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Kane Williamson vs Joe Root

Better test batsman?

  • Total voters
    54
Chin Music

Chin Music

State Vice-Captain
Kenneth Viljoen said:
This year kinda sums up Williamson's Test Career ..

South Africa C at home : "Oooh Minnow yummy" 3 hundreds in 4 innings @134

Australia at home : "Oh **** good bowling attack !"
77 runs in 4 innings @19

Sri Lanka away : "Damn I hate Galle"
138 runs in 4 innings @34

India will be the same as Australia, then he'll probably feast on England's inexperienced attack at home and some will look at his overall test average and proclaim him best in the world
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In fairness, Williamson does better in Australia where he averages 42 but even so his collective record against England, India and Australia stands at comfortably under 40. His SA record is nearly 63 but that is only that high because of all those runs scored early this year against a team so far from top strength.
 
F

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Just because Williamson did well against SA C this year, his other success against South Africa shouldn't be discredited

Don't forget Kane scored an unbeaten 100 against peak Steyn (who broke KW's box in the innings), Philander, and Morkel to save a test as a 21 year-old.

He also scored 130 and 176 against Philander, Rabada, Morkel, and Maharaj a few years later to set up possible test wins that were denied by rain.
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
Fuller Pilch said:
Just because Williamson did well against SA C this year, his other success against South Africa shouldn't be discredited

Don't forget Kane scored an unbeaten 100 against peak Steyn (who broke KW's box in the innings), Philander, and Morkel to save a test as a 21 year-old.

He also scored 130 and 176 against Philander, Rabada, Morkel, and Maharaj a few years later to set up possible test wins that were denied by rain.
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Kane's best work in test cricket is his record at home to SAF before this year
 
capt_Luffy

capt_Luffy

International Captain
BazBall21 said:
Kane's best work in test cricket is his record at home to SAF before this year
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Why before this year?? Ofcourse there is a huge asterisk beside his runs in that series, but really; it's on SA for sending such dummies. Can't find anyway to blame Kane or right all these runs off completely.
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
capt_Luffy said:
Why before this year?? Ofcourse there is a huge asterisk beside his runs in that series, but really; it's on SA for sending such dummies. Can't find anyway to blame Kane or right all these runs off completely.
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His best work came against the South African attacks of 2013 and 2017. The series this year was an exemplification of Kane's reliability v weaker attacks, but 2013 and 2017 stand out because of the difference in bowling strength.
 
capt_Luffy

capt_Luffy

International Captain
BazBall21 said:
His best work came against the South African attacks of 2013 and 2017. The series this year was an exemplification of Kane's reliability v weaker attacks, but 2013 and 2017 stand out because of the difference in bowling strength.
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That's fair. But the way you phrases it implied that this year performance wasn't important/of quality that it brings down his overall record.
On a separate note though, all the other fab 3 kinda sucks on filling pockets against weak attacks.
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
capt_Luffy said:
That's fair. But the way you phrases it implied that this year performance wasn't important/of quality that it brings down his overall record.
On a separate note though, all the other fab 3 kinda sucks on filling pockets against weak attacks.
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I didn't mean to phrase it that way, just that the previous two series were his standout series performances in tests and it was the same opponent thus easier to phrase it that way. Away from home, it's the 2018 UAE tour imo.

I think Smith and Kohli have generally been beasts at cashing in. They both have thunderous records in higher than average scoring tests. Smith averages something crazy v WI and Kohli was a machine v ill-equipped attacks at home before he tailed off which coincided with some rank turners at home that give opposition attacks more of a chance and he was never great on them imo. Has just become a declined version of that.

Root is the one who can be guilty of not being greedy enough. Conversion rate before 2021 and has left runs out there on a few occasions under this regime.
 
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M

Majestic

U19 Captain
Williamson is just another minnow basher. People can defend him as much as they want but no other elite batter who is not an opener has an away record vs top nations as poor as Williamson does.

Root is comfortably better. It was only a matter of sample before he could have gotten his stats right in Pakistan. Williamson on other hand continue to fail in India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and England and the only series he performed in Australia was when they served the flattest decks possible (2014-16 phase).

At home, he has a poor record vs Australia too. He has performed at home vs South Africa and England which is worth appreciating but otherwise his overall record is simply boosted via minnow bashing.
 
Coronis

Coronis

International Coach
Majestic said:
Williamson is just another minnow basher. People can defend him as much as they want but no other elite batter who is not an opener has an away record vs top nations as poor as Williamson does.

Root is comfortably better. It was only a matter of sample before he could have gotten his stats right in Pakistan. Williamson on other hand continue to fail in India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and England and the only series he performed in Australia was when they served the flattest decks possible (2014-16 phase).

At home, he has a poor record vs Australia too. He has performed at home vs South Africa and England which is worth appreciating but otherwise his overall record is simply boosted via minnow bashing.
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So you admit he’s an elite batter?
 
M

Majestic

U19 Captain
So, Williamson is again going to miss a test match away from home vs top nation. I am sure his fans will continue to rate him highly because he will play 1-2 test in India and then cash on heavily vs mediocre teams at home next year to preserve his test average to 55, which will allow his fans to build an illusion that he is an elite test batter.

In reality, guys like Martin Crowe, VVS Laxman and Kevin Pietersen have played far more tougher knocks away from home vs top teams than Williamson has.
 
HeathDavisSpeed

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Give it a rest. We know your opinion inside out by now and people have literally been discussing his injury vis-a-vis the India series in the match thread. Though I will say, woe betide someone who has a pretty poor recent fitness record for cricket from missing a Test match as confirmation bias will allow this to prove what you want it to prove. You've made your point, can you just move on to something else?
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
Since the start of 2019, Williamson has somewhat faltered in Tests. He has though been super reliable at cashing in against substandard attacks and on very flat pitches which has shielded his average during that time.

Kane against decent attacks in that period:

Sri Lanka away 2019
Australia away 2019
India home 2020
England away 2021
India neutral 2021
India away 2021
England away 2022
England home 2023
Bangladesh away 2023
Australia home 2024
Sri Lanka away 2024

927 runs @ 26.49

Against the modest attacks in that time, he averages well over 100.

One could make a case for including England 2019, but I thought that was a very poor attack for those conditions. KK ball and very flat tracks.

This theme has been an accusation against Williamson throughout his career, but it has become properly pronounced over the past 5 years. Elite sportsmen like to face the best, but missing a tour of India might be a blessing in some ways.
 
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