Placing our bets on "Test Cricket's Young Fab Four"

[CM Punk]

Kohli has worked out his temperament issues, no one will touch him now.

He's in a completely other league to the other 3, more talented, more hungry and much more determined.

 

[CM Punk]

Not sure why Kohli is so far ahead of Smith in the voting as Smith has proven himself with 3 years of epic run scoring after a slowish start to his career. Only in the last 12 months has Kohli 'taken-off'.

SMITH
2014 = 81.85
2015 = 73.70
2016 = 71.93


KOHLI
2014 = 44.57
2015 = 42.66
2016 = 75.93

Because Kohli is far more talented than Smith?

It's like comparing Messi to Ronaldo - some numbers have Ronaldo ahead, but when you actually watch the two, you realize how big the gap between the two truly is.

 

[Burgey]

I don't know that he is tbh. They're both what you'd call elite talents.

 

[CM Punk]

I don't know that he is tbh. They're both what you'd call elite talents.

Kohli was a batting star from a young age, Smith became a specialist batsmen in his later years. In terms of natural talent, it isn't close between the two. Kohli is possibly the greatest ever limited overs player of all time (or will finish as it once he retires) and has only really started to focus on Test cricket.

In terms of ability, he always had the most potential (his success in the shorter formats, hunger, mental strength and strokeplay was indicative of this) of the four, it was the mental side of the game that wasn't there for Kohli in Tests. Since becoming captain and finding that hunger to succeed in Test cricket, he has gone to a whole other level. You just need to watch him bat to realize that he is a special talent, no amount of runs Smith scores will convince me otherwise.

 

[Adders]

For the last 2 years it's been the same old story. "Smith will get found out in insert series" and he never does.

It will never end for him. He'll finally have a bad series in 2028 after averaging 76 in Test cricket and everyone will say "I told you so, he's not good! Told you he'd be found out"

Brah, even though personally I agree with you that right now Smith is the No1, your insistence that it's clear cut and there is daylight between him and the next is just as bad as Blocky's position that he's not even in the top 4.

AFAIC, it is all very debatable and there can be decent arguments made for any of these guns. Not sure why everyone want's this to be black and white......it's not.

 

[Blocky]

Let's revisit this after the Indian series, when Smith actually has to bat in tough conditions against a tough bowling attack again... you know, like when he went completely vacant for the first two tests against RSA.

 

[Adders]

Kohli was a batting star from a young age, Smith became a specialist batsmen in his later years. In terms of natural talent, it isn't close between the two. Kohli is possibly the greatest ever limited overs player of all time (or will finish as it once he retires) and has only really started to focus on Test cricket.

In terms of ability, he always had the most potential of the four, it was the mental side of the game that wasn't there for Kohli in Tests. Since becoming captain and finding that hunger to succeed in Test cricket, he has gone to a whole other level. You just need to watch him bat to realize that he is a special talent, no amount of runs Smith scores will convince me otherwise.

Well with respect that's just stupid. Talent is great and all but for batsmen it is about the runs you score and when and where you score them. There have been plenty of failed "ultra talented" sportsmen because it takes more than talent to be a great. Don Bradman did not achieve what he did just through talent alone.

 

[CM Punk]

Well with respect that's just stupid. Talent is great and all but for batsmen it is about the runs you score and when and where you score them. There have been plenty of failed "ultra talented" sportsmen because it takes more than talent to be a great. Don Bradman did not achieve what he did just through talent alone.

Convince me otherwise that Smith is more talented?...

 

[Victor Ian]

This is really so simple I am surprised some esteemed posters are making elementary mistakes. It does not matter how well a player looks, or how well he performs in a specific nation. After twenty years they will be judged by their statistics, even by those of you who like to think you are more sophisticated than that. Based on that, Root is a choker, Williamson is a wanker and Kohli is an Indian. Everyone will take the guy who averages over 60 any day of the week. There is nothing close in it.

People should stop all their BS talk about techniques. Technique means nothing. The greatest batsman ever had a different technique to those around him.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Convince me otherwise that Smith is more talented?...

