Why hypocritically criticize Shoaib Akhtar for his lack of longetivity?

[Savak]

Have been meaning to create this thread for some time. I see some posters put him down in comparison to the likes of the W's, he was not as great as them, he didn't have a longer career as them e.t.c.

But apart from the W's, Akhtar is perhaps the 4th best pacer or 5th or 6th best pacer we have produced if you wish to put Fazal Mahmood or Sarfaraz Nawaz ahead of him

But since the W's, we have seen Umar Gul fade away at the young age of his mid 20's and never make a comeback again. We have seen Amir surrender and retire from test cricket at the young age of 27. Wahab has now called time on his career at the age of 35.

Junaid Khan only has 80 test wickets and the way things are going for him, it doesn't look like he will ever play test cricket for Pakistan again. Rahat Ali has been around for the last 6 years and is yet to put in any impactful performances and i doubt when he leaves the game he will have much of a career.

Asif could not have a long career and he is not going to ever play for Pakistan again.

So my question is that if so many of these pacers who did not even have the knee problems that he did failed to have long careers, why should he be criticized for it especially considering his stats, bowling average, match winning performances are far superior to the Pakistani bowlers mentioned above?

 

[sweep_shot]

Take out the pace factor, Shoaib would be just another bowler like Umar Gul or Rana Naved. He was all about pace and not much else. Add to that, he was a bit of a troublemaker.

Wasim and Waqar were legends. They were not just about pace. They also ended up with more career wickets.

Shoaib has had a few exceptional moments but Waqar/Wasim literally redefined Pakistani pace bowling.

 

[Savak]

Take out the pace factor, Shoaib would be just another bowler like Umar Gul or Rana Naved. He was all about pace and not much else. Add to that, he was a bit of a troublemaker.

Wasim and Waqar were legends. They were not just about pace. They also ended up with more career wickets.

Shoaib has had a few exceptional moments but Waqar/Wasim literally redefined Pakistani pace bowling.

Lol why would you take out the pace factor.

 

[Hawkeye]

Shoaib Akhtar is a legend.

The bowler who brought back interest in cricket and bowling for millions.

His sheer pace, style, intimidation, aggression, skills, Yorkers, bouncers, everything was supreme class.

Anyone who criticizes Shoaib doesn't know much about fast bowling. Mind you, I'm talking about proper fast bowling, express pace. Kids today think 138-140kph is fast! And on top of that, great show of skills that shows in his great record.

It's sad that his body was not fit for fast bowling. But it's amazing and truly impressive how much he extracted out of those frailing, mechanically unfit knees.

He gave it his all.

He gave it his 200%, and put on a wonderful display of express pace bowling for years and years. He fought against his body and delivered what his body wouldn't allow him to.

Loved that period and watching him bowl. The crowd going ecstatic with that super long run-up. What a time.

Lucky to have witnessed a great bowler like him bowl the fastest ever spells in the history of cricket.

 

[sweep_shot]

Shoaib ended his career with 178 Test wickets and 247 ODI wickets. I am sorry but those are not legendary figures. He had the potential to be a legend but statistically he was irrelevant.

Waqar finished with 373 Test wickets and 416 ODI wickets. Now, that's legendary.

 

[Savak]

His longetivity is the same as Umar Gul, Asif, Amir, Sarfaraz Nawaz and co therefore he should not be criticized. Wasim and Waqar were lucky that Miandad and Imran picked them up early at such a young age that they were able to get more miles on the clock. On the other hand most of the times you will find pacers starting of their careers from the age of 23-24-25 onwards and they have a short life and Pakistan doesn't play much test cricket anyways

 

[Nasty Naz]

One thing you can't say about Shoaib was that he never tried or he could have tried harder because he really gave it his all when he bowled.

It sucks he was frequently injured but when he did bowl, he was a menace and somebody everyone loved to watch bowl. All-time legend.

 

[Savak]

Shoaib ended his career with 178 Test wickets and 247 ODI wickets. I am sorry but those are not legendary figures. He had the potential to be a legend but statistically he was irrelevant.

Waqar finished with 373 Test wickets and 416 ODI wickets. Now, that's legendary.

You are diverting the thread. The thread is about why criticize him for his lack of longetivity given that it is the same as Umar Gul, Mohd Asif, Amir, Sarfaraz Nawaz

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Shoaib ended his career with 178 Test wickets and 247 ODI wickets. I am sorry but those are not legendary figures. He had the potential to be a legend but statistically he was irrelevant.

Waqar finished with 373 Test wickets and 416 ODI wickets. Now, that's legendary.

Holding has 249 test wickets and 142 ODI wickets. He's a legend.

 

[Savak]

One thing you can't say about Shoaib was that he never tried or he could have tried harder because he really gave it his all when he bowled.

It sucks he was frequently injured but when he did bowl, he was a menace and somebody everyone loved to watch bowl. All-time legend.

His longetivity is the same as the bowlers who followed him. Why should he be criticized then?

 

[Chief Destroyer]

People mainly blame due to ignorance. It's not their fault.

Shoaib had no cartilage left his knees. It was impossible for him to continue after 2004.

 

[Savak]

Holding has 249 test wickets and 142 ODI wickets. He's a legend.

