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Which cricketer do you believe possessed the highest cricketing IQ and acumen?

The Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle

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Cricket is not just a physical game but a game of great acumen, intelligence and technique too and that is why West Indies players despite being the strongest side physically failed to make an impact in recent ICC mega events. So after so many years of enjoying this great gentleman's game, which players do you come across as the one gifted with a great cricketing acumen and intelligence?

You can name any cricketer from any era which ever graced the field of cricket
 
For instance:

Cricketers known for their exceptional cricketing IQ include:
  • AB de Villiers: Renowned for his game-reading skills, he anticipates bowlers' strategies effectively, allowing him to adapt his batting style accordingly

  • MS Dhoni: His tactical acumen as a captain and player is notable, providing strategic insights to teammates and maintaining composure under pressure

  • Kane Williamson: Recognized for his ability to motivate and strategize, he led New Zealand to the 2019 World Cup Final through careful game management
These players exemplify high cricketing intelligence through their strategic thinking and adaptability.
 
Mike Brearley
Pretty average player but in terms of cricketing IQ (as indicated by the thread), he was the best I've seen. he read the game phenomenally well and knew how to manage players (all of whom were better than him and many with huge egos (Botham, Boycott etc)).
As Rodney Hogg (the Australian fast bowler) said of him, he had "a degree in people"
I guess helped by the fact that he had a double first from Cambridge and then was a psychoanalyst
 
shariqnoor said:
Close enough. He said Pat Cummins. :)
Click to expand...
If anyone thinks pat Cummins isn't the smartest cricketing brain in the world, then they've completly lost it.

The only person I can think of who competes with Cummins atm is maybe Bumrah in test cricket however Bumrah only captained one game.

Stokes is a sharp test captain in home conditons but overseas he can be a bit brainless at times, kohli was a good test captain as well but he ain't captaining.

Rohit is rubbish.

In terms of batting, in test cricket the smartest is easily root who's by far the most experienced when it comes to constructing an innings in test.

Bowling wise Bumrah is the smartest. He's not just a good bowler but has a very sharp mind. Such as getting smith LBW cause he knows full well Smith will shuffle across and have troubles against the inswinger
 
In terms of cricketing IQ the most notable ones of recent past are:
1. Dhoni - Brilliant tactician on the field. Amazing player utilisation and strategies
2. Graeme Smith - Amazing leader on the field in tests and very good at applying pressure and capitalising on it.
3. Kane Williamson - The guy was a genius with field placings. Personal opinion NZ's captaincy and fielding saved excess of 25 runs every game.

In terms of player management and bringing best out of their players
1. Ponting - Hands down best at it. To handle all the world class talent at his disposal and managing them to ensure cricket is always given a priority and maintaining respect earned him all those WC wins.
2. Kohli - Quite literally the guy who changed fast bowling attitude in India of which India reaped benefits in test cricket
3. Vettori - Easily overlooked but this guy literally held NZ cricket together during its low phase. He was literally their batter, bowler, coach, selector and most importantly mentor. He saw NZ cricket flourish talents like McCullum and Williamson that made their cricket prosper.
 
shariqnoor said:
Close enough. He said Pat Cummins. :)
Click to expand...
Very predictable. Cummins is not even smart enough to average under 30 with the ball in Asia, so far he is a outside SC track bully. One WC final where he was lucky to win the toss on a pitch where India stupidly tried to manufacture it to their liking and apparently he is so smart....Australia have lost 4 back to back BGTs when this smart IQ Cummins could do nothing about including a series deciding Gabba test against an Indian side that had net bowlers like Nataraj, Saini lol...also got smacked recently in the ODI series by Pakistan.
 
India: Kumble, Dravid, Dhoni, Sachin

Pakistan: IK, Miandad, Yk, Wasim

SA: G smith

Aus: A Border, M Taylor, S Waugh, RP, McGrath, Warne, Clarke, Cummins

Nz :Fleming, BMcullum, Cairns, KW

Zim: Andy Flower

Lanka: A desilva, Sangakarra, Malinga

WI: Lara, Marshall, Viv, Clive

Eng: Botham, KP, Swann, Cook
 
From a Pakistani perspective it has to be between Miandad and Wasim.

Imran was obviously impressive but he drove things forward with his will and personality to inspire on field events.

Miandad and Wasim had a greater feel for the game
 
I feel like Windies' cricketers are underrated in terms of good thinkers of the game.

Everybody simply assumes they are all natural talent and physicality.

Just listen to Pollard, Brathwaite, Sammy, Bravo etc.

