javed Miandad 95 146 7033 54.94 19 35
Allan Border 100 175 7670 52.17 23 35
Sunil Gavaskar 108 180 8655 51.51 29 36
Gordon Greenidge 83 139 6025 48.58 14 30
The table below summarises Richards' career series averages. Of the 29 series he played, 14 times he averaged more than 50, and less than 30 on just seven occasions, most of them coming either during the early years or at the end.
Viv Richards' series averages Total no. of series Ave > 70 Ave between 50-70 Ave between 40-50 Ave between 30-40 Ave < 30
29 5 9 3 5 7
Of the 24 Test hundreds he scored, 12 were in wins. Between 1974 and 1991, which is when Richards played his 121 Tests, only Greenidge scored more centuries in wins. Richards also averaged nearly 54 with six centuries in away wins. Unlike some batsmen who struggle to score in the last innings of Tests, his stats were remarkably consistent over the four innings of a match: his average in the first innings of matches was 53, while his average in the fourth innings was nearly 48, which represents one of the lowest variations among top batsmen. (Click here for his career summary.)
Richards saved his best for England, against whom he scored 2869 runs at an average of over 62 with eight centuries. Among those who've scored at least 2000 runs against England, only Don Bradman has a higher average. Richards also leads the list of batsmen with the mosthundreds against India - he added seven more to the century he scored in his second Test. His most destructive knock against them, though, was arguably in Kingston in 1983, when he scored a rapid 61 off 36 balls to lead West Indies to an unlikely win; his fifty came off just 32 balls in that innings.
Richards batted at various positions during his career but was at his best at the pivotal No. 3 spot. Of all the batsmen who've played a minimum of 50 innings in that position, only Bradman and Wally Hammond have a higher average.
Best Test batsmen at No. 3 (Qual: 50 innings) Batsman Matches Innings Runs Average 100s 50s
Don Bradman 40 56 5078 103.63 20 10
Walter Hammond 37 52 3440 74.78 14 4
Viv Richards 45 59 3508 61.54 12 14
Brian Lara 45 66 3749 60.46 9 13
Kumar Sangakkara 84 131 7355 60.28 22 31
In the 1985-86 home series against England, which West Indies won 5-0, Richards smashed the fastest Test century, off just 56 balls, in Antigua, which remains the quickest in terms of balls faced. He stands fourth on the all-time list of batsmen with the most sixes in Tests.
Richards took over the West Indies captaincy following Clive Lloyd's retirement in 1985 and led them in 50 Tests, winning 27 and losing 15, but more importantly he didn't lose a single series. Among captains who have led in a minimum of 50 Tests, Richards' record as captain is next only to Steve Waugh's and Ricky Ponting's.
Highest win percentage as captains (Qual: 50 Tests) Player Span Matches Won Lost Drawn W/L % wins
Steve Waugh 1999-2004 57 41 9 7 4.55 71.92
Ricky Ponting 2004-2010 71 47 12 12 3.91 66.19
Viv Richards 1980-1991 50 27 8 15 3.37 54
Mark Taylor 1994-1999 50 26 13 11 2 52
Michael Vaughan 2003-2008 51 26 11 14 2.36 50.98
Richards' style of batting suited one-day cricket perfectly. He set himself apart from the rest of the top batsmen of his era with his exceptionally quick scoring in a period where the average rate was much lower. The table below compares the strike rates of top batsmen between 1975 and 1991. Richards was by far the most dominant of the lot, and among players to have scored more than 2000 runs in ODIs, he still remains the only batsman to average more than 40 and possess a strike rate of over 90.
Comparison of strike rates of top batsmen between 1975 and 1991 (Qual: 4000 runs) Batsman Matches Runs Average Strike rate % better than average SR for period (65.92)
Viv Richards 187 6721 47.00 90.20 36.83
Dean Jones 120 4690 48.85 75.07 13.88
Allan Border 228 5766 31.68 70.26 6.58
Javed Miandad 180 5795 41.69 68.16 3.39
Gordon Greenidge 128 5134 45.03 64.92 -1.51
Richards played 187 ODIs in all, but only 33 of those were in the West Indies. On the other hand, he played more than twice that number in Australia, where he scored 2769 runs in 73 matches. He was by far the finest overseas batsman in Australia between 1975 and 1991.
ODI Performance of overseas batsmen in Australia (1975-1991) Player Matches Innings Runs Average Strike rate 100s 50s
Viv Richards 73 67 2769 44.66 84.54 3 24
Desmond Haynes 76 75 2459 35.63 60.32 4 17
Gordon Greenidge 43 43 1731 43.27 64.51 3 12
John Wright 57 57 1541 27.51 53.78 0 12
Javed Miandad 45 44 1390 33.90 59.40 0 10
David Gower 42 41 1248 32.84 84.32 4 3
Throughout his ODI career, Richards was the man for the big occasion. He scored a brilliant unbeaten 138 in the 1979 World Cup final, and played several crucial knocks on major occasions. His overall ODI record and performance in World Cups and finals is summarised below. He averages the highest among batsmen who have scored over 1000 runs in World Cup matches.
