Better opener : Graeme Smith vs Sehwag

[DrWolverine]

Who do you rate as a better opener?

 

[sayon basak]

This one in close.

Sehwag for me.

 

[subshakerz]

Smith. Just a better clutch player.

 

[DrWolverine]

Smith averages 40+ in 8/10 countries.
Sehwag averages 40+ in 5/9 countries.

Smith averages 39.3 in Aus and 36 in India.

Sehwag averages 35 in Bangladesh, 27 in England, 25 in SouthAfrica and 20 in NewZealand.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Smith averages 40+ in 8/10 countries.
Sehwag averages 40+ in 5/9 countries.

Smith averages 39.3 in Aus and 36 in India.

Sehwag averages 35 in Bangladesh, 27 in England, 25 in SouthAfrica and 20 in NewZealand.

Smith is better, but this comparison is missing the beat that one of the countries Smith sucked the most was at home. He averaged 34 against non BangZimWI teams at home, and had the numbers he pulled against Australia and India were away, he would had gotten way more traction. Sehwag, on the other hand, is one of the home GoATs.

 

[DrWolverine]

Gary Kirsten is an opener that I feel doesn’t get enough credit because his batting was not flashy.

Gary Kirsten played against 9 countries. He averages 40+ against 7 of them and ven against Australia and WestIndies, he averages a respectable 35.

Gary Kirsten played in 9 countries. He averages 40+ in 7 countries. He averaged 25 in WI(5 Tests) and 22 in SL(3 Tests).

 

[DrWolverine]

Smith is better, but this comparison is missing the beat that one of the countries Smith sucked the most was at home. He averaged 34 against non BangZimWI teams at home, and had the numbers he pulled against Australia and India were away, he would had gotten way more traction. Sehwag, on the other hand, is one of the home GoATs.

Sehwag has a great record at home. Statistically speaking, he may have a better record than Gavaskar.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Sehwag has a great record at home. Statistically speaking, he may have a better record than Gavaskar.

At home he does. In Asia his record is arguably the very best, even better than Sachin. The two closest there are Younis and Gavaskar.

 

[subshakerz]

Smith is better, but this comparison is missing the beat that one of the countries Smith sucked the most was at home. He averaged 34 against non BangZimWI teams at home, and had the numbers he pulled against Australia and India were away, he would had gotten way more traction. Sehwag, on the other hand, is one of the home GoATs.

Yeah it's a demerit for him tho opening in SA must be the hardest batting task in cricket.

But I will still take Smith over the flat track bully Sehwag who was worthless against lateral movement.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Yeah it's a demerit for him tho opening in SA must be the hardest batting task in cricket.

But I will still take Smith over the flat track bully Sehwag who was worthless against lateral movement.

Sehwag wasn't exactly a flat track bully. He was a genius to spin, and last I checked turners aren't flat tracks.

 

[Prince EWS]

Smith averages 40+ in 8/10 countries.
Sehwag averages 40+ in 5/9 countries.

Smith averages 39.3 in Aus and 36 in India.

Sehwag averages 35 in Bangladesh, 27 in England, 25 in SouthAfrica and 20 in NewZealand.

@OverratedSanity - what do you think we should call this trend by this "new" member?

"Analysis by checklist, reductive edition"
"Analysis by checklist for lazy idiots"

Open to suggestions.

 

[Coronis]

Gary Kirsten is an opener that I feel doesn’t get enough credit because his batting was not flashy.

Gary Kirsten played against 9 countries. He averages 40+ against 7 of them and ven against Australia and WestIndies, he averages a respectable 35.

Gary Kirsten played in 9 countries. He averages 40+ in 7 countries. He averaged 25 in WI(5 Tests) and 22 in SL(3 Tests).

Cos he was a meh opener who boosted his stats by dropping down the order after Smith came in.

After Smith came in and he dropped to the middle order, he averaged 65 and scored 7 tons in 17 matches, previously averaging 41 with 14 tons in 84 matches.

 

[subshakerz]

Sehwag wasn't exactly a flat track bully. He was a genius to spin, and last I checked turners aren't flat tracks.

I get that and you know I have called him the best spin player ever.

I mean respective to swing friendly tracks. As an opener I have less confidence of him surviving the new ball than Smith.

 

[capt_Luffy]

I get that and you know I have called him the best spin player ever.

I mean respective to swing friendly tracks. As an opener I have less confidence of him surviving the new ball than Smith.

I mean, can't really argue that. Already said Smith was better, though not by any big margin personally.

 

[subshakerz]

Gary Kirsten is an opener that I feel doesn’t get enough credit because his batting was not flashy.

Gary Kirsten played against 9 countries. He averages 40+ against 7 of them and ven against Australia and WestIndies, he averages a respectable 35.

Gary Kirsten played in 9 countries. He averages 40+ in 7 countries. He averaged 25 in WI(5 Tests) and 22 in SL(3 Tests).

Anwar was an even better opener than Kirsten IMO and if not for his own poor fitness and personal reason could have been in conversation for best opener since Greenidge.

 

[subshakerz]

I mean, can't really argue that. Already said Smith was better, though not by any big margin personally.

If Sehwag stayed as a middle order bat could potentially have been a better bat than Smith. But as opener my basic criteria is you have to been relatively capable against the new ball.

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Anwar was an even better opener than Kirsten IMO and if not for his own poor fitness and personal reason could have been in conversation for best opener since Greenidge.

Anwar’s probably my favourite Pakistani bat(and player after Akram).

 

[capt_Luffy]

Just want to say, Kirsten was great.

 

[subshakerz]

I wonder how the careers would have been if Sehwag and Dravid switched batting positions.

 

[subshakerz]

Anwar’s probably my favourite Pakistani bat(and player after Akram).

Me too