Smith v Kohli (test match batting)

[Gob]

Its obviously Smith at the moment. Though its interesting to note that his last series in SA he had one of his worst ever series as a batsmen in the last few years, and personally (can't believe i'm saying this) I would have fancied our bowling attack against him during the Australia series that India won last season.

Smith obviously has capitalized across more series over a period of time, and Kohli's had a couple of really low scoring series among some really high scoring series.

Skill wise there isn't much of a difference though, Kohli just has to capitalize his run scoring ability more in tests and I do feel Smith will have a few bad series in the next few years where the averages will level out.

Fancy to make 600 runs obvs

Also dunno what a one series failure should hold much water either

 

[trundler]

When failure is scarce it sticks out.

Hurrr Bodyline Bradman would've averaged 20 against WI

 

[aussie tragic]

When failure is scarce it sticks out.

Hurrr Bodyline Bradman would've averaged 20 against WI

WI didn't bowl bodyline as these fields were banned after the 1932/33 effort that Bradman averaged 56 in...so not sure where your 20 average comes from lol

 

[trundler]

... thatsthejoke.jpg

 

[TheJediBrah]

AT someone made a comment recently that Bradman would have averaged something ridiculously low against the WI in the 80s, with no real basis, trundler is making fun of that

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

I like the idea of a Blind Steven Smith catching howse-flies with chop sticks.

 

[aussie tragic]

AT someone made a comment recently that Bradman would have averaged something ridiculously low against the WI in the 80s, with no real basis, trundler is making fun of that

Ah okay thanks. I just thought Trundler didn't know what the hell he was talking about lol

 

[TheJediBrah]

Ah okay thanks. I just thought Trundler didn't know what the hell he was talking about lol

Well the two aren't mutually exclusive tbf

 

[GIMH]

Ah okay thanks. I just thought Trundler didn't know what the hell he was talking about lol

Always a fair assumption

 

[_00_deathscar]

This isn't even a question is it (at the moment)?

Kohli is better to watch (when he gets going, but that's because Smith is ugly), but Smith is clearly the superior batsman. The only argument that could possibly be made is that of standardised averages, but even then I'm sure Smith would be comfortably ahead, just probably not 12+ runs/average ahead.

Peaks can be tricky though - see also Ponting mid 2000s...tough to say where Smith will end up. I do think Kohli will another huge peak coming up at some point, 2-3 years where he has another 2016-2018 type season and he'll probably end up around the 52-53ish mark when he retires.

Edit: Just looking back at Kohli's stats again, in a way, similar to Sachin, he actually hasn't really had a HUGE or monstrous peak (like Smith, Ponting etc had) - in his first year in tests he averaged 42, 46 the second year, 54 the third...I remember he took a while to average 50 cumulative for a while, but he was never doing poorly, you just felt there was more to come from him.

Or maybe this is one of those false records because I'm looking at year rather than between series? I do recall he was going huge - averaging 70+ at one point between those two years for about 30 tests, and then he dropped off big time (the Australia series in India?)

 

[_00_deathscar]

PEWs has a lot to answer for imo, people actually think his standardized averages are a real thing other than just some made up longevivity, australian pitches are crap, glorified spreadsheet that has Siddle as a semi-god scam.

I guess this means I stopped my 32 days booze free

I mean that (however crap it may be) and Kohli better better on the eye are the only real arguments in Kohli's favour. I don't think any Indian would claim Kohli is a better test bat than Steve Smith, not with those numbers.

 

[aussie tragic]

I don't think any Indian would claim Kohli is a better test bat than Steve Smith, not with those numbers.

Question solved, can we please close this thread now

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Question solved, can we please close this thread now

The question was "Who is better right now and who will end up better after they’re both retired?"

The second bit isn't yet solvable, so will be active for several years yet.

 

[aussie tragic]

The question was "Who is better right now and who will end up better after they're both retired?"

The second bit isn't yet solvable, so will be active for several years yet.

I thought I solved the second part in that Blind Smith would need 32 ducks in a row to get his average under 50...not going to happen to a slightly lost eye coordination Smith?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I thought I solved the second part in that Blind Smith would need 32 ducks in a row to get his average under 50...not going to happen to a slightly lost eye coordination Smith?

Doesn't solve anything. Kohli might undergo laser correction surgery and start averaging 90.

 

[aussie tragic]

Doesn't solve anything. Kohli might undergo laser correction surgery and start averaging 90.

Lol, I think I'm rare in that I had perfect 20:20 vision up to age 45. Within 6 months, my eyes were stuffed and needed glasses, however they have never got worse since. Just 6 months of total collapse for Kholi and Smith to look forward too

 

[GotSpin]

For all the talk of Steve’s technique I really question how Kohli will go long term. His habit of wafting outside the off stump and weakness to the ball coming into him will be interesting to see how it’ll develop

 

[Chrish]

But is technique really separate from hand-eye though? Didn’t Tendy drastically decline in his last two years just like any other hand- eye player?

Batting IMO is mostly about hand-eye and your game will take a hit irrespective of how closely you follow the manual.

 

[Chrish]

PS https://scroll.in/field/937818/watc...steve-smiths-brilliant-strategy-in-ashes-2019

 

[TheJediBrah]

For all the talk of Steve’s technique I really question how Kohli will go long term. His habit of wafting outside the off stump and weakness to the ball coming into him will be interesting to see how it’ll develop

Kohli's technique is much more hand-eye reliant that Smith's, also part of the reason why Kohli's is better to watch (from a certain point of view) out of the 2 techniques IMO.