Wasim Akram: What Cricket Commentators Shouldn't Be

In a game like cricket, few people can be what Wasim Akram is. Few can come close to his left arm pace bowling. Few can swing the ball the way he can. Few can seem the ball the way he can. But most importantly, few can commentate the way he can.

Yes, you read it right. Few can commentate the way he can. Yes few can commentate in the idiotic way he does 

For someone as successful as he is, it was natural he would become a commentator after retiring. It was natural that people will have great expectations of him, and it was natural he would try to fulfill them. But unfortunately the on field cricketing legend could not become a behind the mike star

A thing that can always be said to defend him is that his  english skills are poor and thus, he has not managed to gain the same level of popularity as a Gavaskar, Shastri or even a Ramiz Raja, a former Pakistani teammate of his.

But I do not think in the same way. I understand his language skill is not the same as the names I mentioned, but still they are better than many and are good enough to help him propagate his thoughts.

So where does the problem lie?

It is basically a problem of talking to much(a problem most people have). Just like Kris Srikanth, the person a fellow writer Rohini Iyer covered.

But there is a marked difference if you asked me. Kris often doesn't talk sense and ends up just trying to come an shoot of his mouth, just like his nature.

But Wasim comes and makes his presence felt. He opens his mouth and starts talking. But ends up just blabbering every bit of sense talk he has. And that is the problem. He does not pace himself very well.

And there comes the point when his sense is over but his shift isn't. So since he has no other alternative, he starts the nonsense session.

To make matters worse, he also has put on an accent. The worst mistake Asians make. Trying to copy the west has never helped us and will never help us in the near or the future further away from near. And because of this accent, he has lost the few ears he had earned due to his cricketing brilliance.

So though it is sad, but I have to say Shaz (Ravi Shastri) turned out to be better than Waz (Wasim) despite Waz's brilliance on field overpowered everything else.

Commentry is a TOUGH job. Being a cricket great, does not gaurantee you the a "GREAT" license behind the mike.