They are actually very impressive in the way they think and strategise etc.
 
mominsaigol said:
If anyone thinks pat Cummins isn't the smartest cricketing brain in the world, then they've completly lost it.

The only person I can think of who competes with Cummins atm is maybe Bumrah in test cricket however Bumrah only captained one game.

Stokes is a sharp test captain in home conditons but overseas he can be a bit brainless at times, kohli was a good test captain as well but he ain't captaining.

Rohit is rubbish.

In terms of batting, in test cricket the smartest is easily root who's by far the most experienced when it comes to constructing an innings in test.

Bowling wise Bumrah is the smartest. He's not just a good bowler but has a very sharp mind. Such as getting smith LBW cause he knows full well Smith will shuffle across and have troubles against the inswinger
Click to expand...
I just read that it's all time and not current lol.

Currently it's Cummins however overall it's Steve waugh. Waugh built a team that achieved 10+ years of dominance.

Not taking any credit away from Pointing since Pointing managed it, but the founder and ceo is always the Baap of the HR manager.

Waugh and Clive Lyod are just heaps and shoulders >> The rest. Graeme Smith is another who is equally on par.
 
Watching Misbah captain Pakistan defending a low total was always a gem of a game.

One of my favorite game was Pakistan vs South Africa, and the way we kept ourselves in the game while defending the low total.

Batting wise, it was Hayden. Knew how to take the innings and bat his way into a game.

Overall it has to be Sangakara. He was a very cunning captain and a batsman. As a batter, you will not notice how easily he would enter the 40s, after which it was impossible to stop him, and as a captain behind the wickets, the guy always had something up his sleave.

Ponting is an obvious answer for many of us who grew up watching cricket in the early 2000s.
 
Major said:
Watching Misbah captain Pakistan defending a low total was always a gem of a game.

One of my favorite game was Pakistan vs South Africa, and the way we kept ourselves in the game while defending the low total.

Batting wise, it was Hayden. Knew how to take the innings and bat his way into a game.

Overall it has to be Sangakara. He was a very cunning captain and a batsman. As a batter, you will not notice how easily he would enter the 40s, after which it was impossible to stop him, and as a captain behind the wickets, the guy always had something up his sleave.

Ponting is an obvious answer for many of us who grew up watching cricket in the early 2000s.
Click to expand...
Grew up watching g cricket in early 2000's? I have screenshots of you claiming you started watching in 2006?

That's mid 2000's for you. Who's us?
 
mominsaigol said:
Grew up watching g cricket in early 2000's? I have screenshots of you claiming you started watching in 2006?

That's mid 2000's for you. Who's us?
Click to expand...
2000 did not end in 2010. It will go till 2999, thus 2006 comes under early 2000s.
 
Shane Warne, used to literally tell on mic how he would get rid of the batter and used to do that in the same over. Multiple videos
 
In terms of cricket analysis and IQ, I'm a fan of Ravi Ashwin. He is a true cricket fan and is unbiased and respectful to each and every player and nation even he talks about Zimbabwe cricket. He has an eye on each and every player no matter if the player is from a minnow side. He always talks about the true side of the player and cricket.
 
Last edited:
Major said:
Watching Misbah captain Pakistan defending a low total was always a gem of a game.

One of my favorite game was Pakistan vs South Africa, and the way we kept ourselves in the game while defending the low total.

Batting wise, it was Hayden. Knew how to take the innings and bat his way into a game.

Overall it has to be Sangakara. He was a very cunning captain and a batsman. As a batter, you will not notice how easily he would enter the 40s, after which it was impossible to stop him, and as a captain behind the wickets, the guy always had something up his sleave.

Ponting is an obvious answer for many of us who grew up watching cricket in the early 2000s.
Click to expand...
Misbah’s legacy in white-ball cricket is highly questionable. Under his captaincy, Pakistan’s
white-ball team fell to No. 8 in the rankings.

Perhaps one of the most debatable statements ever made by a Pakistani captain was his claim that “there is no talent in Pakistan.” However, after his retirement, Mickey Arthur and Sarfaraz Ahmed introduced fresh talent, leading Pakistan to No. 1 in T20Is and a Champions Trophy victory. The country has since continued to produce strong white-ball players.

In 2020, Misbah the coach inherited a T20I team in winning form but made questionable decisions that disrupted its progress. For instance, moving Fakhar Zaman to the middle order and opening with two anchors—directly opposing global trends—was a call that has become one of the most questionable and defensive moved. Four years later, Pakistan still hasn’t won a major title and the opening duo have had poor outcomes in those world cups.

