Inzamam vs Hayden; Test Batting

[hang on]

all else being equal being defined how, debris? records and performances will never be equal, surely.

 

[Debris]

all else being equal being defined how, debris? records and performances will never be equal, surely.

Careers are similar enough that there is a lot of debate over who is better. My opinion is that openers are more valuable than middle-order batsmen unless the middle-order batsman is clearly better.

 

[hang on]

fair enough. by that token, would gavaskar trump richards?

 

[smash84]

haha good question hang on

 

[Debris]

fair enough. by that token, would gavaskar trump richards?

Average is not everything, of course, and there are other ways to judge a batsman. In this case, though, I actually do rate Gavaskar a more valuable player if entire careers are considered.

 

[BlazeDragon]

Welcome to the world of statistics, kid.

That sentence would actually have any meaning if you actually provided some little man.

 

[BlazeDragon]

Mate, this is not the way to be taken seriously around here.

Hey man, an eye for an eye. If you take petty attacks at someone you should expect it back. Not here to make friends.

 

[hang on]

Average is not everything, of course, and there are other ways to judge a batsman. In this case, though, I actually do rate Gavaskar a more valuable player if entire careers are considered.

fair enough. their averages were reasonably close and their careers coincided for the most part. in your estimation, is "more valuable" equivalent to "better"?

 

[Debris]

Better is a really hard term to define. How do you actually judge that if not in value to the side? Richards was certainly more talented and had a higher peak. Also more fun to watch.

 

[slowfinger]

hey man, an eye for an eye. If you take petty attacks at someone you should expect it back. Not here to make friends.

+1

 

[slowfinger]

I would term this on which country needed them more... So Inzy hands down, but Hayden is my favourite OZ player hands down.

 

[Blaze 18]

I would term this on which country needed them more... So Inzy hands down, but Hayden is my favourite OZ player hands down.

Zimbabwe needed Andy Flower more than Pakistan needed Inzy and Australia needed Hayden. Would you say he's better than both?

 

[ankitj]

Zimbabwe needed Andy Flower more than Pakistan needed Inzy and Australia needed Hayden. Would you say he's better than both?

Umm, I am inclined to say so regardless. Anyone who averaged 50+ through the 1990s has to be a damn good test batsmen.

 

[hang on]

Not sure about Flower averaging 50 plus in the 90s. Think he averaged less than 45.

 

[ankitj]

Not sure about Flower averaging 50 plus in the 90s. Think he averaged less than 45.

Oh yes, I was wrong about that. He must have had an awesome 2000 to finish with a career average of 51+ by the end of the year. Still inclined to rate him higher that Hayden and Inzamam.

 

[hang on]

he did have an incredible couple of years after that, it is true. just checked....doubled his century count too!

 

[Debris]

Oh yes, I was wrong about that. He must have had an awesome 2000 to finish with a career average of 51+ by the end of the year. Still inclined to rate him higher that Hayden and Inzamam.

You can actually go further than that. Andy Flower was more important to Zimbabwe than Sachin Tendulkar was to India, considering the number of other great batsmen India had at the same time. Don't think I would rate him more highly as a batsman than Tendulkar, though.

 

[hang on]

Better is a really hard term to define. How do you actually judge that if not in value to the side? Richards was certainly more talented and had a higher peak. Also more fun to watch.

fair enough. though the value to the side argument makes it a little too relative in my humble.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Inzi

 

[shortpitched713]

Hayden. Much harder to replace than Inzamam. For Inzamam, even Pakistan had Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf already in the team. For Hayden, there has yet to be as great of an opener in Test cricket since he retired.