Kane Williamson vs Joe Root 2, the ODI boogaloo

[91Jmay]

I know there are a few of these threads floating about so lock it if it isn't different enough however what are the esteemed judges thoughts on KW vs JR purely in ODIs? Can also include T20 if you want.

Root: 101 innings 4451 runs 133* HS 51.16 average 86.89 SR 11 tons 27 fifties
Williamson: 121 innings 5156 runs 145* HS 46.87 average 83.22 SR 11 tons 33 fifties

Roots numbers are a bit better as a total however I'm still a bit unconvinced he is as good as his record says.

I think he is a class player, who fits perfectly into our side at present and perhaps controversially he might be a better ODI player than Test player but he has a pretty comfortable job basically being allowed to constantly play himself in and knock ball around whilst a succession of lunatics at the other end go bonkers.

Are they basically too similar to split or would you take KW - like me?

 

[Zinzan]

Root for me. Not by a huge margin, but quite clearly the superior ODI bat. Not just because he has a better average & SR, but because KW can be tied down early-on by high quality bowling, whereas Root seems to be able to get off strike more easily.

 

[Flem274*]

Kane has fallen away a bit in recent times so that makes it easy for now. Root imo

 

[marc71178]

Root for me. Not by a huge margin, but quite clearly the superior ODI bat. Not just because he has a better average & SR, but because KW can be tied down early-on by high quality bowling, whereas Root seems to be able to get off strike more easily.

I wonder how much of that is a result of the players around him in the order? Because they’re all strong hitters with an aggressive mindset, I reckon that could impact on the bowlers and put them off their game?

 

[Burner]

I have Root just ahead but I think he also has the easier job of the two.

 

[Adders]

I

I think he is a class player, who fits perfectly into our side at present and perhaps controversially he might be a better ODI player than Test player but he has a pretty comfortable job basically being allowed to constantly play himself in and knock ball around whilst a succession of lunatics at the other end go bonkers.

Hahaha love it........and so true.

 

[Prince EWS]

Kane has fallen away a bit in recent times so that makes it easy for now. Root imo

Yeah I would've found them really hard to split a few months ago, but it's Root for me now. KW being out of touch right now does make him seem less good than he really is a wider context, but what tips it for me is that KW can really get in a bit of a rut when he is out of form in a way that Root doesn't tend to. If Root's short of runs he tends to just be short of runs rather than playing these soul-sucking innings KW has lately, which is part of the reason his career strike rate is better.

 

[RK_123]

Root but not by much

 

[Groundking]

Since the start of 2016, Kane Williamson has 1735 runs @ 44.48 with a strike rate of 81.49, top score of 118, 4 tons, 11 50's. For the same time period Root has 2230 runs @ 65.58 with a strike rate of 90.61, top score of 133*, 5 tons, 16 50's

Sorry but for me it's no contest, Root is the better odi player.

 

[srbhkshk]

I agree that it's Root, but I also agree that we'd see the issue differently in case the two sides were switched. Both better than Smith and worse than Kohli imo fwiw.

 

[Pothas]

Root may have the easier job but he adds to that impression by making it look so easy. He plays a huge role in our side and does his job pretty much better than anyone else in our team does.

 

[Adders]

AWTA. England's game plan is that Root bats big and they take a punt that 1 or 2 of the "lunatics" around him come off.........only Root has the pressure on him to score runs every game, everyone else has an open license to tee off without repercussion.

Without checking I'd wager that most of Englands big ODI scores of late have had a big big contribution from Joe Root, even if he is not the one that everyone is raving about at that end of the game. He goes cheap and we're scoring 230's rather than 300+

To me that's not an easy gig at all.

 

[JRC67]

AWTA. England's game plan is that Root bats big and they take a punt that 1 or 2 of the "lunatics" around him come off.........only Root has the pressure on him to score runs every game, everyone else has an open license to tee off without repercussion.

Without checking I'd wager that most of Englands big ODI scores of late have had a big big contribution from Joe Root, even if he is not the one that everyone is raving about at that end of the game. He goes cheap and we're scoring 230's rather than 300+

To me that's not an easy gig at all.

Where there is a difference is Root is always asked to play pretty much the same type of innings because of the players around him and that England have big hitters to number 11. Williamson has to play as a hitter at times and to a degree allow for the tail quite often, although New Zealand are quite strong in their lower order.

 

[ImpatientLime]

root is filthy good currently in this format.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Should I get the Adidas Tubular, Reebok Pumps or the Nike Airs?

Which are in fashion next year?

 

[Adders]

Whatever you reckon is going to carrying you out of CW the fastest mate.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Whatever you reckon is going to carrying you out of CW the fastest mate.

Well I'm still here after claiming Buttler is better than Dhoni.

And you should have seen Shri's reply last night to this claim (and he lives in Australia of all places). It was gold. (Seriously look it up if you want see an epic meltdown to a fair comment).

It starts here; and is well worth a read:

Lmao, Buttler vs Dhoni. Go home kid, you are drunk.

I like my chances of sticking around on last night's form of not engaging back

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Root is a classier better version of Trott and plays basically the same role he did in the side and we now have an even stronger line up around Root so it works better.

 

[Jack1]

Root in all formats. Not really a discussion to be had here.

 

[vcs]

Err.. there is nothing between them in Tests.

But Williamson will never play as much Test cricket as Root/Smith/Kohli so he's inherently going to be at a disadvantage.