Is Ponting closer to Lara or Dravid?

[PlayerComparisons]

Who would you say Ponting is closer to in quality as a test batsman?

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Idk, but Lara named one of his kids after Sydney…I’m sure that’s close to where Ponting resides

 

[Burgey]

Lara

 

[kyear2]

There's the tier of the Gods

Bradman, Tendulkar, Sobers, Richards, Hobbs, Smith, Lara, Hutton (Richards)

Then for me

Chappell, Gavaskar, Ponting, Kallis, Hammond, Headley, Border, Pollock

Then there's the tier with

Dravid, Sangakkara, Sutcliffe, Waugh, Root Weekes, Smith etc etc

So the shortest answer is right in the middle

If I had to choose, and going on quality as the poll specifies, closer to BCL and co.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

There's the tier of the Gods

Bradman, Tendulkar, Sobers, Richards, Hobbs, Smith, Lara, Hutton (Richards)

Then for me

Chappell, Gavaskar, Ponting, Kallis, Hammond, Headley, Border, Pollock

Then there's the tier with

Dravid, Sangakkara, Sutcliffe, Waugh, Root Weekes, Smith etc etc

So the shortest answer is right in the middle

If I had to choose, and going on quality as the poll specifies, closer to BCL and co.

Is that Graeme Smith in the third tier?

Also I’d move Waugh and Sangakkara up one tier but the rest of it looks pretty good

 

[Victor Ian]

is it time for Steve Smith to get booted from that top tier? His run is over. He will finish with a pontingesque brown patch with no where near 40 centuries.

 

[kyear2]

Is that Graeme Smith in the third tier?

Also I’d move Waugh and Sangakkara up one tier but the rest of it looks pretty good

Never been a fan of Waugh to that extent, don't think he's up there. Sanga, ummmm.

 

[kyear2]

is it time for Steve Smith to get booted from that top tier? His run is over. He will finish with a pontingesque brown patch with no where near 40 centuries.

That's a good question. I think he's still there, but the premise is not without merit.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Yea I’m not convinced Smith is a whole level above Allan Border. They’re very close.

 

[kyear2]

Yea I’m not convinced Smith is a whole level above Allan Border. They’re very close.

We're about 24 monrhs from people calling him the best since Bradman and better than Sachin... Now we're comparing him to Border?

The past series haven't disappeared, so even if he drops below Lara (still above Hutton for me), think he's still up there.

 

[sayon basak]

This is actually tough. What if,
Ponting=(Lara+Dravid)/2?

 

[kyear2]

This is actually tough. What if,
Ponting=(Lara+Dravid)/2?

In any event, imo he's a tier above Dravid.

 

[sayon basak]

In any event, imo he's a tier above Dravid.

Yeah that's for sure. The question is whether he is a tier below Lara or not.

 

[kyear2]

Yeah that's for sure. The question is whether he is a tier below Lara or not.

Definitely

 

[ataraxia]

Better question: is Lara closer to Kallis or Ponting?

 

[sayon basak]

Better question: is Lara closer to Kallis or Ponting?

Lara

Ponting
Kallis

So ponting maybe.

 

[kyear2]

is it time for Steve Smith to get booted from that top tier? His run is over. He will finish with a pontingesque brown patch with no where near 40 centuries.

This should be an interesting thread though, should someone wish to run with it

 

[kyear2]

Lara

Ponting
Kallis

So ponting maybe.

Yeah, I have Ponting literally one place higher than Kallis, so Ponting

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Smith is definitely closer to Ponting than he is to Lara

 

[kyear2]

Smith is definitely closer to Ponting than he is to Lara

What's Smith average since the start of the live pitch era?