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Viv Richards vs Sunil Gavaskar

Who is the better test batsman?


  • Total voters
    28

Thala_0710

First Class Debutant
Yes, yes I just did that basically. On that point, I will say Kohli is closer to Ponting/Kallis/Dravid/Sangakkara than they are to Tendulkar.
Would have to think about that for each one.
But I think some of us have different philosophies while saying X is close to Y. Do you believe that if X is close to Y and Y is close to Z, then X must be close to Z too?
 

Coronis

International Coach
Would have to think about that for each one.
But I think some of us have different philosophies while saying X is close to Y. Do you believe that if X is close to Y and Y is close to Z, then X must be close to Z too?
Depends on your definition of close.
 

capt_Luffy

Cricketer Of The Year
Would have to think about that for each one.
But I think some of us have different philosophies while saying X is close to Y. Do you believe that if X is close to Y and Y is close to Z, then X must be close to Z too?
I mean, mathematically not possible here. There has to be Some max distance for which we can say 2 players are close, after which they aren't anymore.
 

Thala_0710

First Class Debutant
I mean, mathematically not possible here. There has to be Some max distance for which we can say 2 players are close, after which they aren't anymore.
Yeah that is my philosophy too. But some others might not define closeness by a max distance. For example, when we do tiers we don't exactly go by the max distance thing. Someone might say anyone in tier 2 is close to one another, and noone in tier 3 is close to anyone in tier 2.
 

capt_Luffy

Cricketer Of The Year
Yeah that is my philosophy too. But some others might not define closeness by a max distance. For example, when we do tiers we don't exactly go by the max distance thing. Someone might say anyone in tier 2 is close to one another, and noone in tier 3 is close to anyone in tier 2.
That doesn't makes really much sense, even in tiers. Like the one at the bottom of a tier and the one at the top of the very next should be close. Turns truer the further down you guys down the list. Like, Hutton is at the bottom of tier 1 and Hammond at the top of tier 2 for me; but those two definitely are close.
 

Thala_0710

First Class Debutant
That doesn't makes really much sense, even in tiers. Like the one at the bottom of a tier and the one at the top of the very next should be close. Turns truer the further down you guys down the list. Like, Hutton is at the bottom of tier 1 and Hammond at the top of tier 2 for me; but those two definitely are close.
Yeah I agree completely, but not everyone does I guess
 

kyear2

International Coach
lol. Cricket like any other sport only has increasing standards. Viv was a god but Steve Smith would have done just as well if not better
You don't see how batting today is easier?

Not to add that while the general quality of bowling may be comparable, there aren't the giants that existed while Viv played.

Put Richards in the 1970s Indian team and he would have not been allowed to play his natural game and he would have crumbled from that.
Why is this again?
 

kyear2

International Coach
Sunil Gavaskar was the difference between a loss and a draw. Viv never had to face the pressure because he played for the GOAT cricket team.

Imran once said if they can get Gavaskar out in the first session, India would lose within 3 days.
Vivian aside, this is such an over played narrative.

Do you really think every match was over in 3 days and every opponent was crushed?

Every innings was of consequence, every catch was crucial, every wicket mattered.

Of the two great teams, Australia had the edge on the batting front, the WI, the bowling. The WI had one ATG batsman, and at most two world class / great ones.

No Sir, Richards was just about as critical as Sunny to the batting. The only person consistently more critical to the team's success than him, was Maco.

That last statement was hyperbolic at best
 

kyear2

International Coach
1. Viv has played plenty of high pressure quality knocks.

2. people like Viv thrive under presssure, they don't crumble to it, that's one of the merits of having an ego and a strong sense of self

3. Gavaskar himself was a part of a pretty good batting lineup for most of his career. Vengsarkar, Vishwanath, Amarnath being the big examples, at the end of his career also Mohammad Azharrudin and Ravi Shastri and ofcourse Kapil Dev, he wasn't supportless, its insulting to people like Veng and Amarnath to suggest he was.
Ok, you covered this before I did.
 

kyear2

International Coach
No Akram has called Viv the best ever many many times
Didn't Imran as well?

Lillee had him in his top 3 with Barry and Sobers.

Also Lillee said as a pure bat, he rated Viv above Sobers, B Richards et al because of the former’s brutality combined with consistency
Yeah, basically getting to my points before me, lol

That's the problem with the spread sheet youngsters though.
 
Last edited:

sayon basak

International Debutant
Would have to think about that for each one.
But I think some of us have different philosophies while saying X is close to Y. Do you believe that if X is close to Y and Y is close to Z, then X must be close to Z too?
Not really.
6-4=2 and 4-2=2, but 6-2 doesn't equal to 2. Now, whether 4 and 2 are close or not is a very different question.
 

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