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10 Best Bowlers & their most feared Batsmen
As cricket has advanced over the years the aggressive duel between the batsmen and the bowlers seems to have lost its balance slightly. The key reason is the change in the character of the pitches. Especially with the introduction of limited over cricket, most of the pitches all over the world have been batsmen's paradise where a high-quality bowler gets often frustrated after being destroyed by an ordinary batsman!
But that does not mean that the bowlers have given up. They also have instituted their skill and authority over the batsmen over the years. For example, West Indian quartet comprising Roberts, Holding, Garner, and Marshall had pulled the life out of the batsmen over the decades. That was the reason they were regarded as 'fearsome foursome'! Then looking towards Australia Jeff Thompson and Denis Lillie's names have been inscribed in the history of bowling who also had offered nightmares for the batsmen over the decades.
Still, on the occasions, some great bowlers had expressed their phobia while bowling to some of their special guests who also were called great with the willow.
So here we will be looking into 10 Best bowlers and their most feared batsmen.
James Anderson–Graeme Smith
James Anderson is undoubtedly one of the great fast bowlers of present times and his continuous endeavor to make the ball swinging in an impeccable accuracy was reached the level of artistry. Even, one of the all-time greats of his time Sachin Tendulkar had to face difficulty often facing England's fast bowler.
However, in a recent interaction with media Anderson revealed that he had to face a steep challenge while bowling against South African great Graeme Smith. Anderson had said, “As Smith was left-handed batsman he used to play my in-swing deliveries with effortless ease. I did not have the out-swingers that time and in the 2003 series against us, Smith made two double centuries, hitting me fours just according to his wish!”
Pat Cummins–Cheteshwar Pujara
Pat Cummins can be listed among the 10 Best bowlers and their most feared batsmen. The Australian fast bowler who had wrecked touring Indian batting on Saturday to play an instrumental role in his country’s first Test victory at Adelaide in the 4-Test series had disclosed that Cheteshwar Pujara, the Indian batsman was truly difficult to bowl. Cummins, citing an example of India's tour of Australia in 2018-19, has revealed it was tough to break through Pujara for his strong defense as well as the traditional approach towards batting.
Dale Steyn–Virender Sehwag
Every batsman in the world of cricket who has faced Dale Steyn has not expressed any doubt that this South African bowler has been the most fearsome bowler of his times. Steyn’s bowling meant immaculate accuracy of line and fiery pace while swinging the ball in and out. That was the reason Styen at his heydays was the number one bowler in Test ranking for the longest time. Styen expressed fear while bowling to Virender Sehwag, one of the most unorthodox and devastating batsmen of all time. Styen mentioned Chennai Test in his tweet and wrote he still has the nightmares of being battered by the Indian opener in that Test.
Mitchell Johnson–AB de Villiers
Mitchell Johnson, the deadly Australian fast bowler who has two World Cup titles will always be remembered for his magnificent bowling in the 2013-14 Ashes series. He must be enlisted among the 10 great bowlers and their most feared batsmen. Johnson has stated South African opener AB de Villiers as the most outstanding batsman to bowl. De Villiers is a batsman who has produced superb shows consistently in Test with an average of 50.66 and in ODIs with an average of 53.50. Johnson once said that De Villiers is a batsman who has become any bowler’s nightmare.
Harbhajan Singh–Younis Khan
Harbhajan Singh who is India’s one of the fruitful match-winners has recently mentioned Pakistan's great Younis Khan as the toughest batsman to get out. Indian off-spinner however has mentioned Jacque Kallis, Matthew Hayden, Brian Lara, and Inzamam-ul-Haq also as the most difficult batsmen to bowl. But in a live session with Rohit Sharma Bhajji has stated that Younis had so incredible footwork that he could make the spinners' job almost impossible. Younis Khan who quit international cricket recently with an average of 52 including 34 centuries in Tests is regarded as one of Pakistan's best middle-order batsmen. Under Younis Khan's captaincy, Pakistan clinched the 2009 T20 World Cup.
Muttiah Muralitharan–Brian Lara
Muttiah Muralitharan, the Sri Lankan off-spinner is regarded as one of the all-time greats. Muralitharan who is the highest wicket-taker in both Test and One-Day International (ODI) by having sealed amazing 800 and 534 wickets, respectively, from 133 Tests and 350 ODIs has maintained an inimitable economy rate, 2.47 in Tests and 3.93 in ODIs. He was famous for his variation in length and flight that often deceived even the top batsmen in the world of cricket. Muralitharan had expressed his respect most for the legendary West Indian batsman Brian Lara. He made the statement that Lara was the only batsman who had played most effortlessly against him than the other batsmen, even including Sachin Tendulkar. Muralitharan had also explained the reason saying that Lara’s unique hand-eye co-ordination was the key factor to read his variation in length and flight.
Brett Lee–Jacques Kallis
Brett Lee, the Australian fast bowler who was quickest in his time and created panic among even the top batsmen through his accurate line and length and superb deliveries that hit the block-whole of the batsmen has named Jacques Kallis as the complete cricketer he has ever played against. Lee, despite paying his highest attribute to Sachin Tendulkar as a batsman, mentioned that Kallis was equally difficult to get out for his brilliant defense as well as aggressive mode.
Anil Kumble–Brian Lara
Anil Kumble, renowned Indian leg-spinner also named Brian Lara as his toughest opponent batsman as Muralitharan had done it. Kumble who has the record of being the highest wicket-taker in Indian cricket by scalping 619 wickets in Tests and 337 wickets in ODIs ha also explained the same reason behind his respect for Lara stating that due to exceptional hand-eye co-ordination and superb footwork Lara was the most dangerous batsman among all the great batsmen he had bowled ever.
Jofra Archer–KL Rahul
Jofra Archer, the Barbadian fast bowler who has been representing England in international cricket was announced one of the top five Wisden Cricketers of the year in 2019. In a recent interaction with media Archer had admitted he had faced maximum trouble while trying to get KL Rahul's wicket in the Twenty20 format of the game. Rahul, the Indian opener has been consistent in the shortest format of the game, especially in the last three editions of IPL for Kings XI Punjab. Rahul had won most of the occasions against Archer in the shortest format of the game. Archer has claimed even Virat Kohli or Suresh Raina was not difficult to bowl for him but Rahul was too tough to get out.
Shoaib Akhtar–Rahul Dravid
Shoaib Akhtar was called ‘Rawalpindi Express’ for his sheer pace and bouncers. He has played in a period the consisted of several all-time great batsmen across the world. However, the Pakistani speed star mentioned Indian great Rahul Dravid as the toughest batsman to bowl him out. Dravid, the fourth-highest run-scorer in the world in Test cricket history faced Shoaib with authority through his rock-solid defense and intimidating in reply on many occasions. Shoaib has said that Dravid was the biggest nightmare.
