Sehwag, an all-time Indian great?

[ret]

IS Sehwag an all-time Indian great, along with Gavaskar, Tendulkar and Dravid? Discuss

* two triple 100s and tons of 150+ scores
* 5102 runs @ 53 in 59 tests [100 innings] with 15 100s
* averages 50+ against some of the best attacks like Australia, Pakistan, SL and SA
* single handedly salvages situation when most of the others fail [one man army]
* averages more than any other Indian opener

defiantly, an all-time Indian batsman for me

 

[ret]

lets look at some of the other greats after their 100th inning

Gavaskar - 5249 @ 56 with 21 100s
Tendulkar - 4956 @ 55 with 18 100s [99 innings]
Dravid - 4607 @ 51 with 10 100s

Sobers - 5345 @ 61 with 17 H
Richards - 5214 @ 55 with 17 H [99I]
Hayden - 5212 @ 57 with 20H [99I]
Lara - 4778 @ 50 with 10 H [99I]
Chappell - 4530 @ 53 with 15 H
Ponting - 4246 @ 57 with 14 H [99I]
S Waugh - 3568 @ 44 with 7 H

if we are to rank them after their 100 innings [99 in some cases] then below is the standing:

Sobers - 5345
Gavaskar - 5249
Richards - 5214
Hayden - 5212
Sehwag - 5102
Tendulkar - 4956
Lara - 4778

 

[Mard]

no i would never consider him great. His technique is nothing compared to other greats. All he knows is just slashing the ball hard and he seems to score a lot of runs because of his luck.

 

[ret]

no i would never consider him great. His technique is nothing compared to other greats. All he knows is just slashing the ball hard and he seems to score a lot of runs because of his luck.

and still he is averaging a Bradmansique 90+ against Pak

 

[Mard]

^ true but like i said his technique is not good and he doesn't have all the text book shots like tendulkar or lara. He has been very lucky in my opnion. His oneday average reflects the kind of a batsmen he is.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

He's played on some farcical pitches against Pakistan.

A good, perhaps very good batsman, but not great. One of the biggest beneficiaries of flat pitches, poor standards of bowling and catching. That said, he's good enough that he would probably average over 40 if all chances were held anyway. He's also played some good innings in difficult conditions before. Great stats, but not a great player.

 

[Mard]

He's played on some farcical pitches against Pakistan.

A good, perhaps very good batsman, but not great. One of the biggest beneficiaries of flat pitches, poor standards of bowling and catching. That said, he's good enough that he would probably average over 40 if all chances were held anyway. He's also played some good innings in difficult conditions before. Great stats, but not a great player.

exactly my point

 

[sanga1337]

I will certainly consider him a great if he can keep up his good record for the rest of his career.

 

[silentstriker]

No, not a great.

 

[Salamuddin]

Luck by itself is only going to carry you so far. You've gotta have a fair bit of ability to average 50+ as a test opener after 60 tests with runs in almost every test playing country in the world

 

[Prince EWS]

He's played on some farcical pitches against Pakistan.

A good, perhaps very good batsman, but not great. One of the biggest beneficiaries of flat pitches, poor standards of bowling and catching. That said, he's good enough that he would probably average over 40 if all chances were held anyway. He's also played some good innings in difficult conditions before. Great stats, but not a great player.

Agreed.

 

[silentstriker]

Luck by itself is only going to carry you so far. You've gotta have a fair bit of ability to average 50+ as a test opener after 60 tests with runs in almost every test playing country in the world

All of that can be true without being a great. He has ability, sure, and he has scored runs in a lot of places. So have a lot of people.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Luck by itself is only going to carry you so far.

Well Andrew Symonds is literally let off in every significant innings he plays. ITSTL.

 

[Salamuddin]

All of that can be true without being a great. He has ability, sure, and he has scored runs in a lot of places. So have a lot of people.

I think he's a pretty special talent tbh. I've seen the majority of his test innings and he has played several good innings on pitches where there has been something in it for the bowlers.

He may not be aesthetically pleasing but he is blessed with exceptional hand-eye coordination - a bit Gilchrist like in that respect.

I think if he can continue to play innings like Adelaide 2008 or Galle 2008 and maintains a 50+ average, its going to be very hard not to consider him an all time great by the time he hangs up his boots

 

[Salamuddin]

Well Andrew Symonds is literally let off in every significant innings he plays. ITSTL.

And I'm sure Symonds will have his periods of bad fortune as well....the point I'm making is that those who've seen Sehwag's best innings will realize...this is not a mindless, lucky slogger but a batsman with considerable ability.
More than a tad underrated on these forums.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I acknowledged his ability in my post.

My Symonds post was tongue-in-cheek.

 

[silentstriker]

I think if he can continue to play innings like Adelaide 2008 or Galle 2008 and maintains a 50+ average, its going to be very hard not to consider him an all time great by the time he hangs up his boots

That's a different statement than the one that he is already a great.

 

[Sanz]

Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Sehwag didn't become all time greats after 100 innings, neither does Sehwag.

 

[Salamuddin]

That's a different statement than the one that he is already a great.

Never said he was already a great ....however If he can continue to produce the sort of performances we've seen recently, then I don't see why not at some point in the future.

Easy as an armchair critic to pick holes but the sort of innings he has played in different conditions is not characteristic of an average or even a merely decent player.

I think Viru will definitely go down as one in the very good category and depending on what he achieves from here, maybe even a "great".

 

[Salamuddin]

I have been following Indian cricket since 1989 and in the last 20 years....I personally believe there have been only 3 players genuinely superior to Sehwag as test batsmen in that time period - Sachin, Rahul and VVS and Viru is probably more prolific than VVS.