Best Test Batsman who started his career in the Mid 00s.

[Teja.]

hey gimh pull your head in ok

DingDong belongs to 'the rest' and calling him crap is just criminal IMO.

 

[GIMH]

You're becoming a worse poster than dingdong lately

That's a bit like saying, you're becoming a worse bowler than Shane Warne lately

Anyway, I do think I'd pick Pietersen overall, biased or not, but if it was for a match tomorrow I'd go Clarke.

 

[NUFAN]

What're some of Clarke's best innings? I don't recall many when he did well when the team needed him. Bit like Bell, tends to do well when things go his way.

There was a thread on here a year or two ago where this comment was made about Clarke and it was justified at the time for sure.

In the past few years I think he's definitely proven himself in tough conditions..

 

[Spark]

Probably been merged with the 50-page monster.

Remember there was another post recently about this very topic in response to a sidetrack from wtf_ben, someone posted a list of crunch innings from Clarke, and it was fairly respectable for someone at this point in his career (obviously most of them are recent though).

In fact I don't really remember a recent innings - apart from Cardiff - where he came out in an easy scoreboard situation and then piled them on. I suppose the 2nd NZ test maybe? Or Headingley in the Ashes after you factor in England's non-attempt? Both borderline...

 

[Furball]

Voted DingDong, but Clarke and ABdV are miles ahead of the rest of the list. Gambhir needs to prove himself outside of the subcontinent (and FWIW, I think he'll make a success of it, he's a terrific batsman), and Pietersen has had a bit of a form slump.

Not even going to take Hussey's inclusion on the list seriously, he's been woeful for 3 years now and his career has largely consisted of bashing mediocre bowling attacks on flat home decks. The guy averages 40 away from Australia.

If a subcontinental batsman had had a similar career path as Hussey, in that he'd bashed mediocre bowling relentlessly at home and batting pretty poorly away from the subcontinent, no-one would seriously consider him as the best of his generation. Gambhir has no votes in this poll, which proves my point, when the only difference between Gambhir and Hussey is that Gambhir by and large hasn't yet had the opportunity to play much cricket outside the subcontinent - the only series where he has, he was brilliant. Hussey has been a failure almost everywhere he's been outside Australia - averages 31 in England and New Zealand, 38 in South Africa and 22 in West Indies.

 

[Spark]

Surprised that ABdV isn't getting more votes tbh. Seriously good player from what I've seen. Granted his purple patch started in 2008, two years after Clarke's and 3 years after Pietersen and Hussey's (although his started to stop about this time, being replaced with a very different kind of 'purple').

EDIT: Hmm, looking at his career a little closer can see why he's not rated in the same class as Pietersen/Clarke (a few too many gaps in the record which time should quickly erase) but even so. Gun, absolute gun. For fielding as well.

 

[vcs]

Yeah, AB's very good. One of the most entertaining batsmen in world cricket currently and easily the most entertaining in that SA lineup.

 

[akilana]

AB - big hundreds in Australia, India, England, WI and very good away average of 56. If he probably didn't play in SA bowling conditions half of the matches, he may already be averaging over 50.

 

[Spark]

Bowling conditions can't explain away his average though. 36 is not great any way you cut it at home.

 

[Uppercut]

The difference between his home and away form is just a statistical curiosity for mine. The toughest bowling he's faced in South Africa, by quite a distance, was in the home series against Australia where he averaged 90. The technical and mental side of his game improved noticeably around the end of 2007 and he's been one of the world's best ever since. Most of his struggles in South Africa came beforehand.

I'm not entirely sure he's done enough to be ranked above, say, Michael Clarke, even though he's generally outbatted Clarke for the past couple of years. It could just be a prolonged run of excellent form. But if I was picking a team for tomorrow I'd take De Villiers first.

 

[Furball]

Since the 2007/08 season ABdV has scored just shy of 2,500 runs at 57, and if he'd scored 1 more run in South Africa, he'd average an even 50 at home.

 

[Sir Alex]

Since the 2007/08 season ABdV has scored just shy of 2,500 runs at 57, and if he'd scored 1 more run in South Africa, he'd average an even 50 at home.

