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Rahul Dravid vs Ricky Ponting

Who is the better batsman?

  • Rahul Dravid

    Votes: 42 33.3%

  • Ricky Ponting

    Votes: 68 54.0%

  • They are for all intents and purposes equal

    Votes: 16 12.7%
  • Total voters
    126
FaaipDeOiad

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
SJS said:
People who keep coming back to the Sachin, Lara, Warne, Murali debates, even those who consider these greats as 'over-rated, (may Allah bless their souls), do nothing but reveal their reverence of these cricketers.
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I'd just like to say that I'm not actually criticising Sachin, nor do I have anything against him or think he is overrated (well, not by MOST people, those say he is better than Bradman need their heads read though), I just think he hasn't been in particularly good form for the last couple of years. Even out of form I'd put him in the top 5 batsmen in the world today with Lara, Dravid, Ponting and Kallis.
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Of course he is not better than Bradman. Its ridiculous to make that argument.

And yes he is not at his peak and hasnt been for last two years.

Like all his fans and Indian cricket lovers, one hopes , we will get to see the old Sachin again. Whether this will happen or not, we have to wait and watch.

Yes he is still a force in world cricket but we miss the Sachin of four years ago :mellow:

PS : Back to Dravid and Ponting please !!!

I think its a great debate and I voted for Dravid :)
 
Jono

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Slats4ever said:
ok i'll go back to dravid and ponting.

Ponting just smashed 141!!!
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Champion knock, but definitely doesn't even touch his WC final knock. The Indian bowling may not have been anything brilliant in the final, but it was better than NZ's yesterday.

I'd definitely choose Ponting over Dravid in the ODIs, but I feel Dravid is a very much improved player over the past couple of years. So much so he's in my fantasy team for the coming 6 ODIs against Pakistan, I expect him to play well. :)
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Jono said:
Champion knock, but definitely doesn't even touch his WC final knock. The Indian bowling may not have been anything brilliant in the final, but it was better than NZ's yesterday.

I'd definitely choose Ponting over Dravid in the ODIs, but I feel Dravid is a very much improved player over the past couple of years. So much so he's in my fantasy team for the coming 6 ODIs against Pakistan, I expect him to play well. :)
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Yes, of course, in ODI's Ponting scores over Dravid. Even Dravid's staunchest supporters will agree with that privately at least. Its in test matches that Dravid is something else really.
 
Mister Wright

Mister Wright

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Funny story...I was watching the recent Tsunami match with some friends, and queried why Dravid was in the Asian XI ahead of somebody like Laxman or even Yuvraj who to me seemed more suited to the One Day game...Boy did that blow up in my face as Dravid was left stranded on 70 odd not out, and the only one who looked like taking them to the total - not that they ever did of course.
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Mister Wright said:
Funny story...I was watching the recent Tsunami match with some friends, and queried why Dravid was in the Asian XI ahead of somebody like Laxman or even Yuvraj who to me seemed more suited to the One Day game...Boy did that blow up in my face as Dravid was left stranded on 70 odd not out, and the only one who looked like taking them to the total - not that they ever did of course.
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YES. Dravid has recently played some amazing one day games. When he lets himself go, he seems to be able to find the gaps at will and his lofted drives over covers and extra cover are really something.
 
Johnners

Johnners

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Venters thread got me inspired to dig this thread back up. It would be interesting to see how everyone still feels the same in regards to the Ponting v Dravid debate now, as they did 2 years ago.

2 Years ago i would've begrudgingly said Dravid slightly was a test batsmen, and Ponting quite comfortably for ODI's. However, since then, Ponting has in my eyes shot past Dravid for Tests, and increased the margin for ODI's. His domination of pretty much everyone barring the English attack in the 05 Ashes has been nothing short of spectacular. He's often taken the game away from the opposition, or knuckled down when they've looked like getting on top. (see Adelaide Ashes Test Match, and 3rd test vs. South Africa in Sydney for best examples)

Add all of that, to the fact that he's undoubtedly improved his consistency, and certainly played some pressure innings. Given Lara's retirement, and Sachins current dire form, i'd expect punter to overtake both for the Runs record, but Dravid certainly won't be far behind. Both are Marvellous batsmen, but the past 2 years has seen Ponting take his game to a level that surpasses Dravid, and it's now up to Dravid to try and up his game to that same level of dominance.
 
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Salamuddin

Salamuddin

International Debutant
I'm not convinced Ponting is that much a better batsman than Dravid if at all.

Dravid averages 62 away from home ....Ponting averages 50

And has Ponting really proven himself against a top class attack ?
To be fair, you can only play what's in front of you, but Dravid scored runs agains Donald and Pollck in their prome in RSA and Amby and Walsh in the caribbean.
Ponting's biggest test was aginst the strong English attack in the 2005 Ashes.....he averaged 39 which is decent but hardly world beater stuff and really that average was boosted by his knock at Old Trafford.
 
Perm

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Venter said:
I'm not convinced Ponting is that much a better batsman than Dravid if at all.

Dravid averages 62 away from home ....Ponting averages 50

And has Ponting really proven himself against a top class attack ?
To be fair, you can only play what's in front of you, but Dravid scored runs agains Donald and Pollck in their prome in RSA and Amby and Walsh in the caribbean.
Ponting's biggest test was aginst the strong English attack in the 2005 Ashes.....he averaged 39 which is decent but hardly world beater stuff and really that average was boosted by his knock at Old Trafford.
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Why would you even think of taking away his knock at Old Trafford? It was one of the finest innings I have seen.
 
Salamuddin

Salamuddin

International Debutant
Perm said:
Why would you even think of taking away his knock at Old Trafford? It was one of the finest innings I have seen.
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Oh I'm not discounting it...... I'm just saying that Ponting failed more often than not in the 2005 Ashes.......ant let's be fair, he has not really faced that many top notch attacks.

Ponting faced the Windies in 1999 when they still had Ambrose and Walsh and averaged 37.....decent, but again hardly outstanding stuff.
And Ponting has a dreadful record in India....something Dravid does not have in any country.
 
N

Nishant

International 12th Man
Dravid for me.....on current form, Ponting is doing well, but on the overall scale of things, Dravid quite comfortably for me.
 
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