PS I'm not going to claim this myself; I saw it posted on social media, it was on the Cricket Stats Scholar FB page. I've worded it myself here aside from the stats.
In his first 2 yrs (8) ODIs he averaged 86 with the bat with a 146* and another 50 for a total of 345 runs, with 4 not outs.
However, since that great start, in the subsequent 62 matches (55 innings), he averages just 22, with five 50s and a high score of 87, with 4 not outs.
"But he's an all-rounder" you may suggest. Well in that same span he's taken just 43 wickets in 62 matches (55 innings) at 41, SR of 40 & economy of 6. Not great.
The stats get consistently worse as his career goes on:
Last 56 ODIs (80% of career) 899 runs @ 19.97, 2 50s, best of 63.
41 wickets at 39.6, 6.07 econ
Last 42 ODIs (60% of career) 540 runs @ 16.4, 0 50s, best of 49
24 wickets at 40, 5.9 econ
Last 21 ODIs (30% of career) 243 runs @ 15.2, 0 50s, best of 35
14 wickets @ 37, 5.8 econ
He has been average for a very long period of time and has only continued to get worse - he hasn't even scored a 50 in his last 42 matches. His bowling has maintained, or slightly improved, but not not to the point where is can carry his extremely poor batting record as an all-rounder and it isn't close to being good enough to play as a specialist bowler. He's a handy middle-period bowler and nothing more. Fwiw this world cup he's gone at 7.6 an over and taken only 4 wickets at 47avg so he hasn't even been efficient at that.
Since his debut in 2015 he's been consistently selected despite a consistently worsening performance. How has someone with such a decidedly poor record for such a long period of time continue to get picked?
In his first 2 yrs (8) ODIs he averaged 86 with the bat with a 146* and another 50 for a total of 345 runs, with 4 not outs.
However, since that great start, in the subsequent 62 matches (55 innings), he averages just 22, with five 50s and a high score of 87, with 4 not outs.
"But he's an all-rounder" you may suggest. Well in that same span he's taken just 43 wickets in 62 matches (55 innings) at 41, SR of 40 & economy of 6. Not great.
The stats get consistently worse as his career goes on:
Last 56 ODIs (80% of career) 899 runs @ 19.97, 2 50s, best of 63.
41 wickets at 39.6, 6.07 econ
Last 42 ODIs (60% of career) 540 runs @ 16.4, 0 50s, best of 49
24 wickets at 40, 5.9 econ
Last 21 ODIs (30% of career) 243 runs @ 15.2, 0 50s, best of 35
14 wickets @ 37, 5.8 econ
He has been average for a very long period of time and has only continued to get worse - he hasn't even scored a 50 in his last 42 matches. His bowling has maintained, or slightly improved, but not not to the point where is can carry his extremely poor batting record as an all-rounder and it isn't close to being good enough to play as a specialist bowler. He's a handy middle-period bowler and nothing more. Fwiw this world cup he's gone at 7.6 an over and taken only 4 wickets at 47avg so he hasn't even been efficient at that.
Since his debut in 2015 he's been consistently selected despite a consistently worsening performance. How has someone with such a decidedly poor record for such a long period of time continue to get picked?
Last edited:
