Greatest ODI batsman of all time

[smash84]

Now that Tendulkar has retired from ODIs is he the greatest ODI batsman ever? Second to Viv or is there some other batsman who trumps these two?

 

[morgieb]

Viv because he batted in a tougher era for batsmen.

Sachin is second though.

 

[Dan]

Bevan?

EDIT: When I posted this it wasn't to inspire a nationalistic line of posting. Surely Bevan's worthy of being in the discussion.

 

[weldone]

Viv had a slightly better career in a tougher era. Tendulkar was superb too, and had a really long career with successes everywhere. My vote goes to Viv - but not by much. And I might choose Tendulkar some other day depending on my mood.

 

[fredfertang]

Neil Fairbrother

 

[Ikki]

Er, what about Bevan?

 

[Hurricane]

Lance Cairns FTW

 

[weldone]

Bevan?

With the likes of Miandad, Zaheer, Dhoni etc in the tier below IMO..

 

[DingDong]

viv sachin is a chump

aussie fan bois cannot be happy about this thread

 

[Red]

Can't split these guys....

- Viv Richards
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Greg Chappell
- Dean Jones
- Javed Miandad
- Michael Bevan (personally I couldn't stand him, but it's hard to argue agin him)
- MS Dhoni



Hashim Amla laying some serious claims to being included among the above.

 

[benchmark00]

Nick Knight.


www.richardweb.net

 

[Satyanash89]

I pick Tendulkar by half a toenail because of his unreal level of consistency... since his first hundred, he averaged 47, the same as Viv... and thats over 385 matches. Absolutely mind blowing

Where Viv was special was his strikerate though... he was miles ahead of peers in that respect

 

[Spark]

I still don't find average a hugely meaningful stat in ODI cricket tbh. Especially comparing across different positions in the order.

 

[smash84]

I wanted to inlcude Bevan here but those who feel Bevan is the greatest ever ODI bat can choose other option.

 

[benchmark00]

I still don't find average a hugely meaningful stat in ODI cricket tbh. Especially comparing across different positions in the order.

Yes.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Neil Fairbrother

Pull the other one.

 

[hendrix]

I would say Viv and Sachin are somewhat equal.

 

[Ikki]

I wanted to inlcude Bevan here but those who feel Bevan is the greatest ever ODI bat can choose other option.

Then you should have, what was stopping you?

For the two in question, I go with Viv. His average and SR for his time (even ours, frankly) is stupidly ridiculous. I agree with Spark in that averages are very different position to position in ODIs. As for finishers, it is Bevan for me.

I pick Tendulkar by half a toenail because of his unreal level of consistency... since his first hundred, he averaged 47, the same as Viv... and thats over 385 matches. Absolutely mind blowing

Where Viv was special was his strikerate though... he was miles ahead of peers in that respect

Well, Viv played ODIs for ~16 years. They just didn't play as many matches back then. Also, even his average is special for his era (actually, again, even ours). Scores were lower back then.

 

[ankitj]

Voted for Viv Richards. But this is really really close, and one could choose either. Tendulkar's has been a hugely successful, extra ordinarily long and consistent ODI career.

PS. As soon as I read the opening post and saw the poll options, I knew this thread will be all about Bevan.

 

[ankitj]

Can't split these guys....

- Viv Richards
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Greg Chappell
- Dean Jones
- Javed Miandad
- Michael Bevan (personally I couldn't stand him, but it's hard to argue agin him)
- MS Dhoni



Hashim Amla laying some serious claims to being included among the above.

Zaheer Abbas and Gordon Greenidge belong there IMO. So does Ponting I guess. Actually we should limit it to top 3 (Viv, Tendulkar, Bevan), and then there are a whole bunch below them.