The ATG Teams General arguing/discussing thread

[Burgey]

That’s because, like all Australians, despite pretending to be alpha male, they’re all weak. “Mentally shattered” for ****s sake man up. Imagine what would have happened to him if he had to deal with the pressure of a billion people instead of some bratty Aussies.

Errrgh. Is it the water over there or something?

 

[Burgey]

I don’t think Ponting is underrated here.

Only behind Sachin and Lara in Tests. Better than Lara in ODIs.

Arguably second best Aussie batsman ever.

Certainly belongs in the discussion. Fine player

 

[harsh.ag]

Ponting should open for the Aus ATXI

 

[Burgey]

No he shouldn’t

 

[Logan]

Ponting had an average of 60+ after 107 Tests. That is a remarkable feat.

The second greatest number 3 batsman. Rate him higher than Sanga and Dravid.

 

[sunilz]

Ponting had an average of 60+ after 107 Tests. That is a remarkable feat.

The second greatest number 3 batsman. Rate him higher than Sanga and Dravid.

Depends on how highly you rate Headley, Richards, Lara or Barrington

 

[ataraxia]

Depends on how highly you rate Headley, Richards, Lara or Barrington

Hammond's greater than any other name you throw for 2nd IMO. Didn't bat on flat-tracks as much as Ponting.

 

[honestbharani]

Stop waving a flag and taking a "side" ffs. You should absolutely be able to post this opinion without tempering it with a bunch of this crap. Develop your own opinions instead of finding clever ways to justify the package of opinions you seem to have inherited.

PEWS AI laying down the software speak... OOPS........

 

[honestbharani]

Mark Waugh was an exceptional ODI opener and definitely belongs in the discussion. He averaged 45 in the role and was completely awesome. A notch down from the others, but definitely within cooey.

A notch down means he is not in the same discussion. Cooey works though. Agree with that. Same Cooey as Lara and a few others but AFAIC no where near the elitest of the ODI ATGs.

 

[Spark]

There are plenty of easy and justifiable ways to poke holes in Ponting's record (even if you limit it to, say, pre-2010) but no one typified to me the "Australian" and in my mind at the time best way to approach batting than Ponting. Not reckless, and with absolute dedication to the basics, but at the same time seeking to impose dominance on the opposition from ball one. Childhood cricketing idol for a reason.

Comes through in his commentary too. Can just see how clear, precise, straightforward and effective his entire philosophy on the game was, which is why it really is so baffling even in hindsight that he wasn't a better tactician.

 

[honestbharani]

He is definitely among the best ever Australian batsman and was unfortunate to have played when Lara and Sachin were at their prime. Has a lot of holes in his record like many other ATGs but still an ATG for sure.

 

[ankitj]

Another controversial opinion from my side : If Richards played in modern era , he wouldn't be rated higher than Ponting in test. Richards averaged 44 in Asia and the spin bowling attacks he faced was nowhere near to what Ponting faced in IND and SL . IND at home during Ponting's time were much stronger as compared to Richard's time . Also let's not forget Ponting was successful against Muralitharan whom Richards never faced and there is no guarantee he would have been successful against Murali consider his 44 average in Asia.

Ponting was as good as Richards against fast bowling .

This is a controversial opinion from my side . Please don't lynch me online

I thought the consensus usually has been that 70s and 80s were harder conditions to bat in than 2000s when Ponting prospered.

 

[honestbharani]

And it is a myth that the Indian attacks that Ponting played were better than the 80s and 70s spin attack.

 

[sunilz]

I thought the consensus usually has been that 70s and 80s were harder conditions to bat in than 2000s when Ponting prospered.

70s and 80s had lots of flat tracks in Asia. India couldn't win a test at home for 17 consecutive test iirc. Pak also produced lots of flat track. Even Aus produced flat tracks in 80s . When Ind toured there in 85/86 not a single test produced result though India should have won 3rd if not for rain.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Definitely better than the 80s. India had no genuinely good spinners that entire decade apart from dilip doshi who had a pretty short career. The attack was just Kapil + random scrubs

 

[ataraxia]

Definitely better than the 80s. India had no genuinely good spinners that entire decade apart from dilip doshi who had a pretty short career. The attack was just Kapil + random scrubs

Yeah there was no quality spinner from Venkat to Kumble.

 

[sunilz]

And it is a myth that the Indian attacks that Ponting played were better than the 80s and 70s spin attack.

Ind didn't win a test for 17 consecutive test at home iirc. When WI toured in 79/80 we won 6 match series by 1-0 . India bowling attack in 70s and 80s were nowhere near 90s , 2000 and now. Spin quartet were better overseas as compared to kumble/Ashwin/ Harbhajan . But they weren't potent enough at home.

 

[h_hurricane]

80s Indian spinners just had shock value. Like Sivaramkrishnan, Hirwani. Great starts but then fizzled away.

 

[sunilz]

As a pure bowler Kapil won't make to current Indian side in Asian condition if Bumrah is fit. Bumrah, Shami and Umesh are better bowler in Asian condition than Kapil.
I am talking about Kapil the bowler not all rounder .

 

[trundler]

Ponting's ability vs pace would have odes written in its honour like with Viv if he'd been born earlier. Just the sort of thing I can imagine Cardus coming over repeatedly. Probably true for Sehwag too. His away record would be more of an after thought instead of the major failing it is considered now.