(Source X)
England cricket icon David Lloyd has stirred up the cricketing community by ranking Pakistan’s Abdul Qadir above India’s Anil Kumble in his all-time greatest spinners list. Lloyd places Qadir, celebrated for his fluid and artistic leg-spin, as the third greatest spinner ever, behind Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan. He highlights Qadir’s role in revitalizing leg-spin bowling in the 1970s, noting his unique delivery array, which included a flipper, top spinner, and several googlies, as distinguishing features that set him apart from his contemporaries.
David Lloyd rates Abdul Qadir higher than Anil Kumble as an all-time spin great.
The former umpire explained that the distinctive qualities of Abdul Qadir led him to rank the former Pakistan spinner above the legendary Indian bowler Anil Kumble as the third greatest spinner of all time. Despite Qadir’s less impressive statistics, which are about one-third of Kumble’s, Lloyd emphasized that Qadir’s artistry and the variety in his leg-spin deliveries set him apart.
Lloyd noted that while Kumble’s style was effective, marked by pace and bounce, it lacked the classic leg-spin’s loop and deception. This straightforward approach influenced Lloyd’s preference for Qadir’s more aesthetically pleasing and enigmatic spin. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Kumble’s powerful bowling actions were also noteworthy.
David Lloyd said on talkSPORT Cricket: “As an absolute artist, Pakistan’s Abdul Qadir was a beautiful bowler. All rhythm, all rhythmical action. And he was bowling when his wrist spin was pretty much dead. So, he is third on my list after Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.”
When asked about placing Qadir ahead of Kumble, Lloyd explained his reasoning: “I have, yeah. Aesthetically, just the mystery of leg spin, Googly’s, top spinners, the lot. The stats wouldn’t say so.”
Kumble didn’t have a loop, which is coming so high: Lloyd
Kumble boasts an impressive record with 619 Test wickets, making him the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the format behind Warne, Muralitharan, and Anderson. In contrast, Qadir’s career tally stands at 236 Test wickets.
Nevertheless, the commentator advised against comparing Indian off-spinner R Ashwin with Kumble, asserting that Kumble’s status as one of the all-time greats is well-established. Kumble was renowned for his googly, substantial sidespin, and varied flight and crease deliveries. Ashwin, another prominent figure in spin bowling, has already amassed 516 Test wickets, solidifying his own place in the spin legends’ pantheon.
Lloyd signed off by saying: “Anil Kumble, quick, tall. A lot of arms, didn’t he? And big levers and checking it into the right hander mainly at pace. So, it wasn’t a bowler that you’d think that Battis, I can get down the pitch because he’s got a loop on it. No, he didn’t have a loop, which is coming so high. He’s driving it into the pitch.”
