How highly do you rate Gilchrist as a pure bat?

[Fuller Pilch]

Nah.

From taking the dates of Gilly's test career (Nov 5, 1999 - Jan 28, 2008) Hayden played 87 tests as an opener scoring 7981 runs at 56.20 with 29 of his 30 100s.

Actually for those (10 players) who scored at least 6000 runs between those dates, only Kallis, Ponting, Moyo, and Sanga averaged more than Hayden. Dravid, Tendulkar, Lara, Jayawardene, and Langer all averaged less.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Nah.

From taking the dates of Gilly's test career (Nov 5, 1999 - Jan 28, 2008) Hayden played 87 tests as an opener scoring 7981 runs at 56.20 with 29 of his 30 100s.

That's great but if Gilly had the same opportunities up the order rather than having to wait for declaration batting a lot of the time he could have done something similar, or maybe even better (going out on a bit of a limb here)

Not sure I'd trust Gilly to open the batting in Tests outside Aus or Asia though

 

[honestbharani]

I think what HB said is right in that his role allowed him to play with the freedom he did, but he was an awesome player and probably would have been wherever he batted, though maybe not to the same extent.

Yeah ultimately batting is about picking length and line and he clearly had an incredible eye. I just meant if his impact would have been the same had he not been a batsman who batted at that SR.

 

[BazBall21]

Very highly. Yeah he had a lot in his favour but innumerable high-impact knocks home and away.

 

[Red]

Very very highly.

Even if he wasn't a keeper, and I was picking a mythical all time team for Australia, I'd much rather have him in my side in the middle order than in the opposition having him in theirs.