Ken Barrington vs Rahul Dravid

[OverratedSanity]

Averages 38 vs Australia and has a MoTS in Australia. SA is fine, Aus is overstated.

Yeah he had several really important innings in huge victories vs Australia . Four different huge wins vs Australia in that era had vital performances from Dravid. Not just the 180 at Kolkata and 233, but the vital 93 at Perth in 2008 and the 80 odd at Chennai in 01 in the series winning partnership with Sachin. Would take an average of 38-39 with this many key performances over a 45 odd average full of forgettable ones any day.

He had a disappointing record vs SA (apart from that one good your vs Donald/Pollock) but I never considered him a failure vs Australia at all.

 

[anil1405]

His numbers against the top sides are highlighted for fair reasons but what goes under the carpet is his stellar performances in tough match situations and on pitches where very few have excelled.

Jamaica 2006 for example, don't think any modern batsman (Post 70s) barring Steve Smith and one or two others can play the twin knocks that he did to give India it's first test series win in WI after decades.

 

[Coronis]

His numbers against the top sides are highlighted for fair reasons but what goes under the carpet is his stellar performances in tough match situations and on pitches where very few have excelled.

Jamaica 2006 for example, don't think any modern batsman (Post 70s) barring Steve Smith and one or two others can play the twin knocks that he did to give India it's first test series win in WI after decades.

India losing in the Windies to Merv Dillon, Cameron Cuffy and Adam Sanford in a series where Lara failed is pretty pathetic imo.

 

[Migara]

Rahul Dravid averages 29 in SouthAfrica(12 Tests) and surprisingly 33 in SriLanka(11 Tests).

There is no surprise. Had a tough time against Murali.

 

[Migara]

Analysis by checklist

anyone who actually saw Dravid play would know he had no particular weaknesses, played some iconic innings and much of this is sample size. The same way his performance in England was an outlier.

and there is zero argument to say Barrington was better.

He and Tendulkar both had the tendency to be nailed by induckers.

 

[BazBall21]

Averages 38 vs Australia and has a MoTS in Australia. SA is fine, Aus is overstated.

That wasn't a great Australian attack. He had his moments of course but 2 tons in 62 innings is underwhelming by ATG standards.

 

[BazBall21]

He and Tendulkar both had the tendency to be nailed by induckers.

Dravid had a good defence and enough range, but he wasn't a natural at switching gears. Not playing horizontal shots frequently enough v good HTD bowling was his biggest undoing.

 

[sayon basak]

I saw Dravid’s entire career.
He was a great batsman but not that elite tier

Barrington isn't either.

 

[DrWolverine]

Barrington isn't either.

Everything about his record suggests he was one of the best ever even if he was very boring.

He has 4 500+ run series.
Twice against Australia.(Home & Away)
Once against India.(Away)
Once against South Africa.(Away)

He played 3 or more tests in a series 16 times.
Scored 300+ runs 11 times.
A very consistent performer

 

[Johan]

iirc, from his era, Michael Colin Cowdrey is rated higher

 

[capt_Luffy]

That wasn't a great Australian attack. He had his moments of course but 2 tons in 62 innings is underwhelming by ATG standards.

That wasn't but it still was an ATG match performance. I think the problem is of people simply looking at his century count in respect to innings and thinking he wasn't much, while in reality he was behind 4 of India's most important wins vs Australia over that period. As OS said, that's more valuable than a 4 more tons without any impact or 4 runs higher average.

 

[BazBall21]

That wasn't but it still was an ATG match performance. I think the problem is of people simply looking at his century count in respect to innings and thinking he wasn't much, while in reality he was behind 4 of India's most important wins vs Australia over that period. As OS said, that's more valuable than a 4 more tons without any impact or 4 runs higher average.

He does have a good knock in Perth that wasn't a hundred. He wasn't useless v Australia but for me his record against them is a relative weak point in ATG discussions.

 

[capt_Luffy]

He does have a good knock in Perth that wasn't a hundred. He wasn't useless v Australia but for me his record against them is a relative weak point in ATG discussions.

As I said, 5 Great innings in 4 victories (Perth, Chennai, Adelaide, Kolkata) is more than sufficient for me to not really care for his century count that match and make up 3-4 run average deficit. I won't claim AUS as his strong suit, but certainly no weakness by any measure.

 

[BazBall21]

As I said, 5 Great innings in 4 victories (Perth, Chennai, Adelaide, Kolkata) is more than sufficient for me to not really care for his century count that match and make up 3-4 run average deficit. I won't claim AUS as his strong suit, but certainly no weakness by any measure.

Fair enough. I'd want a bit more tbh from an ATG. I think his record against them underlines limitations at applying a healthy rate of horizontal shots v consistent pressure.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Fair enough. I'd want a bit more tbh from an ATG. I think his record against them underlines limitations at applying a healthy rate of horizontal shots v consistent pressure.

Fair. I do think it also highlights his major strength, playing some of the most important knocks in crucial match situations.

 

[shortpitched713]

Great pace bowling with suffecient bounce from good length is one

To be fair, a lot of even great batsmen struggle with this.

 

[Johan]

To be fair, a lot of even great batsmen struggle with this.

I think a couple play steep good length bounce well

 

[ma1978]

Great pace bowling with suffecient bounce from good length is one

I don’t know. I say the 148 on a mamba of a wandered track against peak Donald and Pollock. I agree his record in South Africa was underwhelming but it’s not like he didn’t show he could play the stuff

 

[Johan]

I don’t know. I say the 148 on a mamba of a wandered track against peak Donald and Pollock. I agree his record in South Africa was underwhelming but it’s not like he didn’t show he could play the stuff

Everyone plays good stuff against bowling they struggle with sometimes, I don't think any of the elite batters were complete busts against a certain type of bowling but Dravid did have that issue with quality Bounce/Pace and his lack of consistency shows it, think Viv and Sachin were clearly more complete bats.

 

[ma1978]

Everyone plays good stuff against bowling they struggle with sometimes, I don't think any of the elite batters were complete busts against a certain type of bowling but Dravid did have that issue with quality Bounce/Pace and his lack of consistency shows it, think Viv and Sachin were clearly more complete bats.

that’s not the comparison though. Viv, Sachin, Lara, Ponting all clearly in a different league. My struggle with Ken Barrington is mainly even contemporary accounts of him don’t view him in the elite tier of that era, and test cricket was so banal during that era, I mark it down.