Viv Richards' ODI record Matches Innings Runs Average 100 50
Overall 187 167 6721 47.00 11 45
World Cup 23 21 1013 63.31 3 5
Australian tri-series 65 60 2563 46.60 3 22
Tournament finals 18 17 836 55.73 1 9
In the 1984 series against England, Richards made an extraordinary unbeaten 189 out of a total of 272, which is still the highest percentage contribution to a completed team innings. He shared a last-wicket stand of 106 with Michael Holding, which is a record for the 10th wicket. In fact, West Indies did not lose a single ODI when Richards scored a century.
While batting was clearly his best suit, Richards was also a more-than-useful contributor with the ball, especially in ODIs. He picked up 99 wickets at an average of 32.05 and an economy rate of 4.43; against India his 33 wickets came at fewer than 20 runs apiece. In 1987 against New Zealand, he became the first player to score a century and pick up four wickets in an ODI.
Richards has the astonishing record of winning 31 Man-of-the-Match awards in just 187 games, which is one award every six games, easily the highest among all players to win more than 25 awards. The table below summarises this record for the top players and clearly establishes Richards as one of the greatest match-winners in ODIs.
IMRAN KHAN
Imran Khan's Test career Period Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s Wickets Average 5WI/ 10WM
Till Dec 1979 25 832 22.48 0/ 1 98 31.88 5/ 1
Jan 1980 to Dec 1988 48 2028 39.76 4/ 10 236 17.77 18/ 5
Jan 1989 onwards 15 947 72.84 2/ 7 28 33.53 0/ 0
Overall 88 3807 37.69 6/ 18 362 22.81 23/ 6
In ODIs too, Imran's career followed a similar pattern: the 80s were his most prolific period with bat and ball, while in the last three years of his career his bowling took a back seat. His biggest ODI exploit was obviously leading Pakistan to the World Cup win in 1992, where his contribution extended beyond his inspirational leadership: his bowling wasn't a huge force, but with the bat his efforts at No.3 were key in the semi-final and the final, where his 72 was the highest score of the match.
While his best period in Test cricket was the 1982-83 season, in ODIs, quite surprisingly, his peak year was 1989. He played 26 matches that year, easily his highest in a calendar year, and shone with both bat and ball, scoring 793 runs at 46.64, and taking 29 wickets at 25.79. Of the 13 Man-of-the-Match awards he won in his entire ODI career, six came in that year alone.
Imran Khan's ODI career Period ODIs Runs Average Strike rate Wickets Average Econ rate
Till Dec 1980 14 108 15.42 59.34 16 25.93 3.32
Jan 1981 to Dec 1989 122 2651 33.98 75.67 142 22.96 3.90
Jan 1990 onwards 39 950 36.53 66.90 24 48.66 4.12
Career 175 3709 33.41 72.65 182 26.61 3.89
During his peak years in Test cricket, Imran was easily the best allrounder among his peers. In the nine years between 1980 and 1988, his bowling average of 17.77 was almost 22 lesser than his batting average - the difference was clearly the best among those with 1500 runs and 100 wickets during this period. Hadlee's bowling performances were exceptional during this period, but he couldn't quite match up to Imran with the bat, while both Botham and Kapil had far lesser success with the ball.
Top allrounders between 1980 and 1988 (Qual: 1500 runs, 100 wickets) Player Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s Wickets Average 5WI/ 10WM Diff in ave
Imran Khan 48 2028 39.76 4/ 10 236 17.77 18/ 5 21.99
Richard Hadlee 51 1987 31.04 2/ 10 284 19.03 28/ 7 12.01
Ian Botham 72 3989 34.38 10/ 19 255 31.83 15/ 2 2.55
Kapil Dev 72 3103 31.98 5/ 16 242 30.05 14/ 2 1.93
Ravi Shastri 61 2702 34.64 7/ 10 132 38.24 2/ 0 -3.60
In fact, extending this analysis to all Test cricket, only Sobers had a higher difference between batting and bowling averages (among those with at least 3000 runs and 200 wickets, and two wickets per Test). Jacques Kallis is the other allrounder who has more than 3000 runs and 200 wickets - and a huge difference between batting and bowling averages - but for much of his career Kallis has been a batsman who bowls a bit: his 266 wickets have come from 140 Tests, an average of less than two wickets per match.
