10 great batsmen and their most feared bowlers

All great batsmen who have played the game of cricket have come across at least one bowler in their careers who gave them the most trouble and instilled doubt in their minds. While for some they have been legendary pacemen, for some of the others it has been great spinners. There are also a few cases of batsmen struggling most against military medium-pace bowlers.Although some batsmen are hesitant to reveal about the bowlers who worried them, many of them have been open at acknowledging their toughest opponents with the ball in hand.Let’s take a look at 10 such great batsmen and the bowlers they feared most:

#10 Mahela Jayawardene - Wasim Akram

Jayawardene admitted Akram was a handful

The stylish Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene has been the thorn in the flesh of many opponent teams during his playing days. But there have been bowlers who have given him a hard time as well. By Mahela’s own admission, Wasim Akram was the toughest bowler he ever faced.

He said this in an interview on the day he retired from international cricket. Jayawardene felt that the great Pakistani pacer was a handful for him when he entered the cricketing arena and had made him a bunny during his early days. Even the stats agree with Mahela Jayawardene as Akram dismissed him 5 times in 6 Tests.

Mahela Jayawardene on Wasim Akram:-

“Wasim Akram was a handful when I came in. In my teens, I was a bunny against him.”

#9 Kevin Pietersen - Mitchell Johnson

Johnson was a nightmare to face

Remembering the exploits of Mitchell Johnson in the 2013-14 Ashes, it is hardly a surprise that an England batsman finds him to be the most feared bowler. During an interview last year, Kevin Pietersen revealed that along with some of his teammates, he too was scared of Johnson bowling the way that he did.

He confessed how he was contemplating that his death could happen at the Gabba in Brisbane, seeing the impact made by the Australian pacer on fellow batsman Jonathan Trott. The reason for this, according to Pietersen, was that if Trott was was struggling, then someone like himself, did not have a chance against Mitchell Johnson.

The left-arm pacer has gotten rid of the great England batsman four times, two of which were during the 2013-14 Ashes.

Kevin Pietersen on the threat posed by Mitchell Johnson:-

“I was sitting there, thinking, ‘I could die here in the f***ing Gabbattoir. How could Trotty, this calm, collected buddy of mine, play like that? Get hit like that? Get out like that?”

#8 VVS Laxman - Wasim Akram

Laxman admitted he didn’t enjoy facing Wasim Akram

After he announced his retirement from cricket, the wristy Indian genius VVS Laxman admitted during a interview that the ‘Sultan of Swing’ Wasim Akram was the most difficult bowler he faced in his career.

Although he faced Akram mostly early on in his career, he conceded that it was extremely tough to bat against the feared left-armer, especially during his prime. VVS Laxman and Wasim Akram came face to face in only 3 Test matches and Wasim managed to get Laxman’s wicket on 3 occasions in 6 innings and twice in the same Test.

VVS Laxman on Wasim Akram:-

"The toughest bowler was Wasim Akram for the variations and skills he had. He was master of the variations.”

#7 Michael Clarke - Andrew Flintoff

Flintoff bowling a beauty to Clarke

Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke who recently hung his boots finds England all-rounder and Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff to be the toughest bowler he ever faced. In Clarke’s opinion, the Englishman’s stats do not entirely display how good he was as a fast bowler. He claims that Flintoff’s pace and movement, coupled with his ability to bowl an accurate length for long periods of time, made him a difficult customer.

Clarke has termed the spell he faced from the mighty England fast bowler at Lord’s in the 2009 Ashes as the best and most difficult spell of bowling he ever came across. Surprisingly though, Flintoff has not dismissed Michael Clarke even once in Test cricket.

Michael Clarke on Andrew Flintoff:-

“Freddie is the perfect illustration of statistics not always supporting the ability and class of a bowler. The spell I faced at the Lords Test in 2009 is the toughest and best spell of bowling I have faced in cricket.”

#6 Kumar Sangakkara - Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan getting rid of Sangakkara

The legendary Sri Lankan batsman who recently retired from international cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, has acknowledged that Zaheer Khan was a bowler he found tough to face. He feels that Zaheer is very assured and has great control over his bowling. As per Sangakkara, he had the ability to bowl at any time during the innings and had mastered the art of reverse swing bowling.

Although the Sri Lankan southpaw felt that he had some trouble with left-arm pacers due to his technique, Zaheer Khan was certainly the most prominent one among them. No wonder the Indian bowler has dismissed Sangakkara 6 times in his career.

Kumar Sangakkara on Zaheer Khan

“He is absolutely sure of himself, he knows exactly what he is doing, he has got amazing control and he can bowl with the new ball, he can bowl any time of the innings, he can bowl quick if he wants to or really bowl within himself if the situation calls for it. Reverse, he was just the master.”

