Sehwag - Best Batsman In World Cricket Right Now

[social]

More accurately, Matthew Hayden < most successful Test batsmen from 1946-2001, 1900-1929/30, and plenty in the 1930s as well.

If people keep getting it wrong you'll keep hearing it.

I dont disagree with Hayden < Tendulkar or Hayden < Hobbs (@ that meet your criteria) but it's painfully obvious that you lose objectivity when discussing Hayden so if you agree to drop the subject for ever, I will

That way, we both wont make fools of ourselves

 

[Sanz]

Hayden is IMO the best opener of 2000s.

 

[Richard]

I dont disagree with Hayden < Tendulkar or Hayden < Hobbs (@ that meet your criteria) but it's painfully obvious that you lose objectivity when discussing Hayden so if you agree to drop the subject for ever, I will

That way, we both wont make fools of ourselves

I don't lose any objectivity, any more than I lose it when discussing any other player. It is very possible to my mind that Hayden was a better player than (to give a couple of completely random examples) Keith Fletcher and Mike Denness.

If people do not wish to accept that there is a certain possibility that Hayden could not have succeeded in a time when good-quality bowling abounded, that's their choice. Personally I view that as not merely possible but likely.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

Certainly certain players would not be overly unduly affected by playing better bowlers in a different era.

Tendulkar, of course, would and did play brilliantly. Dravid in his pomp would have still worked wonders against anyone, anywhere.

On the other hand, some players would suffer very badly if they were exposed to only moderately more difficult conditions. That is why it is not correct so say "in the 90s you could add 6 to everyone's batting average compared to today". Some techniques would work just as well in the 90s, but some would collapse completely.

To some extent I believe Hayden falls into the latter. In moderately more difficult conditions, whether owed to bowlers conditions or a bit of both, he would struggle to average 40, but still play the odd awesome innings.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Sehwag's progress in One Day Internationals has been amazing since his return to the Test team on the tour of Australia in 2007/08.

He averages 43 in ODIs at a SR of 119 over 60+ games; that's phenomenal. There was once a lot of talk and discussion about why his record wasn't as good in One Day cricket, but he's put a lot of that to bed now. His career average is up there with Gilchrist and Jayasuriya (when opening), rather than around the 30 mark it once was.

 

[vcs]

The last couple of innings he has played certainly hint that he can get much more consistent and play through testing spells of bowling (and still comfortably score better than a run a ball).

 

[SJS]

I don't lose any objectivity, any more than I lose it when discussing any other player. It is very possible to my mind that Hayden was a better player than (to give a couple of completely random examples) Keith Fletcher and Mike Denness.

If people do not wish to accept that there is a certain possibility that Hayden could not have succeeded in a time when good-quality bowling abounded, that's their choice. Personally I view that as not merely possible but likely.

Without getting into the Hayden debate, I would like to comment that the first decade of the 21st century has been the most one sided (batsmen versus bowlers) in the history of the game. It can be shown by a very interesting set of stats over the entire history of the game which incidentally also show the entire 140 odd years span of Test cricket with its interesting ups and downs in this regard.

From a post on another site, which is how I started, it became a big exercise so I decided to make it into a feature (maybe two parts) when the news regarding my mother came in. I will be finishing it soon (I hope) but trust me it leaves absolutely no doubt that this last decade has been really a great 'hunting' period for batsmen.

 

[GameGod]

It's a little unfair to compare Sehwag to Tendulkar when the latter is six years older than him and now 12 years past his prime - it's an amazing feat for Sachin to be in the World Top 5 alone, forget being compared with Sehwag. Ponting, of course, is fully comparable to Sachin, but that's for a different thread.

I would agree that currently in world cricket Sehwag is just about the best batsmen overall - perhaps Ponting is a little ahead in Tests and Sachin a bit ahead in ODIs.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Certainly the most consistent batsman in the world if not the best.