Whether he's more talented or not is irrelevant is what his point is.

 

[CM Punk]

Whether he's more talented or not is irrelevant is what his point is.

Difference is Kohli is more than capable of matching/bettering Smith, that added with his superior batting style will result in him having a better Test career than Smith for mine.

 

[Zinzan]

Brah, even though personally I agree with you that right now Smith is the No1, your insistence that it's clear cut and there is daylight between him and the next is just as bad as Blocky's position that he's not even in the top 4.

.

This +1.

 

[Zinzan]

Convince me otherwise that Smith is more talented?...

Talent only gets you so far. Ever heard of Carl Hooper?

But I do agree in terms of sheer Talent, Kohli is the most naturally gifted of the 4, at least as a stroke-maker, followed closely behind by Root.

 

[CM Punk]

Talent only gets you so far. Ever heard of Carl Hooper?

So are we supposed to ignore Kohli's hunger for runs and success? I don't think there is a more driven cricketer in world cricketer atm.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Convince me otherwise that Smith is more talented?...

Kohli is easily more talented IMO. Smith is probably the least "talented" if anything. Depends what you mean by "talented". You know when you say a word too many times and it doesn't sound like a word any more? Talented. I'm getting that now.

Smith is definitely on top right now, Kohli has the best chance of overtaking him. If I were a betting man I would have money on Kohli surpassing Smith over the next year or 2 comfortably, which is no indictment on Smith, Kohli is just that good.

This is really so simple I am surprised some esteemed posters are making elementary mistakes. It does not matter how well a player looks, or how well he performs in a specific nation. After twenty years they will be judged by their statistics, even by those of you who like to think you are more sophisticated than that. Based on that, Root is a choker, Williamson is a wanker and Kohli is an Indian. Everyone will take the guy who averages over 60 any day of the week. There is nothing close in it.

People should stop all their BS talk about techniques. Technique means nothing. The greatest batsman ever had a different technique to those around him.

It's a clear case ITT of "I don't like him, he's a prick and I don't like his technique, so let me think of some absurd reasons why he isn't really as good as he actually is"

I'd bet that half the people doing that don't even realise they're doing it too

 

[Howsie]

Difference is Kohli is more than capable of matching/bettering Smith, that added with his superior batting style will result in having a better Test career than Smith for mine.

I don't know about that. Kohli may have just pumped out some big runs against some shoddy bowling attacks but he's still got prove he's corrected those techniqual faults in his game. As ugly and ugainly as Smith is he's pretty damn flawless.

 

[Blocky]

Smith's natural gift was being born in Australia during a period where the cricket board decided to create the flattest pitches that have potentially ever been seen.

 

[Adders]

Convince me otherwise that Smith is more talented?...

What OS said. Talent is really **** factor mate........

You maybe right that Virat has a whole heap more talent than Smith. But I don't see what the **** use that will be at the end of their careers if hypothetically Smith ends up with 15,000 test runs at 60 odd and for some reason Kohlis career falls off a cliff and makes 8000 at 45...........will you still be arguing the same point then, cos you're gonna look pretty silly doing it IMO.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Smith's natural gift was being born in Australia during a period where the cricket board decided to create the flattest pitches that have potentially ever been seen.

Averages 57 away

why do I keep responding

 

[CM Punk]

Kohli is easily more talented IMO. Smith is probably the least "talented" if anything. Depends what you mean by "talented". You know when you say a word too many times and it doesn't sound like a word any more? Talented. I'm getting that now.

Smith is definitely on top right now, Kohli has the best chance of overtaking him. If I were a betting man I would have money on Kohli surpassing Smith over the next year or 2 comfortably, which is no indictment on Smith, Kohli is just that good.

His strokes have a touch class the others don't have, added with his hunger with runs and success, you have an unstoppable batsmen in the making. No doubt Smith is a run scoring machine that has proven himself practically everywhere around the world, I just think Kohli is capable of matching/bettering it with better innings.