Richard Hadlee picks his favourite all-rounder out of Kapil Dev, Imran Khan and Ian Botham
Former New Zealand stalwart, Sir Richard Hadlee has given his verdict on the perennial debate surrounding the greatest all rounder from the 80s era. An integral part of the ‘Awesome Foursome’, the 65-year old opened up on the intense rivalry with the likes of Imran Khan, Kapil Dev and Sir Ian Botham.
Hailed as one of the best all rounders of his generation, Hadlee represented the Kiwis in 86 Tests and picked up a then record of 431 wickets at an astounding average of 22.29. Also a dangerous lower-order batsman, he was one of only two cricketers to be knighted while still playing (the other being Maharajkumar of Vizianagaram).
Reminiscing on those unforgettable days, Hadlee quipped, “Kapil, Imran and Botham were good all rounders and we had a fierce competition. Those days we used to follow each other’s performances through newspapers or radio reports.”
When asked to pick the most influential out of the four, he opined, “Though Kapil and Botham were outstanding all rounders, I maintain that Imran had an edge as he was a versatile batsman and a potent strike bowler who could swing at good pace early on and later get reverse swing.”
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Although the Kiwi began his career as a tear-away fast bowler, swing and control took precedence in the latter years. While Imran had the highest Test batting average among the four, Hadlee‘s bowling average was the better one.
Looking back on his affinity with India, he enthused, “I broke Botham’s record in India and later took my 400th victim in the form of Sanjay Manjrekar. I also have fond memories of Wankhede Stadium were we won the Test match.”
With match figures of 36.5-11-88-10, Hadlee played a vital part in New Zealand winning a Test in India after more than 19 years. In fact, it remains only their second Test victory against the Indians in the subcontinent.