 

[weldone]

It's a little unfair to compare Sehwag to Tendulkar when the latter is six years older than him and now 12 years past his prime - it's an amazing feat for Sachin to be in the World Top 5 alone, forget being compared with Sehwag. Ponting, of course, is fully comparable to Sachin, but that's for a different thread.

I would agree that currently in world cricket Sehwag is just about the best batsmen overall - perhaps Ponting is a little ahead in Tests and Sachin a bit ahead in ODIs.

You mean to say that Ponting is slightly ahead of Sehwag as a test batsman based on current form? You really mean it?

Ponting has been a champion batsman throughout the years, but I don't think he's among world's top 10 test batsmen based on current form and current form alone. You know after reading your post, I really thought that I was accidentally looking at a post made 3-4 years ago, and checked the date of the post.

Of course, on class I'd place him right after Tendulkar among the batsmen who are playing currently, but there's clear suggestion in your post that you were talking about form.

 

[vcs]

The last couple of innings he has played certainly hint that he can get much more consistent and play through testing spells of bowling (and still comfortably score better than a run a ball).

I meant ODI's, as he's already more than proven he can do this in Test cricket.

 

[weldone]

Sehwag is clearly among the best test batsmen on current form, alongwith Sangakkara probably.

 

[Spark]

You mean to say that Ponting is slightly ahead of Sehwag as a test batsman based on current form? You really mean it?

Ponting has been a champion batsman throughout the years, but I don't think he's among world's top 10 test batsmen based on current form and current form alone. You know after reading your post, I really thought that I was accidentally looking at a post made 3-4 years ago, and checked the date of the post.

Not even the best or 2nd best batsman in the team on form currently...

On current form, Sehwag shades it over Sachin and Sanga, with Clarke/Jayawardene/Chanders (although I haven't really played close attention, is he still in the form he was 2 years ago?) etc. following behind.

 

[tooextracool]

Some serious overrating of Sehwag going on here. Sehwags scored plenty of runs in the last couple of years no doubt, but the fact of the matter is that he's capitalized on some very flat wickets on the subcontinent and in the only series which he played abroad (in NZ) he was pretty average (again). To say that he is well ahead of Tendulkar or Clarke who have gone around the world and scored prolifically everywhere in the last 2 years is a bit ridiculous. Clarke seems to be especially underrated given the quality of attacks hes had to face (SA, Eng and Pakistan)

 

[Sir Alex]

Would love to know what more Sachin has to do to be considered 'in form'.

The assertion that on current form, Ponting is better than Sehwag or Sachin is laughable.

However do agree Sehwag just about nudges ahead of Sachin in tests atm.

 

[weldone]

Not even the best or 2nd best batsman in the team on form currently...

That's what I just said, didn't I?

 

[Sir Alex]

Some serious overrating of Sehwag going on here. Sehwags scored plenty of runs in the last couple of years no doubt, but the fact of the matter is that he's capitalized on some very flat wickets on the subcontinent and in the only series which he played abroad (in NZ) he was pretty average (again). To say that he is well ahead of Tendulkar or Clarke who have gone around the world and scored prolifically everywhere in the last 2 years is a bit ridiculous. Clarke seems to be especially underrated given the quality of attacks hes had to face (SA, Eng and Pakistan)

Majority of India's matches have produced results which debunks your claim of flatpitch.

Not as if Australian pitches aren't flat

 

[vcs]

Sachin is in great form right now. He has had very few "failures" since India's tour of SL in 2008, if you count a failure as a <20 innings. Plenty of big innings thrown in, as well.

 

[vcs]

The rate at which Sehwag scores his runs renders "flat-pitch" criticisms irrelevant, in any case. He makes up for the flatness of the pitch by giving his bowlers more time to take 20 wickets. Basically, he converts flat draw pitches into result pitches.

 

[tooextracool]

Not as if Australian pitches aren't flat

When did I argue that they weren't?