Brendon McCullum

[Uppercut]

In fact Akmal is a dreadful wicketkeeper; Flower was a pretty poor one; and Sangakkara, though a good one, has never done the job with great continuity.

So it could fairly be said that McCullum is the fourth-best Test wicketkeeper-batsman of the last two decades, behind Stewart, Gilchrist and Dhoni. In fact, probably joint third-best because I really don't think there's a lot between him and Dhoni and both have clearly got plenty of Test cricket ahead of them.

Pretty fair. McCullum's definitely better than Dhoni with the gloves, but I'd always back Dhoni to score more runs.

So New Zealand have the fourth-best wicket-keeper batsman since 1989, and probably joint best in the world, and some fans just ask why he isn't even better?

 

[Uppercut]

Big fan of McCullum but I wish he put away playing on the move. Far better cricketer when he plays from the crease.

In tests, for sure. In ODIs i hate when he tries to play like a proper batsman. At his best when he gets the Kiwis off to a flyer, because his defensive technique against the new ball is poor enough that he usually scores even less runs when he tries to play a big one.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Phillip Hughes averaged 22 in the u19s World Cup and 2 years later, his averaging 69 in both first-class and Test Cricket.

 

[Howsie]

Phillip Hughes averaged 22 in the u19s World Cup and 2 years later, his averaging 69 in both first-class and Test Cricket.

Hughes's average is so high because of one reason.

1.He has played most of his cricket against weak bowling, except for his test series debut of course.

Wait till he has played 10-15 test matches, that average will drop.

 

[TT Boy]

In tests, for sure. In ODIs i hate when he tries to play like a proper batsman. At his best when he gets the Kiwis off to a flyer, because his defensive technique against the new ball is poor enough that he usually scores even less runs when he tries to play a big one.

In ODI's, he usually gets out walking down the track and edging to the keeper.

 

[Howsie]

In ODI's, he usually gets out walking down the track and edging to the keeper.

To be fair he gets out a lot like that in all forms of cricket.

 

[TT Boy]

To be fair he gets out a lot like that in all forms of cricket.

I know. Be nice if he stopped doing it.

 

[Athlai]

Hughes's average is so high because of one reason.

1.He has played most of his cricket against weak bowling, except for his test series debut of course.

Wait till he has played 10-15 test matches, that average will drop.

 

[Uppercut]

In ODI's, he usually gets out walking down the track and edging to the keeper.

Haha, yeah. He's usually not even playing a shot though. That's his defensive technique.

 

[Smudge]

Based on his statsguru record?

Three dominating U/19 games against South Africa. I'm sure his reputation was based on more performances than one brilliant series.

Star performer for youth Otago teams? Local club cricket?

Yes, and yes. I played with him in a club game where he got an effortless 99*.

 

[trapol]

Its not about what you average

ita about match winning performances. McCullum has played about 150 ODIs and 40 odd tests (???) he has to date one yes one ODI century and that was against Ireland and he has 3 test centuries and 2 of them were against Zim and the Bangers. So hardly worthy of mention as best in the business. Skill/talent yes...actual performance No

 

[Noble One]

Yes, and yes. I played with him in a club game where he got an effortless 99*.

Tough luck. You weren’t the last batsman dismissed to leave him stranded on 99?

 

[Uppercut]

ita about match winning performances. McCullum has played about 150 ODIs and 40 odd tests (???) he has to date one yes one ODI century and that was against Ireland and he has 3 test centuries and 2 of them were against Zim and the Bangers. So hardly worthy of mention as best in the business. Skill/talent yes...actual performance No

Maybe not a pure match-winner, but he certainly dictates where matches end up to some extent. You could look at his 41 batting second against the West Indies in the final ODI last year- sure it was only a quickfire 41, but if you were watching it undoubtedly changed the game. In tests, there was an excellent 97 in extremely difficult conditions at Lord's that gave New Zealand a chance of a draw (which they ended up taking).

It's just a couple of examples, but the point is that for every big score that wasn't actually that valuable (a century against Zimbabwe, for example) there's a smaller score that was absolutely crucial. It's hard to deny that McCullum can change a game when he comes off, and 30~ is an excellent average to have from your keeper, particularly considering how good he is behind the stumps.

 

[Smudge]

Tough luck. You weren’t the last batsman dismissed to leave him stranded on 99?

Nah, I think we were chasing a target, and got it with ease. Needless to say, my services at #11 weren't required.

 

[Burgey]

Hughes's average is so high because of one reason.

1.He has played most of his cricket against weak bowling, except for his test series debut of course.

Wait till he has played 10-15 test matches, that average will drop.

He's got England for the next 5, so if anything it may increase.

 

[Demon43]

He's got England for the next 5, so if anything it may increase.

i couldnt have said it better myself

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

ita about match winning performances. McCullum has played about 150 ODIs and 40 odd tests (???) he has to date one yes one ODI century and that was against Ireland and he has 3 test centuries and 2 of them were against Zim and the Bangers. So hardly worthy of mention as best in the business. Skill/talent yes...actual performance No

It's not all about average, it's about number of centuries?

 

[thierry henry]

I agree that, because McCullum is so explosive, it's easy to overrate his actual batting potential. Maybe he just doesn't have the ability to be a genuine batsman like people were saying early in his career. Generally speaking, a very good 'keeper who is also a handy batsman is worth his place in the side.

HOWEVER, as a very close watcher of McCullum throughout his career, I very strongly believe that he has underperformed significantly with the bat and has the ability, especially with the flat pitches he has enjoyed playing in this era, to have done a lot better.

 

[straw man]

McCullum strikes me as someone who is crushed by the weight of expectation to perform, mostly his own. Do think he has the potential to be considerably better (batting-wise), especially in tests. Think he sees himself now as a senior member of the team and thinks he should be taking more responsibility, but instead feels the weight of the world on his shoulders and fails.

Cases in point - his failed move to number 5 in tests; history of getting out in the 90s; every innings in IPL #1 after his first groudbreaking one; taking on the captaincy in IPL #2 and scoring hardly any runs; his recent not-so-successful attempts at anchoring the innings in ODIs rather than blasting.

Alternatively, when the pressure is off - until recently only hundreds against Zim and Bang (ok, that's because they're not quality, but still), first proper test match hundred from 40 tests recently in a rare position of strength for NZ on a flat pitch; high test-match 3rd/4th innings scores when he's batting with a tail ender and we've already lost, scoring runs at the end of IPL #2 after KKR were already knocked out.

The one role I can think of that he performs (or performed) regularly when the pressure is on was finishing an ODI innings down the order. But he doesn't do that now and he and Vettori/ Moles also don't seem to be sure on the approach he should take opening either.

No doubt oversimplifying things (and of course I'm just an armchair critic - what do I know?), but do think a great deal of the problem is in his mind and how much pressure he puts himself under.

 

[Redbacks]

every innings in IPL #1 after his first groundbreaking one

yep, perhaps people were expecting him to turn into an ODI destroyer after that knock, rather than judging it on its T20 merits