#5 Virender Sehwag - Muttiah Muralitharan

Sehwag didn’t always get the better of Muralitharan

Although it may be a little hard to believe that Virender Sehwag ever feared a bowler, that too a spinner, it is true. Speaking post his retirement, Sehwag confessed that if there was one bowler in world cricket that he feared facing, it was Sri Lanka’s legendary offie Muttiah Muralitharan.

The man who sent many a spinner ball-hunting with his ability to get after them, was not at all comfortable batting against the wily Sri Lankan spinner. However, statistically speaking, Murali has dismissed Viru only thrice in the 9 Tests that they have played against each other.

Virender Sehwag on Muttiah Muralitharan:-

“I was scared of facing only one bowler, that was Muralitharan.”

#4 Jacques Kallis - Wasim Akram

Kallis and Akram didn’t share too many laughs while playing

Out of all the great bowlers that South African legend Jacques Kallis faced in his career, Wasim Akram was the deadliest to face; this is a fact that Kallis revealed during a TV interview. The reason for this, as per the master batsman, was that Wasim had the ability to swing the cricket ball both ways, that too a devastating pace.

In combination with fellow Pakistani Waqar Younis, the legendary left-armer was even more lethal and it was the biggest challenge to face them bowling in tandem, according to Jacques Kallis. In Kallis’ opinion, Wasim Akram is the best fast bowler that he ever faced in his long and highly successful career for South Africa.

Jacques Kallis on Wasim Akram:-

“In my opinion, Wasim Akram of Pakistan was the best pace bowler that I ever faced. Being able to swing the ball both ways with pace made him the most dangerous bowler.”

#3 Ricky Ponting - Curtly Ambrose & Wasim Akram

Ponting didn’t enjoy facing Wasim Akram

While both have got the wicket of Ricky Ponting only once in their respective Test careers, the great Aussie batsman claimed during an interview post his retirement that Curtly Ambrose and Wasim Akram were two bowlers who he struggled against. For Ambrose, Ponting had a feeling that it was almost impossible to get him away for runs and also that he hardly ever bowled a bad ball to the batsmen.

Regarding Akram, the former Aussie skipper’s opinion has been that it was relatively easier to get runs off him, but he could suddenly surprise the batsman with a ripper of a delivery. He also reckoned that the Pakistan pacer was excellent in handling both the new ball as well as the old ball.

Ricky Ponting on Curtly Ambrose & Wasim Akram:-

“I think Curtly Ambrose and Wasim Akram were probably the two outstanding quicks that I faced.”

#2 Rahul Dravid - Glenn McGrath & Muttiah Muralitharan

Dravid admtted McGrath and Murali were the toughest to face

Rahul Dravid has recently revealed to the media about how Glenn McGrath was the toughest fast bowler he ever faced in his career. According to Dravid, it was very difficult to know where the off stump was when McGrath was bowling at his best and he kept challenging the batsmen and asking them questions with his probing line and length. Irrespective of whether he was bowling early on in his spell or at a later stage, the legendary Australian bowler’s aggression was always at the same level and he kept coming at the batsmen.

The master technician also named Sri Lankan ace Muttiah Muralitharan as the most difficult spinner to bat against because he had the ability to turn the ball a long way, that too in both directions. McGrath dismissed Dravid 5 times in his career while Murali got him out on 6 occasions.

Rahul Dravid on Glenn McGrath:-

“As far as fast bowler is concerned, Glenn McGrath was the toughest I have faced, I have played him at the peak of his career and he was truly a great bowler.”

Dravid on Muttiah Muralitharan:-

“Spinners…Muttiah Muralitharan was the best I have played against. Murali was an extremely skillful bowler, he could spin the ball both ways, not by little bit but by a long way.”

#1 Sachin Tendulkar - Hansie Cronje

Of all the legendary bowlers he faced, Sachin struggled to pick Cronje

Despite having faced some of the best bowlers in world cricket in Glenn McGrath, Allan Donald and Muttiah Muralitharan among others, Sachin Tendulkar has often admitted to the media that it was the late Hansie Cronje, in fact, who gave him the most trouble. During interviews, he revealed how he was dismissed by the former South African skipper more times than against the likes of Pollock and Donald.

And the stats back the master batsman’s claim as he indeed got out to Hansie Cronje 5 times in Test cricket and 4 times each to Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock. According to Sachin, he never knew how to handle Cronje and ended up getting out to him all the time.

Sachin Tendulkar on Hansie Cronje:-

"Honestly. I got out to Hansie more than anyone. When we played South Africa he always got me out more than Allan Donald or Shaun Pollock. I never knew what to do with him.”