Best allrounders in Tests (Qual: 3000 runs and 200 wkts; at least two wkts per Test) Player Tests Runs Average 100s Wickets Average 5WI Diff in ave
Garry Sobers 93 8032 57.78 26 235 34.03 6 23.75
Imran Khan 88 3807 37.69 6 362 22.81 23 14.88
Shaun Pollock 108 3781 32.31 2 421 23.11 16 9.20
Ian Botham 102 5200 33.54 14 383 28.40 27 5.14
Richard Hadlee 86 3124 27.16 2 431 22.29 36 4.87
Chris Cairns 62 3320 33.53 5 218 29.40 13 4.13
Kapil Dev 131 5248 31.05 8 434 29.64 23 1.41
In his pomp, not only was Imran the best allrounder, he was also the best bowler in the world. At a time when a connoisseur of fast bowling would have been spoilt for choice, for there were so many great ones going around, Imran was still the best of the lot with an average of 17.77 and a strike rate of less than 44 balls per wicket. Hadlee was next in line, with three West Indians following in their wake. The top six all averaged less than 25, which is also a telling commentary on the balance of power between bat and ball during that period.
Top bowlers in the world between 1980 and 1988 (Qual: 150 wickets) Bowler Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM
Imran Khan 48 236 17.77 43.6 18/ 5
Richard Hadlee 51 284 19.03 47.0 28/ 7
Malcolm Marshall 58 297 20.20 44.7 18/ 3
Joel Garner 49 210 20.62 51.8 7/ 0
Michael Holding 45 184 23.38 50.3 9/ 1
Dennis Lillee 35 171 24.07 52.3 11/ 3
What's more surprising, though, is the sort of numbers Imran racked up as a batsman when his glory days as a bowler were over. He was technically sound and could play with the straightest of bats, and when he worked on his patience and temperament, the result was a batsman who could play long innings and adapt his game according to the needs of the hour. In the last five years of his career, Imran averaged 59.69 in 28 Tests, and four of his six Test hundreds came during this period. Among those who scored at least 1500 runs during this period, only New Zealand's Martin Crowe had a better average.
Admittedly, the average was boosted by the number of not-outs he notched up - 11 in 37 innings - but that further illustrates how difficult he was to dismiss during the last years of his Test career. Even Javed Miandad had a lower average, though he scored almost 1000 more runs than Imran.
Highest batting averages between Jan 1, 1987 and Jan 6, 1992 (Qual: 1500 runs) Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s
Martin Crowe 24 2186 60.72 8/ 8
Imran Khan 28 1552 59.69 4/ 9
Graham Gooch 32 3282 55.62 8/ 18
Andrew Jones 20 1703 54.93 5/ 6
Javed Miandad 35 2512 54.60 8/ 10
Mark Taylor 28 2565 53.43 7/ 17
Robin Smith 28 2118 52.95 6/ 15
Shoaib Mohammad 32 2175 50.58 7/ 8
One of the highlights of Imran's career was his battles against the best team of his times, West Indies. As a batsman he wasn't as effective against them, but as a bowler he was superb, taking 80 wickets at 21.18. Comparing the stats of the four superstar allrounders of that era against West Indies, it's clear that three of them raised their games against them - Hadlee and Kapil too had terrific numbers against them - but the disappointment was Botham, who struggled with both bat and ball.
The four allrounders against West Indies Player Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s Wickets Average 5WI/ 10WM
Imran Khan 18 775 27.67 1/ 3 80 21.18 6/ 1
Richard Hadlee 10 389 32.41 1/ 1 51 22.03 4/ 1
Kapil Dev 25 1079 30.82 3/ 4 89 24.89 4/ 1
Ian Botham 20 792 21.40 0/ 4 61 35.18 3/ 0
Perhaps even more impressive than his individual performances against West Indies was the manner in which Imran inspired his team to raise their level against them. He led them on three occasions versus West Indies between 1985 and 1990, and each series was a classic, with each team winning a Test every time. Imran the bowler was outstanding in two of those series, taking 18 wickets at 11.05 in 1986, and 23 wickets at 18.08 in 1988. During that period Pakistan was the only team to win more than one Test against West Indies. (In complete contrast, England won one and lost 11 Tests against them during this period.)
In fact, one of the stand-out aspects of Imran Khan was the manner in which he lifted his performances when he became captain: in the 48 Tests in which he led Pakistan he averaged 52.34 with the bat and 20.26 with the ball; in the 40 Tests in which he wasn't captain his batting average was 25.43 and his bowling average 25.53. Imran's batting average of 52.34 is among the highest by captains - only four have led in 40 or more Tests and averaged higher. Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border were among those whose batting average as captain was lower than Imran's. Under him, Pakistan also won 14 Tests, which remains the joint-highest (along with Miandad) for Pakistan.
