Jacques Kallis vs AB de Villiers

[PlayerComparisons]

Two best SA batsmen since readmission

 

[Bolo.]

Kallis by a bit more than difference in their batting averages.

Not sure if this should be called close or not.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Kallis by a bit more than difference in their batting averages.

Not sure if this should be called close or not.

Is Kallis really that much ahead?? I think the difference in average, being 5 runs is fine. Now admittedly I am bit ABD fan boy, but man he was merciless on full swing. Overall in Tests, I rate Kallis slightly ahead of Dravid and ABD around equal to Kohli; and think Kohli/Dravid is close. So think these 2 are close as well.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Kallis has a 136 test stretch averaging 61.33. Pretty big difference from De Villiers’s 114 test career averaging 50.66.

 

[Johan]

Kallis has a 136 test stretch averaging 61.33. Pretty big difference from De Villiers’s 114 test career averaging 50.66.

De Villiers also had a 10 year stretch of averaging 58 though

OT – Kallis is superior, De Villiers underachieved in tests, both make my all time South African XI, neither a better Batsmen than Pollock.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

AB had a 9 year stretch averaging about 57 while Kallis had a 14 stretch averaging about 61.

I think AB probably could have sustained it for 12+ years if he wanted to. (2016-2017 and then 2019-2021)

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Both freaks, but the one named after the faces of $5 and $100 bills takes it.

 

[capt_Luffy]

AB had a 9 year stretch averaging about 57 while Kallis had a 14 stretch averaging about 61.

I think AB probably could have sustained it for 12+ years if he wanted to. (2016-2017 and then 2019-2021)

Kallis had more places he failed in also. Not to mention, ABD was a more flexible batter.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Kallis had more places he failed in also.

Doesn’t really matter tbh. Kallis was a great player of spin and pace. Agree on ABD being more flexible.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Doesn’t really matter tbh. Kallis was a great player of spin and pace. Agree on ABD being more flexible.

Doesn't have the greatest record in England, aka, vs Swing. Also don't think he was particularly great vs Murali or Warne; or any leading spinner for the matter......

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Two best SA batsmen since readmission

Kallis no 1.

G Smith is just slightly ahead of AB imo.

In batting rankings from earlier this year:

Kallis (14)
Smith (30)
AB (31)

Also
Pollock (18), Nourse (23), Amla (42)

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Has a comparison been done between Graeme Smith & ABDV?

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Has a comparison been done between Graeme Smith & ABDV?

AB de Villiers vs Graeme Smith

Two best South African batsmen after Kallis since readmission

www.cricketweb.net

 

[Bolo.]

Is Kallis really that much ahead?? I think the difference in average, being 5 runs is fine. Now admittedly I am bit ABD fan boy, but man he was merciless on full swing. Overall in Tests, I rate Kallis slightly ahead of Dravid and ABD around equal to Kohli; and think Kohli/Dravid is close. So think these 2 are close as well.

Fair enough. It's a definitional thing. I'm not sure whether to call this close when there is a gap like this though. Seems reasonable either way.

Doesn't have the greatest record in England, aka, vs Swing. Also don't think he was particularly great vs Murali or Warne; or any leading spinner for the matter......

England is a bit of an anomaly in his record. His record in RSA is spectacular over a huge sample, and it was at worst the second hardest place to face swing.

Looking at his record in games that involved the best spinners from his era, he did well. Murali, Warne, Swann, Kumble, Ajmal give these figures:

IDK if he bullied the rest of the attack for these figures. Does feel like he did his fair share of bullying. But he pretty much always looked very comfortable against good spin.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Fair enough. It's a definitional thing. I'm not sure whether to call this close when there is a gap like this though. Seems reasonable either way.

England is a bit of an anomaly in his record. His record in RSA is spectacular over a huge sample, and it was at worst the second hardest place to face swing.

Looking at his record in games that involved the best spinners from his era, he did well. Murali, Warne, Swann, Kumble, Ajmal give these figures:
View attachment 41862
IDK if he bullied the rest of the attack for these figures. Does feel like he did his fair share of bullying. But he pretty much always looked very comfortable against good spin.

I didn't meant he was poor against spin; never saw/read about it being some of his weakness; but I also never read about him being spectacular against spin as well.

 

[Bolo.]

I didn't meant he was poor against spin; never saw/read about it being some of his weakness; but I also never read about him being spectacular against spin as well.

I don't think he really had strengths or weaknesses against any particular types of bowling in realtion to where other bats of comparable quality typically sat.

 

[OverratedSanity]

This is not particularly close at all

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

De Villiers was a better bat when he had bats like Kallis doing the hard work ahead of him

 

[Majestic]

Kallis had more places he failed in also. Not to mention, ABD was a more flexible batter.

ABD kept at his peak too, which might have affected his productivity of runs. Players average 75-80 during their purple patch. AB as keeper averages 57, who knows if he played as specialist bat in those games, he might have averaged a lot more in those two years.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

ABD kept at his peak too, which might have affected his productivity of runs. Players average 75-80 during their purple patch. AB as keeper averages 57, who knows if he played as specialist bat in those games, he might have averaged a lot more in those two years.

That’s a good point although maybe Kallis’s bowling occasionally affected his batting as well