Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
- Runs
- 3,520
- Post of the Week
- 2
This is my selection of batsman I would choose for a World XI to face express pace on fast track.I have not only considered statistics but also skill in playing pace,particularly short-pitched deliveries.
Sunil Gavaskar-Ultimate embodiment of technical skill who mastered likes of Imran and Andy Roberts without a helmet.Not successful against Lillee or at his best agaisnt the Carribean pace quartet but still has to his create a double hundred and 2 centuries against them and a flawless 90 on a bad wicket at Ahmedabad.
Graham Gooch-Proved his prowess on fast bouncy tracks on the 1981 tour with a 153 at Kingston and 115 at Barbados,averaging over 57 overall.At Leeds played arguably the best tset innings ever when scoring 154 in 1991 versus West Indies.No opener played the Calypso attack better.
Rohan Kanhai-Overshadowed even Gary Sobers against sheer pace with his lightning quick footwork and infinite imagination like when scoring a century in each innings at Adelaide in 1960-61 and 115 agaisnt Lillee at his fastest at Perth in 1972.
Viv Richards -Even made great paceman look like cattle walking to a slaughterhouse.No batsman treated Lillee or Thomson with such a degree of contempt or played pace with such remorseless ease as Viv.His average of 86.2 in WSC supertsest in 197-78 testify this.
Ian Chappell- Statistics hardly reveal his true merit who averaged 50.94 at one down and 12 centuries and 4279 runs.One of the best ever exponents of the hook shot who overshadowed brother Greg in a crisis or on fast wicket.West Indies bowlers prized Ian's wicket more than brother Greg who scored 5 centuries in all games against them in 1968-69 at home ,156 out of 328 at Perth n 1975-76 and a 141 in a WSC supertest in 1977 .Michael Holding valued Ina's 449 runs against them in 1975-76 more than Greg's 702,in giving them the battering of their lives.
Mohinder Amarnath -In 1982-83 in the history of test cricket no batsman performed better facing express pace.1st facing Imran in Pakistan he aggregated 593 runs scoring 2 centuries at an average of 73.Later in West Indies displaying the guts of a great military commander he scored 593 runs at an average of above 66.Never seen a batsman play pace as courageously or with such skill or tenacity,resembling an army ressurecting itself from the grave.
Adam Gilchrist-Pounded top South African attacks in the way no keeper has ever done with the bat.The ultimate match winner who created impact of a dynamite.
I may have been unfair to Tendulkar and Lara or even Border and Ponting but in my personal view in terms of tenacity and pure skill against the bouncing delivery these batsman stood out.At express pace Greg Chapel often floundered against the rising delivery,often top edging them like in 1979-80 or 1981-82 .Lara and Tendulkar wee the ultimate geniuses but at times uncomfortable against short-pitched deliveries at express pace.DonBradman was also not at his best facing bodyline while Hobbs and Hutton were not full tested.
Sunil Gavaskar-Ultimate embodiment of technical skill who mastered likes of Imran and Andy Roberts without a helmet.Not successful against Lillee or at his best agaisnt the Carribean pace quartet but still has to his create a double hundred and 2 centuries against them and a flawless 90 on a bad wicket at Ahmedabad.
Graham Gooch-Proved his prowess on fast bouncy tracks on the 1981 tour with a 153 at Kingston and 115 at Barbados,averaging over 57 overall.At Leeds played arguably the best tset innings ever when scoring 154 in 1991 versus West Indies.No opener played the Calypso attack better.
Rohan Kanhai-Overshadowed even Gary Sobers against sheer pace with his lightning quick footwork and infinite imagination like when scoring a century in each innings at Adelaide in 1960-61 and 115 agaisnt Lillee at his fastest at Perth in 1972.
Viv Richards -Even made great paceman look like cattle walking to a slaughterhouse.No batsman treated Lillee or Thomson with such a degree of contempt or played pace with such remorseless ease as Viv.His average of 86.2 in WSC supertsest in 197-78 testify this.
Ian Chappell- Statistics hardly reveal his true merit who averaged 50.94 at one down and 12 centuries and 4279 runs.One of the best ever exponents of the hook shot who overshadowed brother Greg in a crisis or on fast wicket.West Indies bowlers prized Ian's wicket more than brother Greg who scored 5 centuries in all games against them in 1968-69 at home ,156 out of 328 at Perth n 1975-76 and a 141 in a WSC supertest in 1977 .Michael Holding valued Ina's 449 runs against them in 1975-76 more than Greg's 702,in giving them the battering of their lives.
Mohinder Amarnath -In 1982-83 in the history of test cricket no batsman performed better facing express pace.1st facing Imran in Pakistan he aggregated 593 runs scoring 2 centuries at an average of 73.Later in West Indies displaying the guts of a great military commander he scored 593 runs at an average of above 66.Never seen a batsman play pace as courageously or with such skill or tenacity,resembling an army ressurecting itself from the grave.
Adam Gilchrist-Pounded top South African attacks in the way no keeper has ever done with the bat.The ultimate match winner who created impact of a dynamite.
I may have been unfair to Tendulkar and Lara or even Border and Ponting but in my personal view in terms of tenacity and pure skill against the bouncing delivery these batsman stood out.At express pace Greg Chapel often floundered against the rising delivery,often top edging them like in 1979-80 or 1981-82 .Lara and Tendulkar wee the ultimate geniuses but at times uncomfortable against short-pitched deliveries at express pace.DonBradman was also not at his best facing bodyline while Hobbs and Hutton were not full tested.
