DoG's Top 100 Test Batsmen Countdown Thread

[stephen]

Oh interesting. Might be surprising to some that he came out behind Hayden, given Hayden's reputation as being a FTB and Smith's as being very good overseas. I know some pick Smith ahead of Hayden in AT XIs.

Anyway he was a fine batsman who left a lasting impression when he came out and batted after Mitchell Johnson broke his wrist. A truly tough Saffer.

 

[sunilz]

So it is between Sehwag and Hayden for the 2nd best opener in last 50 years. Who would have thought?
Warner is yet to come.

 

[OverratedSanity]

So it is between Sehwag and Hayden for the 2nd best opener in last 50 years. Who would have thought?
Warner is yet to come.

Wouldn't rule Warner out either

 

[stephen]

So it is between Sehwag and Hayden for the 2nd best opener in last 50 years. Who would have thought?
Warner is yet to come.

One would think Sehwag would have been behind Smith but who knows. He could end up sneaking ahead of Hayden, though I very much doubt it.

It'll beer interesting to see how Hayden goes actually. His hundreds/ innings count is ridiculously high and at one point someone did some calculations which placed him way higher than he probably deserved because a) he made a lot of first innings runs; b) he made a lot of hundreds; and c) he made a lot of runs in the first innings.

It'll be interesting to see the split between him and Gavaskar, given the conventional wisdom that Gavaskar is clearly the best post war opener.

 

[sunilz]

Warner is not better than Sehwag/ Hayden. Hayden and Sehwag are equal. Hayden more consistent and Sehwag more explosive and ability to go big

 

[stephen]

Wouldn't rule Warner out either

Surely his away record is too rubbish to be ahead of Hayden/ Sehwag. Then again, most openers have poor away records.

 

[stephen]

Warner is not better than Sehwag/ Hayden. Hayden and Sehwag are equal. Hayden more consistent and Sehwag more explosive and ability to go big

Sehwag definitely knew how to cash in. Almost broke Bradman's record for most double hundreds.

Having said that, conventional wisdom says that he was behind Hayden due to his failings when the ball moved.

 

[sunilz]

What do you mean by Sehwag sneaking ahead of Hayden?
Sehwag has highest 150+ , 200+ , 250+ of all the openers.

 

[sunilz]

Sehwag definitely knew how to cash in. Almost broke Bradman's record for most double hundreds.

Having said that, conventional wisdom says that he was behind Hayden due to his failings when the ball moved.

And Hayden was no where near Sehwag against spin bowling .

 

[Spark]

And Hayden was no where near Sehwag against spin bowling .

Nowhere near is harsh. He was very good. It was swing that he couldn't grok.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Both sucked against movement, sehwag a bit more. Both were brilliant against spin, sehwag a bit more. I'd probably go for sehwag because he's more entertaining, don't think there's much in it in reality.

 

[Spark]

Both sucked against movement, sehwag a bit more. Both were brilliant against spin, sehwag a bit more. I'd probably go for sehwag because he's more entertaining, don't think there's much in it in reality.

Yeah I'm basically on this, also I just really kind of dislike Hayden as a person. But the bloke could definitely play spin to a very high level.

 

[sunilz]

Both sucked against movement, sehwag a bit more. Both were brilliant against spin, sehwag a bit more. I'd probably go for sehwag because he's more entertaining, don't think there's much in it in reality.

Exactly this. Stephen shouldn't have used the word sneaked in . Sneaking means undeserving.

 

[sunilz]

Smith : Best against moving ball
Sehwag: Best against spinning ball
Hayden: Best against short ball

 

[Spark]

Smith had more of that intangible "over my dead body" quality to his batting too. In fact he could be well the batsman with the most of that sort of characteristic I've personally seen.

Honestly, my instinct given a choice of Cook, Smith, Hayden and Sehwag would be to pick Smith, make him captain and dust my hands off, sorted.

 

[Malcolm]

Nowhere near is harsh. He was very good. It was swing that he couldn't grok.

Though Hayden was effective against spinners, shots in his repertoire were very limited. I'd say most of his runs against spinners came off the sweep shot.

 

[Spark]

Though Hayden was effective against spinners, shots in his repertoire were very limited. I'd say most of his runs against spinners came off the sweep shot.

Part of the art of great batting, especially spin, is finding a way that works for you. It's ultimately the output that matters. If you're six foot a million and can reach basically any ball that would typically be considered "good length" basically on a half volley with a sweep, then why not?

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yeah Smith is number 1 among post gavaskar openers for me too.

 

[sunilz]

Smith had more of that intangible "over my dead body" quality to his batting too. In fact he could be well the batsman with the most of that sort of characteristic I've personally seen.

Honestly, my instinct given a choice of Cook, Smith, Hayden and Sehwag would be to pick Smith, make him captain and dust my hands off, sorted.

Smith also has most no. Of centuries in 4 th innings in won games IIRC

 

[Teja.]

Agree that Smith was better than Hayden/Sehwag