I was reading this fascinating article on Cricinfo yesterday named 'Which teams are the worst travellers?'. Being a huge cricket fan and a stats/maths graduate (which is a result of default rather than interest, trust me!), I really like the Numbers Games articles than come on Cricinfo. So this article I am talking about was about how not only subcontinent teams fare poorly in tests outside subcontinent pitches (SA, Aus and Eng), which is a well known fact but also how the non Asian teams especially England don't do well during subcontinent tours.
But the most interesting fact for me was the stats of SA player Jacques Kallis. So, after 2005 his batting average is a whopping 86.69 in Pak, India and SL combined. Sachin Tendulkar's average in Aus, Eng and SA combined is 48.81. Ok, let me out this in perspective - Kallis's overall batting average till date is 57.02 while for Tendulkar, it is 55.44. Fact is since it is way easier to score runs in dead sub-continent pitches than on the green bouncy non-asian tracks. I really don't think it takes a genius to figure out stats wise atleast, who is a better batsman. And yeah, not to forget that Jacques Kallis has taken 274 wickets!
It is astounding to me that a guy so superior in his game is so underrated. Apparently, even the other cricinfo readers thought the same after reading the article and there was a huge discussion about the same in the comments section. Think about it, when someone asks to to think of great batsmen, somehow Kallis is not the first choice to come in mind. He hardly finds himself in Test XI lists (point to note that all online polls are severely skewed towards Indian players as respondents are generally Indians). In fact even in his own team - AB De Villiers and Hashim Amla mange to overshadow him where batting reputation is concerned.
Despite being an Indian, I hate the cricketing culture of India. The Indian cricket team is all but considered a bunch of equally talented players. Some players are put on such elevated positions that it is quite irritating. Sachin, obviously is placed at Mount Everest. (Don't get me wrong, I honestly don't have anything against the man. In fact I adore him for being so humble despite all this.) You tell anyone that you find it absolutely ridiculous and obnoxious that India refuses to use DRS and comes the reply, "Oh! But even Sachin doesn't believe in DRS." like as if his opinion is the most logical justification and is the final word.
They say that in India, cricket is religion. I oppose this idea and say that obsession over Indian cricketers in the actual religion. I remember when my all time favourite cricketer and childhood hero, SA all rounder - Shaun Pollock retired in 2008, there was hardly a mention about his retirement in the Indian newspapers which annoyed me to bits cause if you claim that you're a cricket crazy country, the least you can do is acknowledge the achievements of great cricketers irrespective of nationality at least during their retirement. This hype over Sachin's 100th 100, I don't think there was this kinda hype in Sri Lanka before Muralidharan (who's bloody taken 800 wkts in test and 500+ wkts in ODI's) took his 1000th wkt overall. But I would certainly say that India is not the only country affected by this flawed sports culture. You check out the hype surrounding the English Football team before any FIFA event and you'll understand my point.
That way I like the culture of the SA cricket team in which no player is placed above the team where even shamelessly talented and underrated players with the likes of Kallis and Pollock are content with being low profile and let their performances so the talking. But I sincerely hope for the sake of cricket that Kallis gets his due and the worldwide recognition that he deserves at least when he retires.
But the most interesting fact for me was the stats of SA player Jacques Kallis. So, after 2005 his batting average is a whopping 86.69 in Pak, India and SL combined. Sachin Tendulkar's average in Aus, Eng and SA combined is 48.81. Ok, let me out this in perspective - Kallis's overall batting average till date is 57.02 while for Tendulkar, it is 55.44. Fact is since it is way easier to score runs in dead sub-continent pitches than on the green bouncy non-asian tracks. I really don't think it takes a genius to figure out stats wise atleast, who is a better batsman. And yeah, not to forget that Jacques Kallis has taken 274 wickets!
It is astounding to me that a guy so superior in his game is so underrated. Apparently, even the other cricinfo readers thought the same after reading the article and there was a huge discussion about the same in the comments section. Think about it, when someone asks to to think of great batsmen, somehow Kallis is not the first choice to come in mind. He hardly finds himself in Test XI lists (point to note that all online polls are severely skewed towards Indian players as respondents are generally Indians). In fact even in his own team - AB De Villiers and Hashim Amla mange to overshadow him where batting reputation is concerned.
Despite being an Indian, I hate the cricketing culture of India. The Indian cricket team is all but considered a bunch of equally talented players. Some players are put on such elevated positions that it is quite irritating. Sachin, obviously is placed at Mount Everest. (Don't get me wrong, I honestly don't have anything against the man. In fact I adore him for being so humble despite all this.) You tell anyone that you find it absolutely ridiculous and obnoxious that India refuses to use DRS and comes the reply, "Oh! But even Sachin doesn't believe in DRS." like as if his opinion is the most logical justification and is the final word.
They say that in India, cricket is religion. I oppose this idea and say that obsession over Indian cricketers in the actual religion. I remember when my all time favourite cricketer and childhood hero, SA all rounder - Shaun Pollock retired in 2008, there was hardly a mention about his retirement in the Indian newspapers which annoyed me to bits cause if you claim that you're a cricket crazy country, the least you can do is acknowledge the achievements of great cricketers irrespective of nationality at least during their retirement. This hype over Sachin's 100th 100, I don't think there was this kinda hype in Sri Lanka before Muralidharan (who's bloody taken 800 wkts in test and 500+ wkts in ODI's) took his 1000th wkt overall. But I would certainly say that India is not the only country affected by this flawed sports culture. You check out the hype surrounding the English Football team before any FIFA event and you'll understand my point.
That way I like the culture of the SA cricket team in which no player is placed above the team where even shamelessly talented and underrated players with the likes of Kallis and Pollock are content with being low profile and let their performances so the talking. But I sincerely hope for the sake of cricket that Kallis gets his due and the worldwide recognition that he deserves at least when he retires.
