Virender Sehwag vs Alastair Cook

[Johan]

Because there’s more to cricket than just playing high quality pace attacks

Not my point

Cook had an exploitable weakness, especially for an opener, so did Sehwag, so did Hayden. A tall pacer with awkward bounce or a good slow swing bowler would be troublesome to both.

Boycott did not, that's a huge point for him

 

[PlayerComparisons]

And yet boycott only averaged 47 over a relatively short 108 test career despite not having weaknesses. That’s still better than Sehwag and Hayden but let’s not act like he’s some 55 averaging ATG. A large portion of his career wasn’t in a hard era for batting either.

 

[Coronis]

And yet boycott only averaged 47 over a relatively short 108 test career despite not having weaknesses. That’s still better than Sehwag and Hayden but let’s not act like he’s some 55 averaging ATG. A large portion of his career wasn’t in a hard era for batting either.

Average runs in games each player played.

Boycott 31.86
Cook 33.97
Hayden 34.54
Smith 35.03
Sehwag 37.22

Clearly harder than any of these blokes.

 

[Johan]

you don't need 55 averaging ATGs for the likes of Hayden or Sehwag, a 45 averaging opener with a balanced record Nd longetivity is clearing them.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

1960s and early 70s was pretty good for batting iirc. It was only the late 70s and early 80s when things started getting really hard with all the WI quicks, Imran, and Hadlee peaking.

 

[Coronis]

1960s and early 70s was pretty good for batting iirc. It was only the late 70s and early 80s when things started getting really hard with all the WI quicks, Imran, and Hadlee peaking.

You mean when Boycott played about half of his tests?

 

[PlayerComparisons]

You mean when Boycott played about half of his tests?

Yea so more than half of his tests were in the easy era which is a significant amount. It’s not like he played 150+ tests in the hard era like Allan Border.

 

[sayon basak]

Yea so half of his tests were in the easy era which is a significant amount. It’s not like he played 150+ tests in the hard era like Allan Border.

But also you don't have to be Allan Border level good to clear the like likes of Sehwag, Hayden or Cook.

 

[sayon basak]

Here are some polls involving Hayden and those two.

Mathew Hayden vs Virender Sehwag

1 is questionable, and you cannot prove 2. Even if you could prove 2 I feel like Sehwag would be miles ahead too.

www.cricketweb.net

Hayden vs Cook vs Sehwag

Good to see Cook getting some votes. Pretty underrated.

www.cricketweb.net

 

[sledger]

Sehwag the more naturally talented/gifted player, but Cook the higher achiever with a greater legacy imo.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Here are some polls involving Hayden and those two.

Mathew Hayden vs Virender Sehwag

1 is questionable, and you cannot prove 2. Even if you could prove 2 I feel like Sehwag would be miles ahead too.

www.cricketweb.net

Hayden vs Cook vs Sehwag

Good to see Cook getting some votes. Pretty underrated.

www.cricketweb.net

And this

Battle of flat track bullies - Hayden vs Sehwag

Both can't play swing to save their life but i would prefer to have Sehwag in my team because of better S/R

www.cricketweb.net

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Interesting result here too

Boycott vs Greenidge vs Smith

.

www.cricketweb.net

 

[sayon basak]

Interesting result here too

Boycott vs Greenidge vs Smith

.

www.cricketweb.net

I am really having a hard time getting how CW ranks these openers.

 

[_00_deathscar]

you don't need 55 averaging ATGs for the likes of Hayden or Sehwag, a 45 averaging opener with a balanced record Nd longetivity is clearing them.

Your fallacy is thinking Boycott clears them. That’s the issue.

 

[Johan]

Your fallacy is thinking Boycott clears them. That’s the issue.

That's not a fallacy but a formulated opinion, I'm not seeing an argument for why the 70s/80s openers aren't > The 2000s one tbh

 

[_00_deathscar]

That's not a fallacy but a formulated opinion, I'm not seeing an argument for why the 70s/80s openers aren't > The 2000s one tbh

The question isn’t who is better than the other, my point is you thinking that Boycott is clear of the 2000s guys is the issue. He isn’t. Is he better? Possibly. I’m not entirely convinced but sure, an argument can be made.

But arguing from a point of “he’s clear of them” - when he quite clearly isn’t - is part of the issue.

 

[capt_Luffy]

I am really having a hard time getting how CW ranks these openers.

Probably depends on the day. I know posters who have ranked each one of those 5 ahead of other's at different points, and at times thought some of them weren't close.

 

[shortpitched713]

you don't need 55 averaging ATGs for the likes of Hayden or Sehwag, a 45 averaging opener with a balanced record Nd longetivity is clearing them.

No such modern opener exists anyway. So I guess I'll just stick with Gavaskar and Hayden over all the rest.

 

[shortpitched713]

And this

Battle of flat track bullies - Hayden vs Sehwag

Both can't play swing to save their life but i would prefer to have Sehwag in my team because of better S/R

www.cricketweb.net

I wonder why the opinion on Hayden vs Sehwag has fluctuated so drastically over the years? Earliest poll is dead even, then swings hard in favor of Sehwag, and now looks like Hayden has an edge. I would presume they have many of the same flaws and strengths, being both 2 of the 3 beast openers of the 2000s opener golden era.

All polls done after their last Tests too.

 

[BazBall21]

Hayden
Smith
Cook
Sehwag

My order. I think Langer is a bit underrated and deserves to at least be considered part of the group.