India or Pakistan? Waqar Younis Picks His Cricketing Greats, Sparks Discussions
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Former Pakistan captain and fast bowler Waqar Younis has sparked discussion among cricket fans after choosing Indian legends over several Pakistani greats in a series of India-versus-Pakistan player comparisons.
Speaking during a rapid-fire segment on the Shubhankar Mishra podcast, Younis picked Sachin Tendulkar over Inzamam-ul-Haq, Virat Kohli over Babar Azam and MS Dhoni over Javed Miandad.
His selections favoured Indian players in most of the head-to-head comparisons.
Waqar Favours Indian Cricket Icons
Younis also favoured Rahul Dravid over Younis Khan and VVS Laxman over Misbah-ul-Haq. Among the modern players, he chose Rohit Sharma over Fakhar Zaman, Jasprit Bumrah over Shaheen Afridi and Mohammed Shami over Mohammad Amir.
His choices extended across generations, bringing together some of the most celebrated names in Indian and Pakistani cricket. While such comparisons are subjective and players competed in different eras and conditions, the selections have renewed discussion about their respective records and legacies.
Younis's only Pakistani pick in the reported matchups was former opener Saeed Anwar, whom he preferred over Virender Sehwag.
Waqar Explains Why He Picked Dhoni Over Miandad
One of the most notable choices came when Waqar was asked to select between MS Dhoni and Pakistan batting great Javed Miandad. The question was followed by a more specific comparison about their ability to finish matches.
Explaining his decision, Waqar said he believed Dhoni had won more matches during his career and had a stronger record as a finisher. While acknowledging Miandad’s contributions, he ultimately backed the former India captain.
Dhoni built a reputation as one of India’s most successful finishers, leading the national team to major international titles. His calm approach under pressure and ability to guide run chases made him one of the most prominent figures in Indian cricket.
Waqar’s selections reflected his preference for several Indian stars across batting, pace bowling and match-finishing roles, although the rapid-fire format did not involve a detailed statistical assessment of the players.
Waqar Holds Back on Young Talent
Waqar was also asked to compare India’s teenage batting prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with Pakistan’s 20-year-old batter Sameer Minhas. However, he declined to pick either player, explaining that he had not watched them enough to make a fair assessment.
Sooryavanshi has recently attracted attention for his aggressive batting in India’s T20I series against New Zealand. After scoring four runs in the second T20I, the 15-year-old struck 45 off just 19 deliveries in the third match, hitting four fours and four sixes. His innings helped India chase down a target of 199 to secure a six-wicket victory, giving the team an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Waqar’s Picks Reignite India-Pakistan Debate
Comparisons between Indian and Pakistani cricketers remain a popular feature of cricket discussions, particularly when they involve players who have shaped the sport across different eras.
Tendulkar and Inzamam were prominent batters of their generation, while Kohli and Babar have often been compared as leading run-scorers of the modern era. Dhoni and Miandad, meanwhile, represent different periods of Indian and Pakistani cricket.