Excluding Bangladesh - 61.39 overall and 55.5 home.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

 

[Spark]

The difference between his home and away form is just a statistical curiosity for mine. The toughest bowling he's faced in South Africa, by quite a distance, was in the home series against Australia where he averaged 90. The technical and mental side of his game improved noticeably around the end of 2007 and he's been one of the world's best ever since. Most of his struggles in South Africa came beforehand.

I'm not entirely sure he's done enough to be ranked above, say, Michael Clarke, even though he's generally outbatted Clarke for the past couple of years. It could just be a prolonged run of excellent form. But if I was picking a team for tomorrow I'd take De Villiers first.

I'd take both TBH.

 

[Jono]

Not even going to take Hussey's inclusion on the list seriously, he's been woeful for 3 years now and his career has largely consisted of bashing mediocre bowling attacks on flat home decks. The guy averages 40 away from Australia.

If a subcontinental batsman had had a similar career path as Hussey, in that he'd bashed mediocre bowling relentlessly at home and batting pretty poorly away from the subcontinent, no-one would seriously consider him as the best of his generation. Gambhir has no votes in this poll, which proves my point, when the only difference between Gambhir and Hussey is that Gambhir by and large hasn't yet had the opportunity to play much cricket outside the subcontinent - the only series where he has, he was brilliant. Hussey has been a failure almost everywhere he's been outside Australia - averages 31 in England and New Zealand, 38 in South Africa and 22 in West Indies.

Very very interesting. Hmmm.

I'm an unapologetic Hussey fan, but you bring up interesting points.

 

[Faisal1985]

Like Clarke a lot....he is certainly a class player and very unAustralian in the way he bats...

 

[NUFAN]

Voted DingDong, but Clarke and ABdV are miles ahead of the rest of the list. Gambhir needs to prove himself outside of the subcontinent (and FWIW, I think he'll make a success of it, he's a terrific batsman), and Pietersen has had a bit of a form slump.

Not even going to take Hussey's inclusion on the list seriously, he's been woeful for 3 years now and his career has largely consisted of bashing mediocre bowling attacks on flat home decks. The guy averages 40 away from Australia.

If a subcontinental batsman had had a similar career path as Hussey, in that he'd bashed mediocre bowling relentlessly at home and batting pretty poorly away from the subcontinent, no-one would seriously consider him as the best of his generation. Gambhir has no votes in this poll, which proves my point, when the only difference between Gambhir and Hussey is that Gambhir by and large hasn't yet had the opportunity to play much cricket outside the subcontinent - the only series where he has, he was brilliant. Hussey has been a failure almost everywhere he's been outside Australia - averages 31 in England and New Zealand, 38 in South Africa and 22 in West Indies.

Yep. I agree completely with you regarding Mr Shield Cricket.

 

[Spark]

Biggest shock of my cricket-watching life to see how a player once so very good around off stump could become so unspeakably bad.

 

[Athlai]

I disagree with the points on Hussey because while he has been relatively dire in Tests he has been immense in ODI cricket which can give people the impression that he is still the imperious cricketer in Tests he was when he debuted.

 

[Furball]

I disagree with the points on Hussey because while he has been relatively dire in Tests he has been immense in ODI cricket which can give people the impression that he is still the imperious cricketer in Tests he was when he debuted.

On the contrary, Hussey's Test form led to some calls for Hussey to be dropped from the ODI side, which was ludicrous - he's the best finisher in the game and in the ODI side should be allowed to continue for as long as he wants to.

 

[Johnners]

Would take Clarke no questions asked. Don't see enough of Ghambir/ABdV, even though i know they are class batsmen, and Pietersen, well, he's been woeful of late. Hussey's had the greatest peak where he was unspeakably good for us in his wonder stretch. May have faced some "weak" attacks, but the situations he pulled Australia out of, and the sheer enormity of the runs he scored was incredible. As has been said though, been woeful for a time now, and Clarke's been a class act, and imo will end up being regarded as the better player.