Smith v Kohli (test match batting)

[OverratedSanity]

Viv seems to genuinely like Kohli's game the best tbh. He's been singing his praises since very very early on.

Also, the real point was that the Indian public is less fragile (well, relatively) about him than you'd think. They certainly don't like him to anywhere near the same level as Tendulkar to get as worked up about it when others are rated higher.

 

[harsh.ag]

Smith is better than Kohli in tests in all aspects other than watchability.

 

[Logan]

Let’s wait for their careers to end. As of now, Smith is the better Test batsman.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Viv seems to genuinely like Kohli's game the best tbh. He's been singing his praises since very very early on.

Also, the real point was that the Indian public is less fragile (well, relatively) about him than you'd think. They certainly don't like him to anywhere near the same level as Tendulkar to get as worked up about it when others are rated higher.

Viv have always loved Indians.

 

[Jack1]

Hot take: Smith's "pressure" is as meaningless as Sachin having the weight of a billion Indians on his shoulders.

Don't think Smith or Tendulkar care about pressure. The best players don't feel it. They are in their own zone.

 

[marc71178]

I'll take pews' statistical analysis over anything anantha narayanan does, thanks. The guy is terrible.

I'd take PFK's statistical analysis over anything anantha narayanan does.

 

[BSM]

Hot take: Smith's "pressure" is as meaningless as Sachin having the weight of a billion Indians on his shoulders.

Without ever having experienced the weight of a billion fans on my shoulders, I would think that it wouldn't feel much greater than having just millions of fans having the same expectations. Definitely an overblown factor that seeks to differentiate Sachin from the rest through the means of something that can only be applied to him (and now Kohli)

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

What is the limit of weight that a human* can tolerate on his back?

*average human being, not those powerlifter mf****s

 

[Red]

Since it is so fashionable to accuse Indian fan base of being biased without any proof , I am giving you an example of Anglo- Australian biasedness of certain cricket commentator with proof .

When Richie Benaud selected his ATXI , not even 1 WI pace bowler made his initial short list of fast bowlers ? Can there be more biasedness than this ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richie_Benaud's_Greatest_XI

Then we also know that in Bradman's alleged ATXI there were 7 Australians . And these guys accuse other countries of overhyping their cricketers .

It was a direct affront to what he saw as incredibly boring and tactic-less cricket from the WIs in the 80s. He and many others disliked the overemphasis on pace intimidation and bemoaned the loss of spinners. There was nothing biased about it.

 

[Cruxdude]

Smith is really operating in a different plane right now. Really interested in seeing if this is a golden period like what Ponting had in the early 2000s and he returns to the pack or if we are watching history unfold.

I kind of like having a myth-like Bradman who terrorized bowlers long long ago standing apart on his own. Watching Smith dominating the field in such a fashion at a time when the bat is not really dominating the ball is unsettling.

 

[morgieb]

Smith's unquestionably better as of now (although I'd far rather actually watch Kohli play), but I do wonder what will happen when Anno Domini dulls Smith's godlike eye slightly.

With his MO, so reliant on said eye, his output may well decline rather more steeply than the normally autumn years tapering off.

I feel like the same thing will happen to Kohli too, so I'm not convinced that it'll have much of an effect.

 

[TheJediBrah]

This "Smith relies more on his eye than other batsmen" myth is never going to die is it

 

[the big bambino]

Viv have always loved Indians.

Except in his teams.

 

[Slifer]

It was a direct affront to what he saw as incredibly boring and tactic-less cricket from the WIs in the 80s. He and many others disliked the overemphasis on pace intimidation and bemoaned the loss of spinners. There was nothing biased about it.

Well then Benaud and his like were unbelievable hypocrites considering what lillee and co did to not only the wi but many other teams in the 70s. And then Lillee gets an auto pass.... as if he was some choir fkn boy!!!

 

[Arachnodouche]

This "Smith relies more on his eye than other batsmen" myth is never going to die is it

It's not a myth. Those micro adjustments required to play defensive prods off the leading edge will become harder to make with time. It happens to everybody and he won't be any less a legend when it happens to him. Honestly, I think Smith is doing something truly extraordinary but Aus fans here are going way overboard and taking Automaton Smith memes half made in jest literally. He will suffer a bad patch sooner or later; for a while he might even retreat to his private Dagobah and work out whatever chinks have been discovered, but at some time it will be a case of diminishing returns.

Smith is far better than Kohli though. And I've even come around to enjoying watching him bat, warts and all.

 

[TheJediBrah]

It's not a myth. Those micro adjustments required to play defensive prods off the leading edge will become harder to make with time. It happens to everybody and he won't be any less a legend when it happens to him. Honestly, I think Smith is doing something truly extraordinary but Aus fans here are going way overboard and taking Automaton Smith memes half made in jest literally. He will suffer a bad patch sooner or later; for a while he might even retreat to his private Dagobah and work out whatever chinks have been discovered, but at some time it will be a case of diminishing returns.

Smith is far better than Kohli though. And I've even come around to enjoying watching him bat, warts and all.

Of course it will, but no more so than anyone else. If anything I think it's the opposite tbh. The main reason he's so successful is he's found a technique and method that works beautifully in Test cricket (obviously there's the mental factor as well, and adjustments he makes for different conditions).

The idea that people came up with that Smith is so good despite his technique, and he just succeeds because he has a good eye, is absolute garbage. He succeeds because of his technique.

edit: ftr even though I think you're completely wrong, I'm giving you the like for the Dagobah reference

 

[the big bambino]

Is it really though? You could be right but I associate eye reliant players as succeeding despite technical faults and faltering late career when the coordination deserts them. Like Gilly and Warner, though it is only a part of why they degrade. With Smith he gets himself into a position where the ball is under his eyes and he plays late which sounds more technical reliant type of player. Weaknesses can still be found but whether they’ll be gifted to the bowler as what happens with eye reliant players or whether bowlers will have to find the technical deficiencies themselves remains to be seen

 

[Burner]

I think as his eye goes he'll miss more of those balls on his pads to get LBW. As of now he gets bat on everything on those pads with unsettling regularity. I'll not be suprised if that ability fades with time.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Is it really though? You could be right but I associate eye reliant players as succeeding despite technical faults and faltering late career when the coordination deserts them. Like Gilly and Warner, though it is only a part of why they degrade. With Smith he gets himself into a position where the ball is under his eyes and he plays late which sounds more technical reliant type of player. Weaknesses can still be found but whether they’ll be gifted to the bowler as what happens with eye reliant players or whether bowlers will have to find the technical deficiencies themselves remains to be seen

It's all bull****. All batsmen rely on their eye, regardless of their technique. I've never seen a legitimate reason to think that Smith will suffer more than any other batsman. With the bolded above I really think it's more likely the opposite. He gets in great positions and playing the ball under your eye is good technique and will be less likely to degrade with a degrading "eye"

It's guys like Warner and Sehwag who rely more on their eye

 

[harsh.ag]

I think as his eye goes he'll miss more of those balls on his pads to get LBW. As of now he gets bat on everything on those pads with unsettling regularity. I'll not be suprised if that ability fades with time.

Agreed, but it won't be as bad as what happened to Ponting, for example.