While Misbah did contribute through his leadership and effective use of spinners in red ball, his overly cautious mindset, lack of innovation, and failure to adapt to modern cricket trends left a lasting negative impact on Pakistan’s white-ball progress.
He cannot be considered a great thinker of the game and should be kept miles away from Pakistan white ball teams.
 
Farabi said:
Misbah’s legacy in white-ball cricket is highly questionable. Under his captaincy, Pakistan’s
white-ball team fell to No. 8 in the rankings.

Perhaps one of the most debatable statements ever made by a Pakistani captain was his claim that “there is no talent in Pakistan.” However, after his retirement, Mickey Arthur and Sarfaraz Ahmed introduced fresh talent, leading Pakistan to No. 1 in T20Is and a Champions Trophy victory. The country has since continued to produce strong white-ball players.

In 2020, Misbah the coach inherited a T20I team in winning form but made questionable decisions that disrupted its progress. For instance, moving Fakhar Zaman to the middle order and opening with two anchors—directly opposing global trends—was a call that has become one of the most questionable and defensive moved. Four years later, Pakistan still hasn’t won a major title and the opening duo have had poor outcomes in those world cups.

While Misbah did contribute through his leadership and effective use of spinners in red ball, his overly cautious mindset, lack of innovation, and failure to adapt to modern cricket trends left a lasting negative impact on Pakistan’s white-ball progress.
He cannot be considered a great thinker of the game and should be kept miles away from Pakistan white ball teams.
Click to expand...
The no talent comment was made by afridi.

Him moving rizwan to opener lead to pakistan winning against india and rizwan being the t20 cricketer of the year
 
Major said:
The no talent comment was made by afridi.

Him moving rizwan to opener lead to pakistan winning against india and rizwan being the t20 cricketer of the year
Click to expand...
Both made the comment.

A win against India or achieving personal milestones cannot justify a decision as being good for Pakistan.

While Misbah made significant contributions in red-ball cricket, he never quite cracked the code for white-ball formats. For that reason, he doesn’t rank among the sharpest cricketing minds in our history.
 
Shane Warne would be up there.
Michael Bevan. Closed games like nobody else.

All keepers are very smart.

Lillee and Hadlee.
Ranatunga

Everyone who achieves success at that level is very high IQ. Impossible to judge that kind of stuff.

Lowest IQ: Shahid Afridi. No debate. The difference between him and the next is more than the difference Bradman and 2nd best.
 
Ian Chappell
MS Dhoni
Javed Miandad
Sachin
Wasim Akram
Allan Border
Eoin Morgan
Stephen Fleming
Martin Crowe
Ranatunga

These are some standout names
 
Jasprit Bumrah. The guy has adapted to every format, every pitch, every match situation. The consistency he does it with is pretty genius, extremely high cricketing IQ.
 
Stephen Fleming. He got so much out of that mediocre New Zealand side. He was also very sharp and creative with his field placements. Great thinker of the game.
 
Off the top of my head.

- AB de Villiers
- Imran Khan
- MS Dhoni
- Mohammad Amir
- Ricky Ponting
- Salman Butt
- Mohammad Hafeez
- Darren Sammy
- Younis Khan
- Virat Kohli
- Kumar Sangarakka
- Misbah Ul Haq
- Kane Williamson
- Steve Smith
 
Highly underrated ex-cricketers:

1. Shastri ( the coach but not the Commentator lol )
2. Bharat Arun
3. Ajay Jadeja
4. Vikram Rathor


If I was the BCCI chief I would make sure that atleast 2 or 3 of these would be in the Indian Cricket staff.
 
FearlessRoar said:
In terms of cricket analysis and IQ, I'm a fan of Ravi Ashwin. He is a true cricket fan and is unbiased and respectful to each and every player and nation even he talks about Zimbabwe cricket. He has an eye on each and every player no matter if the player is from a minnow side. He always talks about the true side of the player and cricket.
Click to expand...
Yeah he is clever and unbiased. I enjoy listening to him.
 
uppercut said:
Highly underrated ex-cricketers:

1. Shastri ( the coach but not the Commentator lol )
2. Bharat Arun
3. Ajay Jadeja
4. Vikram Rathor


If I was the BCCI chief I would make sure that atleast 2 or 3 of these would be in the Indian Cricket staff.
Click to expand...
What exactly rathor did bhai? All the batsmen had the same form inconsistency/lack of issue . no one improved in his zamana.
 
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