EA Sports is known for creating realistic sporting games with real players and ratings. Cricket 07, the last of EA’s cricket series, was a major hit and is still played with mods and third party patches.
Cricket 07 packages various cricket formats like ODI, Test, T20, English County Cricket etc. and even has a special Ashes mode. EA lost licensing bids to most of the international teams and only South Africa, England, Australia and New Zealand have original player names and kits while other teams have generic player names
EA, however, made sure they are similar to the real names as to identify the players. Here, we look at five best bowlers of the Indian team in Cricket 07.
#5 A Agercker (Ajit Agarkar) - 80
Ajit Agarkar is the third-highest wicket taker for India in ODIs and had been a crucial part of the team in the 1999 Cricket World Cup and 2007 Cricket World Cup. He reached the mark of 50 wickets in ODIs, breaking Dennis Lillee’s record, in only 23 matches.
The right arm fast-medium bowler has an accuracy rating of 80, while all his other bowling attributes are rated above 75. His bowling deliveries include the standard ball, the outswinger, the leg cutter, the yorker, the bouncer, and a slower ball.
Though a fast wicket taker, Ajit Agarkar has proven expensive with high economy rates, and the in-game statistics depict the ineptitude accurately. A Agercker, though, has no special bowling skills in Cricket 07.
However, the Mumbaikar has taken 203 wickets in 134 ODIs at an economy rate of 5.10 runs per over. His best bowling figure in an innings in the game is 6 wickets for 42 runs.
#4 M Kerthick (Murali Kartik) – 82
Murali Kartik represented the Indian team every now and then in between 2000 and 2007. Known for his ability to spin and bounce, the slow left-arm bowler was largely left out of the team due to the presence of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble.
In the game, M Kerthick has a rating of 82 for bowling accuracy, while his lowest rating among the bowling attributes is 72 for the googly. As a slow left-arm orthodox bowler his bowling deliveries include the off break, arm ball, doosra, and full fight.
He doesn’t have any special bowling skills in the game, probably because of the very few matches he has played for the international team. In the game itself, M Kerthick has only played 17 ODIs, having taken 16 wickets at an economy rate of 5.06 runs per over. His best bowling figure for an innings is 3 wickets for 36 runs.
#3 Z Kalm (Zaheer Khan) – 86
The left arm fast-medium bowler is India’s most successful pace bowler, after Kapil Dev. Zaheer Khan is known for his aggressive seam and pace bowling, especially perfectly executed yorkers.
The crafty left-armer has a rating of 86 for bowling accuracy in the game, while his lowest rating is 80 for the slow ball. Zaheer is the master of standard deliveries, outswingers, in swingers, leg cutters, off cutters, yorkers, bouncers, and slow balls.
He is the only ‘Strike Bowler’ in Cricket 07’s roster for India. His in-game statistics include 115 wickets in 107 ODIs at an economy rate of 4.90 runs per over. His best bowling figures in an innings meanwhile is 4 wickets for 19 runs.
#2- J Krumble (Anil Kumble)-90
Anil Kumble is one of the best spin bowlers in Indian cricketing history, and the second best one in the game. His bowling accuracy in the game is rated at 90, while spin is rated at 96.
Anil Kumble, or ‘Jumbo’, as his teammates called him, is the third highest wicket-taker of all time. His most remarkable feat was in 1999 against Pakistan where he took all 10 wickets in a single inning.
In Cricket 07, J Krumble has taken 329 wickets to his name in 264 ODI matches. His best bowling figure in an innings in ODIs is 6 wickets for 12 runs at an economy rate of 4.30 runs per over.
The leg-spinner had a bag of tricks which included the leg break, googly, top-spinner, and zooter. His special bowling attributes in the game include ‘Work Horse’, similar to the real Anil Kumble, who largely depended on the variation of pace and accuracy in his bowling, rather than spin.
#1 Huvraj Singh (Harbhajan Singh)-92
One of India’s most prolific spin bowlers, Harbhajan Singh is known for his control over length and pace. His ability to bowl a doosra has helped him become the second highest wicket-taker in Tests for an off-spinner behind Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan.
Harbhajan has a rating of 92 for bowling accuracy in the game, while his spin is rated at 99. His lowest rating among the bowling attributes is at 96 for bowling discipline.
Bhajji, as he is affectionately called, is proficient in off break, arm break, doosra full fight, and the teesra. His special bowling skills include- ‘Partnership breaker’, ‘Miser’, ‘Trickster’, and ‘Work Horse’.
In Cricket 07, Bhajji’s avatar has taken 118 wickets in 95 ODIs at an economy rate of 4.13 runs per over. The offspinner's best bowling figure in an innings is 5 wickets for 43 runs.