Best Test averages as captains (Qual: 40 Tests) Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s
Brian Lara 47 4685 57.83 14/ 19
Greg Chappell 48 4209 55.38 13/ 19
Peter May 41 3080 54.03 10/ 15
Ricky Ponting 73 6429 53.57 19/ 34
Imran Khan 48 2408 52.34 5/ 14
Steve Waugh 57 3714 52.30 15/ 10
Clive Lloyd 74 5233 51.30 14/ 27
Allan Border 93 6623 50.94 15/ 36
Sunil Gavaskar 47 3449 50.72 11/ 14
Graeme Smith 78 6564 50.10 19/ 26
Imran's ODI numbers were pretty impressive too, though his bowling average of almost 27 didn't do complete justice to his skills. He averaged only slightly more than one wicket per match, but that was also because of the stress fracture, which severely curtailed his bowling. When on song, even the best of batsmen found him difficult to handle: in Sharjah in 1985, he destroyed the Indian batting line-up with figures of 6 for 14, though Pakistan ended up losing by 38 runs.
As a batsman, Imran was a terrific matchwinner: in matches that Pakistan won, he averaged almost 47, which was well above his overall batting average of 33.41. Among Pakistan's batsmen who scored at least 2000 runs in wins, only four have a higher average. Given that he was a man for the big occasions, it's hardly surprising that his World Cup stats are better than his overall career numbers: his only ODI century came in a World Cup game, against Sri Lanka in 1983, while he is one of only six bowlers to take 25 or more wickets at an average of less than 20.
Few decades in the game of cricket ever posessed the level of talent or intensity of those of the 1970's and 1980's.That era posessed more great players than ever with Imran Khan and Viv Richards at the top of the pedestal.In this article I am debating on who was the better cricketer overall and thus the champion cricketer of that era.It is classic duel between a champion fast bowler or allrounder with a super batsman.
There could be few better battles than seeing Imran bowl to Viv ,reminiscent of a gun-slingers shoot-out in a famous Western film.The grit ,determination ,agression and rivalry between the 2 greats reminded you of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in the boxing ring.Both were great match-winners who could turn the complexion of game 180 degress.Viv was the ultimate demolition man who made the impact of a military tank launching a blitzkreig assault on the enemy while Imran was the ultimate powerhouse of energy steaming in firing all cylinders like a plane taking of an airport runway.Both depicted the ferocity of a tiger chasing it's prey A couple of boundaries of Viv or few wickets of Imran could change the entire situation of the game.
From 1981-1988 Imran was the greatest all-rounder in the world averaging over 37 with the bat and 17.6 with the ball taking 236 wickets at a strike rate of 38.1.In his peak period Imran was statistically the best pace bowler ever(23 tests).In 1982 and 1987 he overshadowed Ian Botham as an all-rounder when playing in England on their very soil.In 1982-83 against India in 6 test matches he took 40 wickets at 13,93 with the ball and averaged 52 with the bat.In the 1983 3 test series in England he took 21 wickest at 18.53 and scored 318 runs at an average of 53.In 1982-83 taking into account leadership Imran was closest to Gary Sobers and the best fast-bowling all-rounder ever.Overall Imran was the best ever fast-bowling all-rounder edging Keith Miller.(Ian Botham was fast medium and I am counting him as a batting and bowling all-rounder like Sobers)
From 1976-80 adding Packer cricket scores Viv Richards was arguably 2nd to only Bradman.He averaged over 63 in this period treating bowlers like Denis Lillee as though they were slow bowlers.No batsmen was ever as imperious against great pace as Viv who displayed the command of a great emperor .His batting exuded the control of a driver in racing car and the rest of the filed often was made to look like pawns on a chessboard.His hook shot was simply majestic.He blended the agression of a boxer with the imagination of a painter.The best balls would be dispatched over the fence with touch of a genius.In Packer cricket in 1977-78 he scored 862 runs at 86.2.
