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Greatest cricketers since 1980

bagapath

bagapath

International Captain
based on the thread on sagakkara where some posters seem to be in a hurry to bunch him with greater batsman, i am starting this thread to categorize test cricketers into various levels of greatness. and predict who cricket history would consider all time greats out of those who played between 1980 - 2010.

i will start with the batsmen and divide them into four different levels of greatness if that makes sense at all. I will try to limit each level to 10 at the most. will do the same exercise for bowlers later. I have not ranked the players within each level.

The Greatest Batsmen since 1980

Level 1

Viv Richards
Greg Chappell
Sunil Gavaskar
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Ricky Ponting

Level 2

Matthew Hayden
Virender Sehwag
Rahul Dravid
Allan Border
Steve Waugh
Javed Miandad
Inzamam Ul Haq
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist
Martin Crowe

Level 3

Kumar Sangakara
Mohammad Yousuff
Kevin Pietersen
Mahela Jayawardane
Gordon Greenidge
Graeme Smith
David Gower
Shiv Chanderpal
Andy Flower
Justin Langer

Level 4

David Boon
Michael Clarke
Graham Gooch
VVS Laxman
Mark Waugh
Damien Martyn
Sanath Jayasuriya
Aravinda de silva
Richie Richardson
Michael Hussey

this thread is meant to be as dumb as everything else i have ever written on cricket web. and it is meant to be fun. so u r welcome to join the spirit and throw in stats, circular arguments, individual biases and a bit of humor to make the discussion as alive as possible.

Edit: Dropped Clive Lloyd, Saeed Anwar and Desmond Haynes from the original list and brought in Andy Flower, Graeme Smith and Michael Clarke
 
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benchmark00

benchmark00

Request Your Custom Title Now!
bagapath said:
based on the thread on sagakkara where some posters seem to be in a hurry to bunch him with greater batsman, i am starting this thread to categorize test cricketers into various levels of greatness. and predict who cricket history would consider all time greats out of those who played between 1980 - 2010.

i will start with the batsmen and divide them into four different levels of greatness if that makes sense at all. I will try to limit each level to 10 at the most. will do the same exercise for bowlers later. I have not ranked the players within each level.

The Greatest Batsmen since 1980

Level 1

Viv Richards
Greg Chappell
Sunil Gavaskar
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Ricky Ponting

Level 2

Matthew Hayden
Virender Sehwag
Rahul Dravid
Allan Border
Steve Waugh
Javed Miandad
Inzamam Ul Haq
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist
Martin Crowe

Level 3

Kumar Sangakara
Mohammad Yousuff
Kevin Pietersen
Mahela Jayawardane
Gordon Greenidge
Aravinda de Silva
David Gower
Shiv Chanderpal
Clive Lloyd
Justin Langer

Level 4

David Boon
Saeed Anwar
Graham Gooch
VVS Laxman
Mark Waugh
Damien Martyn
Sanath Jayasuriya
Desmond Haynes
Richie Richardson
Michael Hussey

this thread is meant to be as dumb as everything else i have ever written on cricket web. and it is meant to be fun. so u r welcome to join the spirit and throw in stats, circular arguments, individual biases and a bit of humor to make the discussion as alive as possible.
Click to expand...
No Parthiv Patel???
 
Sir Alex

Sir Alex

Banned
kingpin said:
Great list.....

I wud like to see Bevan.....
Click to expand...
Quite clear what Bagapath is doing

bagapath said:
based on the thread on sagakkara where some posters seem to be in a hurry to bunch him with greater batsman, i am starting this thread to categorize test cricketers into various levels of greatness. and predict who cricket history would consider all time greats out of those who played between 1980 - 2010.
Click to expand...
 
TumTum

TumTum

Banned
I know this list is for batsmen, but I would have thought Gilly being a WK would be enough to make him go to Level 1.
 
weldone

weldone

Hall of Fame Member
I would like smaller sized levels (5-6 players in each level).

My top 3 levels would be approximately as follows (off the top of my head) -

Level 1 - Tendulkar, Greg Chappell, Gavaskar, Lara, Viv Richards
Level 2 - Border, Miandad, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Dravid, Kallis
Level 3 - Inzamam, Gilchrist, Hayden, Sehwag, Sangakkara

There are clearly two or more levels combined in some of your levels (2 onwards). At least that is what I opine.

To me, Ponting is not 'unarguably' better than the other 5 in my level 2 (especially the first 3). Also I don't buy the idea that Gilchrist (as a batsman) is 'clearly' better than any of the 5 batsmen I've listed him with in level 3...again, my opinion...
 
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Black_Warrior

Black_Warrior

Cricketer Of The Year
Great idea.

Just a couple of points

Virender Sehwag in level 3 instead of 2. I am happy to place him in Level 2 once he finishes his career with 10000 test runs at 50 plus and one more tour to Australia and South Africa at least to place him there. Till then, Level 3 for Sehwag IMO.

Level 4, Younis Khan instead of Damien Martyn

Damien Martyn | Cricket Players and Officials | Cricinfo.com

Younis Khan | Cricket Players and Officials | Cricinfo.com


Adam Gilchrist at Level 2 is inexplicable.. Are you assessing just the batting as or a cricketer in general? If its for batting..Adam Gilchrist at level 2?? Come on!

If Saeed Anwar is not good enough to be in the list..thats fine but then Sanath Jayasuriya's inclusion is inexplicable too.. If Jayasuriya is good enough, so is Anwar.
http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/42605.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting
 
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bagapath

bagapath

International Captain
weldone said:
Level 1 - Tendulkar, Greg Chappell, Gavaskar, Lara, Viv Richards
Level 2 - Border, Miandad, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Dravid, Kallis
Level 3 - Inzamam, Gilchrist, Hayden, Sehwag, Sangakkara
Click to expand...
pretty good list.

And black warrior... I have missed out on younis I agree
 
Riggins

Riggins

International Captain
Black_Warrior said:
Level 4, Younis Khan instead of Damien Martyn

Adam Gilchrist at Level 2 is inexplicable.. Are you assessing just the batting as or a cricketer in general? If its for batting..Adam Gilchrist at level 2?? Come on!
Click to expand...
GTFO
Completely DWTA, I cannot believe Marto is not in Level 1, maybe even a level 0 because he's a way better batsmen and legend in general than those hacks.
 
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