There is always a debate as to which is the most challenging delivery in cricket for a batsman? Some say a lethal bouncer or some opines that an inswinging delivery is pretty hard to face. In modern-day cricket, some also believe that knuckleball is quite difficult to tackle. But, experts and the majority of fans feel out of many tough balls, ‘yorker’ remains at the top spot.
For those who aren’t aware, yorker is a full-length delivery which is pitched in front of a batsman’s feet by a bowler. As per experts, a well-executed yorker is aimed at a player’s shoes, and If directed well, it is by a distance the most difficult ball to play for a batsman. It is a kind of ball which traps a batsman and doesn’t allow him to open his arms in order to go for a shot.
Right from Wasim Akram to Lasith Malinga, there have been many talented bowlers who excelled in delivering yorkers, but who are the top 6 yorker specialists? Well, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has the answer.
In his YouTube channel, the cricketer-turned-commentator named 6 bowlers who dominated with their consistency in executing perfect yorkers.
6.) Andrew Flintoff
Former England cricketer and perhaps one of the best all-rounders cricketing world has ever seen, Andrew Flintoff has been placed at number 6 by Chopra. Flintoff took 226 wickets in Test cricket and 169 in One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
Chopra regarded Flintoff as a classy bowler, especially when the ball was old. Chopra said the English all-rounder had the ability to bowl perfect yorkers with the help of reverse swing. He made full use of his high arm action and tall height.
Chopra also expressed that he had options like Zaheer Khan, Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar to place at number six, but Flintoff was ahead in terms of bowling accurate yorkers.
5.) Mitchell Starc
Chopra placed Australian pacer Mitchell Starc at number five. He said Starc bowls perfect yorkers and that too with a pace above 150 kmph. Chopra opines that to bowl consistently at such speed is very difficult; hence Starc is ideal to be his fifth bowler.
Starc has bagged 244 wickets in red-ball cricket and 178 in the 50-over format. While in T20Is, the left-armer has 43 scalps to his name.
4.) Jasprit Bumrah
At number four, Chopra placed Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah. Chopra said that Bumrah hasn’t played that much of cricket, but in his short career, the right-armer has done wonders. Chopra expressed that Bumrah’s art of executing perfect yorkers makes him a sensational bowler.
Bumrah has played 14 Tests, 64 ODIs, and 50 T20Is, in which the Ahemdabad-born has taken 68, 104, and 59 wickets, respectively.
3.) Waqar Younis
The genius Pakistani bowler, Waqar Younis, has been a tremendous bowler throughout his entire career. Chopra placed him at number three and said he is a great admirer of Waqar, his run-up, action, and when he used to deliver the ball was certainly a treat to watch.
Chopra said, irrespective of the fact that whether a batsman is set or not, if Waqar gets an old ball, then he will demolish the stumps. Waqar has picked 378 wickets in Tests and 416 in white-ball cricket.
2.) Wasim Akram
Another Pakistani and Waqar’s teammate on Chopra’s list is none other than the maestro Wasim Akram. Chopra expressed that Wasim was a brilliant bowler, he had a short run-up, but he used to do everything with his wrist.
Chopra said, Wasim had the ability to bowl both in-swing and out-swing yorkers, and of course, he was very lethal with the old ball due to reverse swing. Wasim has 502 wickets to his name in ODI format, which is the second-best in overall ODI records. The left-armer has also taken 414 scalps in red-ball cricket.
1.) Lasith Malinga
The ace Sri Lankan bowler, Lasith Malinga, has been placed at the top spot by Chopra. He said, Malinga has the ability to bowl maximum yorkers consistently in a match and that too in pressure situations, which is quite a challenging task. Chopra stated that whenever one would talk about yorker specialist than Malinga’s name would appear.
Malinga (107) is the highest wicket-taker in the shortest format. In ODIs, he has taken 338, while in Tests, Malinga has 101 scalps to his name.