Where Imran strode over Viv was that he was a competent batsman in addition to being a great fast bowler,while Viv was a champion batsman but an average spin bowler.Imran also made a greater impact as a leader turning the entire course of Pakistani Cricket while Viv Richards inherited the equivalent of a cricketing empire from predecessor Clive Lloyd.Imran ressurected Pakistan,uniting a bunch of talented individuals like few captains before him .His leadership was like that of a famous military Marshal.Imran shaped the destiny of his nation's cricket more than any cricketer of his generation,taking Pakistan to the mantle of joint test world champions and world cup champions.In the 1992 world cup he literally resurected his team from the grave who were cornered tigers.However Viv was still the more dominant cricketer whose explosive hitting would make a marginally greater impact than Imran Khan's all-round performances in the game or fast -bowling efforts.His 189 n.o at Old Trafford in 1984 ,his 158 at Melbourne in 1979-80 ,his 138 in the 1979 World Cup final in one day Internationals were classic examples of this.In the world series supertest his 170 in 1977-78 was an all-time classic as well as his 291 at the Oval in 1976,145 at Lords in 1980 and 108 at Delhi in 1987-88.Imran was marginally below Viv when taking 8-60 versus India at Karachi in 1982-83,12-165 at Sydney in 1976-77 ,taking 8 wickets for 112 and scoring 11 runs at Leeds in 1982 and taking 11 wickets,taking 11 wickets at Leeds for 77 runs in 1987, and scoring 123 versus India at Faislabad in 1982-83.Intimidation was the crucial factor.Imran became a great batsmen late in his carer but was basically a grafter with the qualities of an architect.Unlike Ian Botham he did not consistently tear the bowling attack to the shreds.Unlike Imran Viv never lost series as a captain.Although one of the greatest leaders of all Imran was not at his best as a tactician like at Edgbaston in 1982-8 when he let the English last pair of the hooks which cost Pakistan the game and at the Oval in 1987 when his ultra-defensive captaincy prevented his team from forcing a win.Viv,was also the better one day cricketer dominating the shorter version of the game more than nay batsmen ever.Imran was not as effective as an O.D.I pace bowler.
On mere figures Imran would win but taking into account all moral considerations and impact Viv would be my choice,by a whisker.He imposed greater fear over the opposition with his characteristic swagger.What ultimately won the battle for Viv was his great flair.Cristopher Martin Jenkins places Richards at 9 and Imran at 16th place in the top 100 while Geoff Armstrong places Imran at 5th place and Viv at 12th place in his all-time 100.Viv would make my 1st xi ,while Imran my 2nd.This does not deny that both were incomparable cricketing icons.
VIV RICHARDS
Viv Richards in Tests Matches Innings Runs Average 100s 50s
Overall 121 182 8540 50.23 24 45
1974-1980 40 63 3629 60.48 11 16
1981-1988 62 89 3933 47.38 12 19
1989- 1991 19 30 978 36.22 1 10
Viv Richards in World Series Cricket Matches Innings Runs Average 100 50
14 25 1281 58.23 4 4
Richards' best years were between 1976 and 1988. In 92 Tests during this period he scored 22 hundreds and was the only batsman to average more than 55 (among those who scored more than 4000). That was an era when several all-time greats were around - Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Sunil Gavaskar and Javed Miandad are all listed in the table below - but Richards' average was marginally higher than theirs (though he obviously didn't have to face his own bowlers, who were easily the most fearsome attack during that period). He averaged more than 50 in 13 out of the 23 series he played during this period.
Performance of top batsmen in Tests between 1976 and 1988 (Qual: 4000 runs) Batsman Matches Innings Runs Average 100 50
Viv Richards 92 135 7091 55.39 22 34
Greg Chappell 50 87 4233 54.97 13 18
Javed Miandad 95 146 7033 54.94 19 35
Allan Border 100 175 7670 52.17 23 35
Sunil Gavaskar 108 180 8655 51.51 29 36
Gordon Greenidge 83 139 6025 48.58 14 30
The table below summarises Richards' career series averages. Of the 29 series he played, 14 times he averaged more than 50, and less than 30 on just seven occasions, most of them coming either during the early years or at the end.
Viv Richards' series averages Total no. of series Ave > 70 Ave between 50-70 Ave between 40-50 Ave between 30-40 Ave < 30
29 5 9 3 5 7
Of the 24 Test hundreds he scored, 12 were in wins. Between 1974 and 1991, which is when Richards played his 121 Tests, only Greenidge scored more centuries in wins. Richards also averaged nearly 54 with six centuries in away wins. Unlike some batsmen who struggle to score in the last innings of Tests, his stats were remarkably consistent over the four innings of a match: his average in the first innings of matches was 53, while his average in the fourth innings was nearly 48, which represents one of the lowest variations among top batsmen. (Click here for his career summary.)
Richards saved his best for England, against whom he scored 2869 runs at an average of over 62 with eight centuries. Among those who've scored at least 2000 runs against England, only Don Bradman has a higher average. Richards also leads the list of batsmen with the mosthundreds against India - he added seven more to the century he scored in his second Test. His most destructive knock against them, though, was arguably in Kingston in 1983, when he scored a rapid 61 off 36 balls to lead West Indies to an unlikely win; his fifty came off just 32 balls in that innings.
