Two Indians in the list? We can’t deny the fact that tailenders don’t score a hell lot of runs. There are only some handful of instances when the tail-enders have scored runs in international cricket. Once Jason Gillespie scored a double century in a test match against Bangladesh. It is a very memorable and notable inning because such knocks from tailenders are quite rare.
On Thursday, Fox cricket published a list of all-time XI worst tailenders. They posted this list on their Twitter account. The list consisted of many prominent names from different countries. Fox Cricket picked the Kiwi Chris Martin as the captain of the team. Martin was a proper tail-ender. He scored just 136 runs at an average of just 2.36.
They also picked two legendary fast bowlers, Glenn McGrath and Courtney Walsh in the lineup. Both these fast bowlers batted regularly in the no. 11 position. Glen McGrath, however, has scored a Test fifty. Walsh, on the other hand, has scored none in his career. They also included the former England left-arm spinner Monty Panesar in the XI. Panesar has an average of just 4.88 in 50 Tests.
Two Indians included in the XI
Fox Sports also included Ajit Agarkar in the XI. This was a surprise inclusion. The Mumbaikar was known as an allrounder in his playing days. He also has a Test century against England at Lords in 2002. He averaged around 16.79 in Test cricket, while he had an average of 28.75 in all first-class games. Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is the only player from the current generation to find a spot in the side. Bumrah averages 2.90 with the bat after playing 14 Test matches.
They also picked former England pacer Phil Tufnell and former Aussie pacer Bruce Reid in the XI. Tufnell averaged 5.10 with the bat. On the other hand, Reid had a batting average of 4.65 in Tests. Another English pacer who found his place in the XI is Devon Malcolm. He averaged 6.05 while batting in 58 Test innings.
The man from Zimbabwe, Pommie Mbangwa, has the record of the lowest batting average for anyone who has played 25 or more Test innings. He also found his place in the XI. Mbangwa had a mere batting average of just two. Henry Olonga, the former teammate of him also found his place in the lineup.
Agarkar? He has a test century! Got an odi 50 in 21 balls!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 30, 2020
Is Bumrah Really That Bad?
Though Jasprit Bumrah is part of this list, not sure if he is that bad with the bat. I think he is rather unlucky to be included. There have been worse players with the bat but I guess they haven’t lasted that long in the team. This is somewhere that Bumrah should have been given the benefit of the doubt.
Even a player like Ishant Sharma and others before him, have survived. The surprising part is that the list does not include anyone from Pakistan. Isn’t that rather ironic? I mean, has the world all of a sudden stopped including them in the rankings. Is this a sign of things to come for good?
Harsha Bhogle Defends Agarkar
Harsha Bhogle came out to defend the former Mumbai player and posted this comment as a reply to Fox. Below is what he said-
Do you agree with this list? Is there any player that Fox missed? Be sure to leave your comments and opinions behind as Mr Bhogle did. Here are what some of the other comments read as-
Former IPL host Gaurav Kapur has this to say as well-
Ajit Agarkar on this list?!!! A test century at Lords (surely you know the ground) and the STILL STANDING record for the fastest 50 by an Indian in ODIs.
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) April 30, 2020
