Wisden's Greatest ODI Players of each decade

[Gob]

Sehwag's pretty overrated imo. Similar to Hayden would barely even make the top 5 openers from his own country.

Sehwag would open in my India AT xi

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

That's all fine, I'm just saying I think he's over rated as a bowler and there's probably others I'd run with as an allrounder too. TBH I get surprised when he's even mentioned in these discussions. I can sort of get Kluesener who at least was an effective slogger for a couple of years before fizzing out and scored at a crazy rate doing it. Pollock I just don't get in this discussion, but each to their own I suppose.

Without checking the stats, I'm pretty sure Pollock did disproportionately badly vs Australia so you'll have often seen him at his worst. As Oz were the strongest opposition for most of his career, you could mark him down on ATG terms for struggling against the best side of his era. But he was a much better player than if you only judge him on performances vs Australia.

 

[honestbharani]

That's all fine, I'm just saying I think he's over rated as a bowler and there's probably others I'd run with as an allrounder too. TBH I get surprised when he's even mentioned in these discussions. I can sort of get Kluesener who at least was an effective slogger for a couple of years before fizzing out and scored at a crazy rate doing it. Pollock I just don't get in this discussion, but each to their own I suppose.

Yeah given I am looking for a #8, its more a bowler who can bat than an allrounder per se, and that is where he adds value, IMO.

 

[Flem274*]

you're all wrong. hayden was an immense opener and better than your wattos et al but he wasn't quite jayasuriya.

think about how many odi runs test hacks like england, guptill and rohit sharma score these days, then consider what power hitting openers who can also play the red ball would do. jayasuriya, sehwag, hayden etc would have great fun in jamodis today.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Watching cricket in the 90s/ early 2000s, were you ever really worried he'd run through your side though? I can't say I ever was.

If Donald was capable of averaging 26 with bat, he would have featured in most people's top 5 player list.

 

[stephen]

If Donald was capable of averaging 26 with bat, he would have featured in most people's top 5 player list.

Yeah but Donald was a better bowler than Pollock.

 

[Red]

Yeah he did, but Pollock didn't, not to the side I followed. He was basically a slower, shorter, more predictable, less good McGrath. Was like giving he new ball to Andrew Symonds.

Which would be fine, but he's better as a 5th option.

 

[TheJediBrah]

If Donald was capable of averaging 26 with bat, he would have featured in most people's top 5 player list.

weird comment but ok

 

[Red]

Donald was an outstanding ODI bowler.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Donald was an outstanding ODI bowler.

Akram
Garner
McGrath
Donald
Saqlain

My top 5

 

[GoodAreasShane]

As somebody who has long been in the Donald is underrated af camp, I approve of this discussion

 

[Burgey]

If Donald was capable of averaging 26 with bat, he would have featured in most people's top 5 player list.

What this has to do with Shaun Pollock I don’t really know.

donald was soft in the head, fwiw. About as resilient as a lemonade sandwich

 

[Victor Ian]

About as resilient as a lemonade sandwich

I dont know if that works. No way I'm getting through a lemonade sandwich.

 

[rtramdas]

all legendary names except perhaps Murali.... Glad to see legendary King Viv & Kapil in the list. Viv 2nd best GOAT batsman & Kapil 3rd GOAT all rounder for me. Mcgrath more or less deserved as same as Sachin in the 90s.May be Sachin edges out because of him being a batsman.

 

[Anil]

Tendulkar
Haynes
Richards
Ponting
De Villiers
Bevan
Gilchrist
Imran
McGrath
Murali
Garner

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Tendulkar
Haynes
Richards
Ponting
De Villiers
Bevan
Gilchrist
Imran
McGrath
Murali
Garner

Gilchrist played 11 ODIs at no 7.
Highest score 28, average 17.25.

 

[Anil]

Gilchrist played 11 ODIs at no 7.
Highest score 28, average 17.25.

well he was very average, inconsistent as a odi opener, just too many other batsmen who have had better careers opening the batting, but he would be great as an explosive lower order batsman and wicket keeper...it would be either him or dhoni in an all-time odi xi...

 

[akilana]

Tendulkar
Haynes
Richards
Ponting
De Villiers
Bevan
Gilchrist
Imran
McGrath
Murali
Garner

well he was very average, inconsistent as a odi opener, just too many other batsmen who have had better careers opening the batting, but he would be great as an explosive lower order batsman and wicket keeper...it would be either him or dhoni in an all-time odi xi...

Dhoni was far better than Gilchrist as an ODI batsman and on another level as a middle order batsman.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Gilchrist played 11 ODIs at no 7.
Highest score 28, average 17.25.

Irrelevant of course. All when he was starting his career so not indicative of anything really.

But anyway if you want a keeper to bat at no. 7 it's obviously going to be Dhoni over Gilchrist.

well he was very average, inconsistent as a odi opener

holy revisionism

There were very few better than him in the late 90s and early 00s. Other than Sachin there might have been a few that averaged 40+ but they all scored much slower.

 

[stephen]

It also can't be understated how much harder it is and was to bat in ODIs in Australia. The large grounds typically used to mean Australian batsmen would average more overseas than at home. Gilchrist averaging 37 in Australia was extremely valuable. Between 1990 and 2010 at home, only Ponting scored more hundreds.