Richards batted at various positions during his career but was at his best at the pivotal No. 3 spot. Of all the batsmen who've played a minimum of 50 innings in that position, only Bradman and Wally Hammond have a higher average.
Best Test batsmen at No. 3 (Qual: 50 innings) Batsman Matches Innings Runs Average 100s 50s
Don Bradman 40 56 5078 103.63 20 10
Walter Hammond 37 52 3440 74.78 14 4
Viv Richards 45 59 3508 61.54 12 14
Brian Lara 45 66 3749 60.46 9 13
Kumar Sangakkara 84 131 7355 60.28 22 31
In the 1985-86 home series against England, which West Indies won 5-0, Richards smashed the fastest Test century, off just 56 balls, in Antigua, which remains the quickest in terms of balls faced. He stands fourth on the all-time list of batsmen with the most sixes in Tests.
Richards took over the West Indies captaincy following Clive Lloyd's retirement in 1985 and led them in 50 Tests, winning 27 and losing 15, but more importantly he didn't lose a single series. Among captains who have led in a minimum of 50 Tests, Richards' record as captain is next only to Steve Waugh's and Ricky Ponting's.
Highest win percentage as captains (Qual: 50 Tests) Player Span Matches Won Lost Drawn W/L % wins
Steve Waugh 1999-2004 57 41 9 7 4.55 71.92
Ricky Ponting 2004-2010 71 47 12 12 3.91 66.19
Viv Richards 1980-1991 50 27 8 15 3.37 54
Mark Taylor 1994-1999 50 26 13 11 2 52
Michael Vaughan 2003-2008 51 26 11 14 2.36 50.98
Richards' style of batting suited one-day cricket perfectly. He set himself apart from the rest of the top batsmen of his era with his exceptionally quick scoring in a period where the average rate was much lower. The table below compares the strike rates of top batsmen between 1975 and 1991. Richards was by far the most dominant of the lot, and among players to have scored more than 2000 runs in ODIs, he still remains the only batsman to average more than 40 and possess a strike rate of over 90.
Comparison of strike rates of top batsmen between 1975 and 1991 (Qual: 4000 runs) Batsman Matches Runs Average Strike rate % better than average SR for period (65.92)
Viv Richards 187 6721 47.00 90.20 36.83
Dean Jones 120 4690 48.85 75.07 13.88
Allan Border 228 5766 31.68 70.26 6.58
Javed Miandad 180 5795 41.69 68.16 3.39
Gordon Greenidge 128 5134 45.03 64.92 -1.51
Richards played 187 ODIs in all, but only 33 of those were in the West Indies. On the other hand, he played more than twice that number in Australia, where he scored 2769 runs in 73 matches. He was by far the finest overseas batsman in Australia between 1975 and 1991.
ODI Performance of overseas batsmen in Australia (1975-1991) Player Matches Innings Runs Average Strike rate 100s 50s
Viv Richards 73 67 2769 44.66 84.54 3 24
Desmond Haynes 76 75 2459 35.63 60.32 4 17
Gordon Greenidge 43 43 1731 43.27 64.51 3 12
John Wright 57 57 1541 27.51 53.78 0 12
Javed Miandad 45 44 1390 33.90 59.40 0 10
David Gower 42 41 1248 32.84 84.32 4 3
Throughout his ODI career, Richards was the man for the big occasion. He scored a brilliant unbeaten 138 in the 1979 World Cup final, and played several crucial knocks on major occasions. His overall ODI record and performance in World Cups and finals is summarised below. He averages the highest among batsmen who have scored over 1000 runs in World Cup matches.
Viv Richards' ODI record Matches Innings Runs Average 100 50
Overall 187 167 6721 47.00 11 45
World Cup 23 21 1013 63.31 3 5
Australian tri-series 65 60 2563 46.60 3 22
Tournament finals 18 17 836 55.73 1 9
In the 1984 series against England, Richards made an extraordinary unbeaten 189 out of a total of 272, which is still the highest percentage contribution to a completed team innings. He shared a last-wicket stand of 106 with Michael Holding, which is a record for the 10th wicket. In fact, West Indies did not lose a single ODI when Richards scored a century.
While batting was clearly his best suit, Richards was also a more-than-useful contributor with the ball, especially in ODIs. He picked up 99 wickets at an average of 32.05 and an economy rate of 4.43; against India his 33 wickets came at fewer than 20 runs apiece. In 1987 against New Zealand, he became the first player to score a century and pick up four wickets in an ODI.
Richards has the astonishing record of winning 31 Man-of-the-Match awards in just 187 games, which is one award every six games, easily the highest among all players to win more than 25 awards. The table below summarises this record for the top players and clearly establishes Richards as one of the greatest match-winners in ODIs.