Lol and Shoaib bowled on much flatter wickets than Holding who enjoyed 6 bouncers in an over

 

[Hawkeye]

Lol and Shoaib bowled on much flatter wickets than Holding who enjoyed 6 bouncers in an over

Yes.

Shoaib was truly amazing. He delivered fastest spells when his body and knees didn't allow him to.

He fought against his body and delivered 200%, that too on mostly dead wickets with supreme skills.

People like [MENTION=141306]sweep_shot[/MENTION] don't have a clue about fast bowling and don't understand what a legend Shoaib Akhtar was.

Millions used to be in awe whenever he put on a bowling display.

 

[sweep_shot]

Holding has 249 test wickets and 142 ODI wickets. He's a legend.

You can say Holder and Shoaib are subjective legends. But, statistically, other players have done much better.

It is one thing to be menacing and another thing to have a successful and long career.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

You can say Holder and Shoaib are subjective legends. But, statistically, other players have done much better.

It is one thing to be menacing and another thing to have a successful and long career.

If you said that to cricketers who played against and watched them, they would just laugh at you.

 

[pratiktc]

Shoaib's body was not built for test cricket or fast bowling.
Despite this he is without any doubt Pakistan's greatest post 2000 fast bowler across ODI+Test formats not only in terms of impact but also in terms of prolificity of wkts taken.

He has many shortcomings as a person, but there is no denying fact that he is a Pak great and is 5th best pacer Pak ever produced.

 

[CricketingMinds]

Take out the pace factor, Shoaib would be just another bowler like Umar Gul or Rana Naved. He was all about pace and not much else. Add to that, he was a bit of a troublemaker.

Wasim and Waqar were legends. They were not just about pace. They also ended up with more career wickets.

Shoaib has had a few exceptional moments but Waqar/Wasim literally redefined Pakistani pace bowling.

LOL... Take out the pace factor? Dude that's like saying "let's take out Sachin's batting and then you will see that he was just an avg cricketer".

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Shoaib is a legend but waqar and wasim are miles ahead, even if we exclude the longevity factor he still has a higher avg and higher economy.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Disagree

Shoaib Akhtar was one of the billions of people who was hand picked by almighty God himself to bowl fastest in cricket.

When you have a gift like that it is only fair that you show your gratitude and play forever.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Shoaib's body was not built for test cricket or fast bowling.
Despite this he is without any doubt Pakistan's greatest post 2000 fast bowler across ODI+Test formats not only in terms of impact but also in terms of prolificity of wkts taken.

He has many shortcomings as a person, but there is no denying fact that he is a Pak great and is 5th best pacer Pak ever produced.

Not body dude, the knees. The only reason he was able to maintain his pace after losing his knees was due to his body.

 

[Indiafan]

You are diverting the thread. The thread is about why criticize him for his lack of longetivity given that it is the same as Umar Gul, Mohd Asif, Amir, Sarfaraz Nawaz

Apart from Asif, everyone else you named are average bowlers while Akhtar was believed to be something special. It is the same reason Shane Bond is said to lack longevity despite being exceptional. And Asif would have had a long career if not for his ban

 

[azimiqbal]

I think what people should realise , is that Akhtar was mis managed and wasted.
He should of been selected by 1995-1996 when he burst onto the scene.

Also Pakistan cricket should of managed his work load and preserved him.

Bowling at that express pace , he should of been wrapped up in cotton wool and managed to get best out of him.

Say what you want about him , but he was not ever mentioned or involved in any match fixing allegations. Which we can’t say about the two w’s.

He always gave his all and yes he was said to have an attitude problem, cause he was not a yes man.

Looking back now at me aged 35, feel privileged too even see him bowl.

How would Wendy love to have a prime Sohaib Akthar playing for Pakistan team now?

LEGEND

 

[Pakhs]

He was just too quick for the human body to take. On average he was quicker than anybody i have ever seen.

 

[IMMY69]

He was just too quick for the human body to take. On average he was quicker than anybody i have ever seen.

That pace was due to the javelin like action he had.
His disability allowed him to bowl at the speeds he did.

However, for all the quick Yorkers and bouncers he bowled, he also tested positive for dope, pulled out of a match injured when he was seen jet skiing the day before, broke down during test matches causing the other bowlers to bear the burden. His action was controversial and he had to be tested before he was cleared due to his hyperextension.

So you have to take everything in to context before you can determine whether the bowler was great and even if you think he wasn't great doesn't mean that you didn't enjoy watching him bowl.

 

[Pakhs]

That pace was due to the javelin like action he had.
His disability allowed him to bowl at the speeds he did.

However, for all the quick Yorkers and bouncers he bowled, he also tested positive for dope, pulled out of a match injured when he was seen jet skiing the day before, broke down during test matches causing the other bowlers to bear the burden. His action was controversial and he had to be tested before he was cleared due to his hyperextension.

So you have to take everything in to context before you can determine whether the bowler was great and even if you think he wasn't great doesn't mean that you didn't enjoy watching him bowl.

To date i never checked his stats myself. But when he bowled I never wanted to do anything else. He was true box office type bowler, it was pure entertainment.

He was completely accidental because bowlers are coached to be efficient and have a workman like efficiency to not waste their body. Unfortunately what made him great was his eventual downfall too.

He entertained most cricket fans while he lasted. In my opinion it was worth it.