How good is Sanga?

[Maximas]

Sanga is a great bat. I personally don't enjoy his batting style all that much. For a left hander, he should look so much better

That's funny, because to me Sanga plays the pull shot and cover drive more stylishly than anyone I've ever seen (maybe with one or two exceptions) and his quick wrists always make for good viewing, ehh, each to their own

 

[weeman27bob]

I think it's important to consider the following:

Tendulkar never took the wicket of Sangakkara, but caught him twice.
Sangakkara never took the wicket of Tendulkar, nor did he ever catch him.


Undeniable evidence for the Sachin camp imo.

 

[harsh.ag]

Cover drive's nice! But I prefer those of quite a few others. Very strong wrists too, I agree. But I don't really like his style at all. Dravid was much more stylish, I think (maybe there is an India bias, but I would disagree with that)

 

[OverratedSanity]

You're the first person I've heard say that you don't like Sanga's style, tbh. It's subjective but most people, including me think there are very very few batsmen who are as easy on the eye as him.

 

[watson]

Plug the following into Statsgura;

Away Test matches not including Bangladesh + Zimbabwe, and not the desiginated Keeper

Then you get;

Tests = 25
Runs = 2462
100s = 8
HS = 192
AVE = 55.95

Which all points to one of cricket's best all time batsman IMO.

 

[harsh.ag]

You're the first person I've heard say that you don't like Sanga's style, tbh. It's subjective but most people, including me think there are very very few batsmen who are as easy on the eye as him.

I don't know why. Weird I guess. In a way, sometimes I think he is too easy on the eye. Plus, I find his footwork slightly weird too, I think.

 

[indiaholic]

I don't know why. Weird I guess. In a way, sometimes I think he is too easy on the eye. Plus, I find his footwork slightly weird too, I think.

Take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aO3BLDDIFA and tell me what's there to not like.

 

[harsh.ag]

I don't dislike his style. It just doesn't actively excite me like Dravid, Tendulkar, Ponting, Lara, Laxman Waugh etc

 

[weeman27bob]

Take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aO3BLDDIFA and tell me what's there to not like.

Doesn't make a loud enough sound when he hits the ball.

 

[Jono]

Nah, that's a pretty weak point. Murali doesn't ever make too many world XIs, does he? Doesn't mean he's automatically worse than Warne. All I can say is, wait a few years for Sanga to retire and his legacy will slowly grow IIt's already begun to happen with Murali.

Genius not being recognized in their own time etc etc

Murali is in contention. Always in the discussion. Just not chosen. And let's not pretend he isn't not chosen sometimes for his action.

Happy for you to say that Sanga should be in the discussion. But he isn't. That's a fact. Can't blame style for that.

 

[harsh.ag]

Happy for you to say that Sanga should be in the discussion. But he isn't. That's a fact. Can't blame style for that.

Can too. You want to assemble a line-up of the greatest batsmen ever and not have ones who looked a few million dollars more than the others? Not worth it.

 

[Riggins]

Take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aO3BLDDIFA and tell me what's there to not like.

jeez stewy mac bowled some ****.

 

[Spark]

You're the first person I've heard say that you don't like Sanga's style, tbh. It's subjective but most people, including me think there are very very few batsmen who are as easy on the eye as him.

Nah I'm with harsh.ag. I appreciate it and admire it in a technical sense, but it's almost... too technically perfect for me to really get excited about.

 

[Spark]

you explained it in your 2nd para. If you play more in a condition, you will become used to it

Did you think for, like, longer than ten seconds before posting this? How is this a refutation of the point at all?

 

[Migara]

Did you think for, like, longer than ten seconds before posting this? How is this a refutation of the point at all?

Two way logic actually. If you play more at your home you will handle the conditions better albeit being difficult (which SL is!). On the other hand if you don't play a lot away, that means you have lesser chance to get accustomed. Hence if you play more away tests, your away average tend to get better. Ofcourse the overall average will be decided on how much is the change,

 

[OverratedSanity]

Two way logic actually. If you play more at your home you will handle the conditions better albeit being difficult (which SL is!). On the other hand if you don't play a lot away, that means you have lesser chance to get accustomed. Hence if you play more away tests, your away average tend to get better. Ofcourse the overall average will be decided on how much is the change,

Nah I don't know how you guys don't get this. Less tests away means that even if you don't do well, your overall average won't be affected at all because it's a very small sample of matches. Even if Sanga had clobbered runs at 60+ outside SC, his average wouldn't really improve that much. That's how few he's played.

The point is not that he's a poor batsman overseas, it's just that his average has been helped by playing more in known conditions. Can't see the argument against this.

 

[viriya]

I love Sanga, really do. Favourite non-Lara batsman to watch and in general he is just awesome sauce. But I really wonder how many people have him in their all-time XI. Not just talking about fans, current players, ex-players. analysts etc.

I understand that sometimes players are underappreciated, overrated, judged harshly because of their country etc. But really Tendulkar makes or is in serious contention of world Xis, and Sanga simply is not. Is the whole world wrong?

If Sanga is competing for the #3 position, it's obvious why he doesn't make the list.. but I myself would have him replacing Gilchrist as the wicket-keeper in my all-time XI.

 

[Maximas]

You do have more of an opportunity to improve in overseas conditions if you play more test matches away from home though, I certainly see your point regarding career averages but when you get silly people like Jassy who come along and start subdividing averages by individual countries people like Sanga suffer from playing short series' against England in May after walking straight off a plane from the IPL.

Just a little food for thought - where would Virat Kohli be now if the last Australia tour was only the Melbourne and Sydney tests where he struggled rather than being a 4 test series? Of course it should be remembered that he was spectacular in South Africa during a two test series but still

 

[simonlee48]

Sachin doing well in the 90s is a fact but him being outstanding against those greats bowlers of the 90s is a bit of a myth. He averaged in the mid 30s against Donald, Akram and Waqar. I think he destroyed McGrath less Australian attacks a few times in 90s but cannot remember him doing well against McGrath in 90s or after in tests. He had a couple of fifties against Ambrose though.

4 batsmen averaging 50+ in 90s and 19 doing it in 2000s puts in perspective when it comes over all bowling standards in 2000s. Even in 70s and 80s we didn't have more than 5-6 players averaging 50+.

Wow, he has couple of 50s against Ambrose and you can't remember his big knocks against McGrath and other ATG bowlers of 90s.

Against McGrath ,

2nd Test: Australia v India at Melbourne, Dec 26-30, 1999 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

3rd Test: India v Australia at Chennai, Mar 18-22, 2001 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Against Donald:

2nd Test: South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Nov 26-30, 1992 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

2nd Test: South Africa v India at Cape Town, Jan 2-6, 1997 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Agaisnt Wasim :

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63828.html


Against Murali:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63631.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63763.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/226362.html

Against Warne: Let's not go there.

 

[Singh Is King]

Tendulkars record against arguably the best bowling attack ever (Australia) home and away is absolutely insane. Even Lara's numbers against the best Australia home and away are no where near Tendulkars. Tendulkars better away averages are a reason too