IMRAN KHAN
Imran Khan's Test career Period Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s Wickets Average 5WI/ 10WM
Till Dec 1979 25 832 22.48 0/ 1 98 31.88 5/ 1
Jan 1980 to Dec 1988 48 2028 39.76 4/ 10 236 17.77 18/ 5
Jan 1989 onwards 15 947 72.84 2/ 7 28 33.53 0/ 0
Overall 88 3807 37.69 6/ 18 362 22.81 23/ 6
In ODIs too, Imran's career followed a similar pattern: the 80s were his most prolific period with bat and ball, while in the last three years of his career his bowling took a back seat. His biggest ODI exploit was obviously leading Pakistan to the World Cup win in 1992, where his contribution extended beyond his inspirational leadership: his bowling wasn't a huge force, but with the bat his efforts at No.3 were key in the semi-final and the final, where his 72 was the highest score of the match.
While his best period in Test cricket was the 1982-83 season, in ODIs, quite surprisingly, his peak year was 1989. He played 26 matches that year, easily his highest in a calendar year, and shone with both bat and ball, scoring 793 runs at 46.64, and taking 29 wickets at 25.79. Of the 13 Man-of-the-Match awards he won in his entire ODI career, six came in that year alone.
Imran Khan's ODI career Period ODIs Runs Average Strike rate Wickets Average Econ rate
Till Dec 1980 14 108 15.42 59.34 16 25.93 3.32
Jan 1981 to Dec 1989 122 2651 33.98 75.67 142 22.96 3.90
Jan 1990 onwards 39 950 36.53 66.90 24 48.66 4.12
Career 175 3709 33.41 72.65 182 26.61 3.89
During his peak years in Test cricket, Imran was easily the best allrounder among his peers. In the nine years between 1980 and 1988, his bowling average of 17.77 was almost 22 lesser than his batting average - the difference was clearly the best among those with 1500 runs and 100 wickets during this period. Hadlee's bowling performances were exceptional during this period, but he couldn't quite match up to Imran with the bat, while both Botham and Kapil had far lesser success with the ball.
Top allrounders between 1980 and 1988 (Qual: 1500 runs, 100 wickets) Player Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s Wickets Average 5WI/ 10WM Diff in ave
Imran Khan 48 2028 39.76 4/ 10 236 17.77 18/ 5 21.99
Richard Hadlee 51 1987 31.04 2/ 10 284 19.03 28/ 7 12.01
Ian Botham 72 3989 34.38 10/ 19 255 31.83 15/ 2 2.55
Kapil Dev 72 3103 31.98 5/ 16 242 30.05 14/ 2 1.93
Ravi Shastri 61 2702 34.64 7/ 10 132 38.24 2/ 0 -3.60
In fact, extending this analysis to all Test cricket, only Sobers had a higher difference between batting and bowling averages (among those with at least 3000 runs and 200 wickets, and two wickets per Test). Jacques Kallis is the other allrounder who has more than 3000 runs and 200 wickets - and a huge difference between batting and bowling averages - but for much of his career Kallis has been a batsman who bowls a bit: his 266 wickets have come from 140 Tests, an average of less than two wickets per match.
Best allrounders in Tests (Qual: 3000 runs and 200 wkts; at least two wkts per Test) Player Tests Runs Average 100s Wickets Average 5WI Diff in ave
Garry Sobers 93 8032 57.78 26 235 34.03 6 23.75
Imran Khan 88 3807 37.69 6 362 22.81 23 14.88
Shaun Pollock 108 3781 32.31 2 421 23.11 16 9.20
Ian Botham 102 5200 33.54 14 383 28.40 27 5.14
Richard Hadlee 86 3124 27.16 2 431 22.29 36 4.87
Chris Cairns 62 3320 33.53 5 218 29.40 13 4.13
Kapil Dev 131 5248 31.05 8 434 29.64 23 1.41
In his pomp, not only was Imran the best allrounder, he was also the best bowler in the world. At a time when a connoisseur of fast bowling would have been spoilt for choice, for there were so many great ones going around, Imran was still the best of the lot with an average of 17.77 and a strike rate of less than 44 balls per wicket. Hadlee was next in line, with three West Indians following in their wake. The top six all averaged less than 25, which is also a telling commentary on the balance of power between bat and ball during that period.
