Richards, Smith, Lara, Hammond

[capt_Luffy]

Viv in 1975/76, 79/80 and 81 played against peak Lillee. In the WSC and well(where he averaged 50 + against Lillee). And agreed Gavaskar is a top 10 batsmen of all time. Just that his record is not as complete as Viv(the Australia part).

Viv's record in 81 was very poor; but yeah, his record against Australia is more complete as he atleast played Lillee extensively and performed really well.

 

[capt_Luffy]

WG Grace - Arguably greatest batsman of Alltime ( not considered )

Bradman

Sunil Gavaskar
Gary Sobers
Sachin tendulkar
Brian Lara
Viv Richards
Graeme Pollock
Len Hutton
Jack Hobbs
George Headley
Wally Hammond
Steve Smith
Ranjit Singhji
Victor Trumper
Barry Richards

Why is Jack Hobbs so low??

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Why is Jack Hobbs so low??

Hutton for example, Played against more teams and in more varied conditions.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Hutton for example, Played against more teams and in more varied conditions.

Yeah, that's true.... But Hobbs dominated the teams he played like no one but Bradman and Grace.

 

[kyear2]

Are you seriously comparing those two?

We're talking about missed time away from the game in one's prime. What's the issue?

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Especially if he gets his average above 40 in NZ and Eng, then he would have a pretty flawless record

He doesn’t need that to surpass Ponting IMO. If he has a couple of good years and averages 50+ at the end, he’s easily better than Ponting who barely averaged 50 in the easiest batting era

Kohli has had ATG series in Aus and Eng and is one of the best batsman to tour SA. Ponting never even had an ATG series away from home.

 

[kyear2]

Yeah, that's true.... But Hobbs dominated the teams he played like no one but Bradman and Grace.

I think who you did it against is more important that what you did.

Also think how it was done is kinda important.

 

[kyear2]

If you had to face Lillee and Thompson on a '76 WACCA pitch or Marshall, Holding and Garner on a Kingston mine, which three / four ATG batsmen would you bank on to succeed.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

If you had to face Lillee and Thompson on a '76 WACCA pitch or Marshall, Holding and Garner on a Kingston mine, which three / four ATG batsmen would you bank on to succeed.

Tendulkar
Sobers
Viv
Kohli

 

[kyear2]

Tendulkar
Sobers
Viv
Kohli

Bradman
Sobers
Viv
Smith??

 

[kyear2]

My regardless, any answer includes Sir IVA Richards

 

[Coronis]

We're talking about missed time away from the game in one's prime. What's the issue?

Because one is a single test..

 

[kyear2]

Because one is a single test..

Think we're taking about different things.

Someone mentioned that Smith missed a bit of his prime to COVID and his ban, but Richards did as well, to WSC.

 

[Coronis]

Think we're taking about different things.

Someone mentioned that Smith missed a bit of his prime to COVID and his ban, but Richards did as well, to WSC.

Difference is that was due to his own choice. He was specifically banned for one match but that was just one match.

 

[subshakerz]

If you had to face Lillee and Thompson on a '76 WACCA pitch or Marshall, Holding and Garner on a Kingston mine, which three / four ATG batsmen would you bank on to succeed.

Sobers
Viv
Tendulkar
Steve Waugh

 

[capt_Luffy]

If you had to face Lillee and Thompson on a '76 WACCA pitch or Marshall, Holding and Garner on a Kingston mine, which three / four ATG batsmen would you bank on to succeed.

Barring Bradman;

Viv
Sobers
Ponting
Kohli

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Sobers
Viv
Tendulkar
Steve Waugh

Against pure pace, I’d go prime Kohli over Tendulkar(especially in Aus/SA like conditions, cue his Perth innings of 2018, or exploits in SA), and also cause prime Kohli had an ATG series in Eng too.

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Bradman
Sobers
Viv
Smith??

Kohli over Smith, against pure pace, due to his exploits in SA

 

[capt_Luffy]

I think who you did it against is more important that what you did.

Also think how it was done is kinda important.

Both are very important; but so is how much ahead were you of your peers..... The best batsmen of Hobbs' times averaged in their high 30s, Hobbs in 50s. He also played sufficiently long and played bowlers like O'Reilly, Grimmett, McDonald, Vogler, etc.

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

I think who you did it against is more important that what you did.

Also think how it was done is kinda important.

Hobbs was head and shoulders over his peers in the pre war era, maintained his record over a crazy period of time, and played across some of the widest extremities of conditions: sticky wickets back home, bounce in Aus(and infamous gluepot wicket), and matted wickets in Sa(the first to master those googly bowlers from SA).