Javagal Srinath didn't get the credit he deserved, feels former South African seamer Shaun Pollock

Javagal Srinath played 67 Tests and 229 ODIs between 1991 and 2003, taking 236 and 315 wickets respectively.
Former Indian seamer Javagal Srinath (Photo | PTI)
Former Indian seamer Javagal Srinath (Photo | PTI)

JOHANNESBURG: Javagal Srinath spearheaded India's pace attack in the 90s with aplomb but former South African seamer Shaun Pollock believes the Indian never got the credit he deserved.

Srinath played 67 Tests and 229 ODIs between 1991 and 2003, taking 236 and 315 wickets respectively.

"I thought India's Javagal Srinath didn't get the credit he deserved," Pollock said during a Sky Sports podcast discussion with former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding and England's Stuart Broad.

"In my era, you had great combinations like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis for Pakistan and Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh for West Indies. Australia had Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee. You now have James Anderson and Stuart Broad in this era."

Pollock, who snapped over 400 Test wickets and amassed more than 3,700 Test runs in 108 Tests, said one bowler who left an indelible mark on him early in his career was West Indian pace great Malcom Marshall.

"(Malcom) Marshall was next level and I was lucky enough to meet him early in my career as it made me think about fast bowling in a completely different way," he said.

However, since his retirement in 2008, Pollock has been most impressed by his fellow countryman Dale Steyn, who had overtaken him as South Africa's leading wicket-taker in Tests in December, 2018.

"But since I've stopped playing, l cannot have enough respect for (Dale) Steyn. His ability to shape the ball upfront at high speed and then come back later and reverse it," he said.

"He cranked it up on flat wickets and had such a good action and variations. He is something special and his stats back it up."

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