Top bowlers in the world between 1980 and 1988 (Qual: 150 wickets) Bowler Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM
Imran Khan 48 236 17.77 43.6 18/ 5
Richard Hadlee 51 284 19.03 47.0 28/ 7
Malcolm Marshall 58 297 20.20 44.7 18/ 3
Joel Garner 49 210 20.62 51.8 7/ 0
Michael Holding 45 184 23.38 50.3 9/ 1
Dennis Lillee 35 171 24.07 52.3 11/ 3
What's more surprising, though, is the sort of numbers Imran racked up as a batsman when his glory days as a bowler were over. He was technically sound and could play with the straightest of bats, and when he worked on his patience and temperament, the result was a batsman who could play long innings and adapt his game according to the needs of the hour. In the last five years of his career, Imran averaged 59.69 in 28 Tests, and four of his six Test hundreds came during this period. Among those who scored at least 1500 runs during this period, only New Zealand's Martin Crowe had a better average.
Admittedly, the average was boosted by the number of not-outs he notched up - 11 in 37 innings - but that further illustrates how difficult he was to dismiss during the last years of his Test career. Even Javed Miandad had a lower average, though he scored almost 1000 more runs than Imran.
Highest batting averages between Jan 1, 1987 and Jan 6, 1992 (Qual: 1500 runs) Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s
Martin Crowe 24 2186 60.72 8/ 8
Imran Khan 28 1552 59.69 4/ 9
Graham Gooch 32 3282 55.62 8/ 18
Andrew Jones 20 1703 54.93 5/ 6
Javed Miandad 35 2512 54.60 8/ 10
Mark Taylor 28 2565 53.43 7/ 17
Robin Smith 28 2118 52.95 6/ 15
Shoaib Mohammad 32 2175 50.58 7/ 8
One of the highlights of Imran's career was his battles against the best team of his times, West Indies. As a batsman he wasn't as effective against them, but as a bowler he was superb, taking 80 wickets at 21.18. Comparing the stats of the four superstar allrounders of that era against West Indies, it's clear that three of them raised their games against them - Hadlee and Kapil too had terrific numbers against them - but the disappointment was Botham, who struggled with both bat and ball.
The four allrounders against West Indies Player Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s Wickets Average 5WI/ 10WM
Imran Khan 18 775 27.67 1/ 3 80 21.18 6/ 1
Richard Hadlee 10 389 32.41 1/ 1 51 22.03 4/ 1
Kapil Dev 25 1079 30.82 3/ 4 89 24.89 4/ 1
Ian Botham 20 792 21.40 0/ 4 61 35.18 3/ 0
Perhaps even more impressive than his individual performances against West Indies was the manner in which Imran inspired his team to raise their level against them. He led them on three occasions versus West Indies between 1985 and 1990, and each series was a classic, with each team winning a Test every time. Imran the bowler was outstanding in two of those series, taking 18 wickets at 11.05 in 1986, and 23 wickets at 18.08 in 1988. During that period Pakistan was the only team to win more than one Test against West Indies. (In complete contrast, England won one and lost 11 Tests against them during this period.)
In fact, one of the stand-out aspects of Imran Khan was the manner in which he lifted his performances when he became captain: in the 48 Tests in which he led Pakistan he averaged 52.34 with the bat and 20.26 with the ball; in the 40 Tests in which he wasn't captain his batting average was 25.43 and his bowling average 25.53. Imran's batting average of 52.34 is among the highest by captains - only four have led in 40 or more Tests and averaged higher. Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border were among those whose batting average as captain was lower than Imran's. Under him, Pakistan also won 14 Tests, which remains the joint-highest (along with Miandad) for Pakistan.
Best Test averages as captains (Qual: 40 Tests) Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s
Brian Lara 47 4685 57.83 14/ 19
Greg Chappell 48 4209 55.38 13/ 19
Peter May 41 3080 54.03 10/ 15
Ricky Ponting 73 6429 53.57 19/ 34
Imran Khan 48 2408 52.34 5/ 14
Steve Waugh 57 3714 52.30 15/ 10
Clive Lloyd 74 5233 51.30 14/ 27
Allan Border 93 6623 50.94 15/ 36
Sunil Gavaskar 47 3449 50.72 11/ 14
Graeme Smith 78 6564 50.10 19/ 26
Imran's ODI numbers were pretty impressive too, though his bowling average of almost 27 didn't do complete justice to his skills. He averaged only slightly more than one wicket per match, but that was also because of the stress fracture, which severely curtailed his bowling. When on song, even the best of batsmen found him difficult to handle: in Sharjah in 1985, he destroyed the Indian batting line-up with figures of 6 for 14, though Pakistan ended up losing by 38 runs.
As a batsman, Imran was a terrific matchwinner: in matches that Pakistan won, he averaged almost 47, which was well above his overall batting average of 33.41. Among Pakistan's batsmen who scored at least 2000 runs in wins, only four have a higher average. Given that he was a man for the big occasions, it's hardly surprising that his World Cup stats are better than his overall career numbers: his only ODI century came in a World Cup game, against Sri Lanka in 1983, while he is one of only six bowlers to take 25 or more wickets at an average of less than 20.
