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Top 10:Rank the Openers (Tests)

C_C

International Captain
Qualifying factors:

1. Must be active as of today

2. Must've batted atleast 20 innings.

My rankings:

#1 : Virender Sehwag
#2 : Justin Langer
#3 : Andrew Strauss
#4 : Matthew Hayden
#5 : Herschelle Gibbs
#6 : Graeme Smith
#7 : Sanath Jayasurya
#8 : Marcus Trescothik
#9 : Chris Gayle
#10 : Marvan Atapattu
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
Alright then, after seeing some of the statistics provided, and the exclusion of DeVilliers...

1. Sehwag
2. Strauss (if the qualification is met, then his record currently deserves such high status)
3. Langer
4. Smith
5. Hayden
6. Trescothick
7. Gayle
8. Attapatu
9. Jayasuriya
10. Butt
 
Last edited:

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
1.Hayden
2.Sehwag
3.Langer
4.Smith
5.Gayle
6.Jayasuriya
7.Atapattu
8.Strauss
9.Trescothick
10.Fleming - lucky to be included though
 

C_C

International Captain
read the criterias folk- minimum 20 innings qualifier.
AB deVillers doesnt have 20 innings to qualify.

And yes, Gibbs isnt opening anymore. But over most of his career he has opened and rest assured if deVillers has a poor series or two, Gibbs would be asked to open again. Gibbs by no means is a certainty in the middle order as Vaughan is. Until he becomes one, it is appropriate IMO to rate him as an opener.
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
Sehwag
Langer
Hayden
Strauss
Smith
Gibbs (in terms of ability to open, at least)
Trescothick
Jayasuria
Gayle
Atapattu
 

C_C

International Captain
Interestingly,
Jayasurya IMO is the most underrated opener of all in recent times.
He's surprisingly accomplished for an opener. This is what his record reads:

77__132__9__5480__44.55__340__13__23

Against OZ, he is :

9__16__1___565___37.66___131__2__2

Away from home, his record is as follows:

33__59__4__2211__40.20___253__5__9


Not great but not shabby at all : considerably superior to what Trescothik for eg. has as an opener.
Yet he is consistently rated worse than Trescothik and sometimes even Gayle!

Surprisingly, the well-regarded Atapattu has one of the most inflated stats in Test cricket due to playing the minnows- he averages 36+ change once Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are removed from the equation.

I would definately rate Jayasurya as a superior opener to Trescothick,Atapattu and Gayle.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
FWIW:

Sehwag

Langer

Strauss


(De Villiers)

Hayden

Smith

Gibbs

Trescothick

Jayasuriya

Atapattu

Gayle


Very impressed with De Villiers. Good all-round cricketer. In another test (18 test innings after the 1st innings in Antigua) he'd certainly make my list.

It was actually much harder than I thought. If you exclude De Villiers only Oz, SL & us really have established partnerships for tests.

Interestingly (well to me, anyway) only really Strauss & Langer have classic openers techniques. Several in the list have footwork that would give Sir Geoffrey palpitations.

Can't argue with results tho... :p
 

Scallywag

Banned
Make what you want of it but Strauss has only faced 4-5 of the worlds top 25 bowlers.

Ninti is the highest ranked bowler to take his wicket, 4 times including 2 ducks.

I think he will find Warne his biggest hurdle.
 

marc71178

Eyes not spreadsheets
Scallywag said:
Ninti is the highest ranked bowler to take his wicket, 4 times including 2 ducks.
Which therefore means the superior Pollock has been unable to get him.
 

Dasa

International Vice-Captain
My list:
Sehwag
Langer
Strauss
Gibbs (I am aware he is an opener no longer.)
Hayden
Smith
Jayasuriya
Gayle
Trescothick
Atapattu

A variation on the list - which openers I enjoy watching most (in order):
Atapattu
Vaughan (when he opened)
Sehwag
Strauss
Gayle
Smith
Gibbs
 

Scallywag

Banned
marc71178 said:
Which therefore means the superior Pollock has been unable to get him.

Polock has got him a couple of times, Ninti is ranked higher than Pollock as a test bowler at the moment.
 

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