CW's Ranking of Batsmen (Tests)

[h_hurricane]

It's again not that cut and dry. Why did A retire? Why did B keep playing? Did B keep someone who could have averaged more than 46 out of the team? All these things matter but ultimately beyond a point, I feel in this sort of comparison if A looked the better player in those 100 tests then he probably is. It's as simple as that.

The assumption was that all other factors remained the same. For those 100 tests when their careers overlapped, B was the better player. A retired because he was past his peak and thought he wouldn't contribute much going ahead. B decided to continue because he thought he could contribute at a lower level. Both had their good reasons for their choices. Of course, A would have likely averaged like B had he chosen to continue. But in this example, he needed to average 50 over those 50 extra tests to match B, which is unlikely to happen.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

It's again not that cut and dry. Why did A retire? Why did B keep playing? Did B keep someone who could have averaged more than 46 out of the team? All these things matter but ultimately beyond a point, I feel in this sort of comparison if A looked the better player in those 100 tests then he probably is. It's as simple as that.

15 year career
Player C 55 avg
Player D 51 avg

If everything else equal C is better.
Similarly B is better in above comparison.

 

[honestbharani]

15 year career
Player C 55 avg
Player D 51 avg

If everything else equal C is better.
Similarly B is better in above comparison.

Guess what is NEVER true in cricket.

The assumption was that all other factors remained the same. For those 100 tests when their careers overlapped, B was the better player. A retired because he was past his peak and thought he wouldn't contribute much going ahead. B decided to continue because he thought he could contribute at a lower level. Both had their good reasons for their choices. Of course, A would have likely averaged like B had he chosen to continue. But in this example, he needed to average 50 over those 50 extra tests to match B, which is unlikely to happen.

These are pure assumptions though. We have seen 40 year olds do well in test cricket. I will take a real life example. I have always said Lara was better than Sachin for me as a test match batsman. The 17 vs 21 year career does not make much of a difference there to me. I felt Lara was better during their careers and I felt the same once Lara retired and Sachin still played and I still feel the same.

Of course, if you are comparing a 10 year Vs 20 year career, the longevity factor would hold more weight but there is a time-period beyond which it does not mean that much in a player comparison to me.

 

[HookShot]

15 year career
Player C 55 avg
Player D 51 avg

If everything else equal C is better.
Similarly B is better in above comparison.

But here’s the problem - ‘everything else’ is never equal. Not any where, ever.

And this is why most people agree that Hobbs is better than Sutcliffe even though Sutcliffe has the better average and their careers over-lap.

 

[Daemon]

Gavaskar

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

But here’s the problem - ‘everything else’ is never equal. Not any where, ever.

And this is why most people agree that Hobbs is better than Sutcliffe even though Sutcliffe has the better average and their careers over-lap.

Its a Hypothetical situation.

 

[Nikhil99.99]

Hammond

 

[gftw]

Gavaskar - 7
Headley - 2
Pollock - 1
Chappell - 3
Hammond - 7
Border - 1

Let me know if I miscounted. Breaking the tie with my vote for Hammond.

The List
1. Don Bradman
2. Jack Hobbs
3. Garry Sobers
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Viv Richards
6. Brian Lara
7. Len Hutton
8. Wally Hammond

The vote for the #9 test batsman of all-time begins now.

 

[trundler]

Gavaskar

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Gavaskar

 

[Nikhil99.99]

Headley

 

[kyear2]

Headley

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Gavaskar

 

[Bitmap]

Gavaskar

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Chappell G

 

[ataraxia]

Sutcliffe

 

[Immenso]

Chappell

 

[Coronis]

Sutcliffe

 

[HookShot]

Greg Chappell

 

[CricAddict]

Gavaskar