Is KP worthy of No.1 title?

[KiWiNiNjA]

Ofcourse he is worthy. Anybody who gets to number 1 is worthy. Just how South Africa were worthy of being number 1 for a while.

Ofcourse being number 1 on the rankings doesn't mean you are the best player, it just means you are ranked number 1.

I would say Ponting is the best player, but obviously not good enough at the moment stats wise to be number 1 on the rankings. Doesn't mean KP isn't worthy.

 

[Great Birtannia]

I don't know how the ranking system works and how far he is officially behind KP but Ponting was in rubbish form in Malayasia and heading into the champions trophy.

I would take Ponting every time though, you only need to compare quotes from the Ashes.

KP was happy after he holed out for 80, Ponting was pissed off after being dismissed for 140 (and breaking the record for most test centuries by an Australian in the process) because he didn't see off the new ball and advance Australia's position in the match...it's a different form of the game but there's the attitude that separates them for mine.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Anyway...for mine, once KP has played the same number of ODIs as Ponting currently has he'll have far superior stats.

It must not be forgotten that Ponting has been playing in an all-conquering team for most of his career - granted, one of the reasons they're so good is because of his batting, but he's never had to carry a team in the way Pietersen has done for the vast majority of his ODI career to date.

To put this into context, imagine if Pietersen was Australian. He'd come in at number five with 25 overs to go and have freedom to play as he wished - in that scenario, I'd take him over any other player in the world.

 

[steds]

Pietersen will always be seen as South African, When he's doing well, people will always say how stupid South Africa were to let such a talent go, and when he's underpreforming, people will call for him to go back to where he came from...

Nah. You can have him back now if you want.

It happened with Anderw Strauss, (who I think is England's Best opening batter). He had amazing series against New Zealand and South Africa, but you'll be surprised how many English people I speak to feel that the England team would be better without Strauss in thier lineup, despite the fact that he still has a high average, and captained them to a couple of test wins...

Beg your pardon?

 

[Hoppy1987]

KP has the ability to destroy any bowling attack, including Warne, Murali, McGrath, Lee etc! He has shown he will play his shots in any situation and 9 times out of ten this comes off. He is by far the greatest talent in England (on current form) (be it that he is SAfrican) but his ability to dominate bowlers seperates him from Ponting. Not saying that Ponting isn't class, I rate him v highly, but KP does only just pip it in this one!

 

[steds]

He was brought to England by Clive Rice where he was encouraged to sign as a KOLPAK player... a system which only benefits the English and in some instances Australians (but to a much lesser degree).

And Paul Harris, who got a season of lording it up in County cricket without the restrictions of the overseas player limit, before turning back to South Africa to play Test cricket.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Beg your pardon?

Yeah, he might be a useless ODI player but no-one's doubting Strauss' Test quality.

 

[simmy]

Whenever his daddy, Asif has been within 200 yards.

Let's not talk about drugs...

 

[Matt79]

Anyway...for mine, once KP has played the same number of ODIs as Ponting currently has he'll have far superior stats.

It must not be forgotten that Ponting has been playing in an all-conquering team for most of his career - granted, one of the reasons they're so good is because of his batting, but he's never had to carry a team in the way Pietersen has done for the vast majority of his ODI career to date.

To put this into context, imagine if Pietersen was Australian. He'd come in at number five with 25 overs to go and have freedom to play as he wished - in that scenario, I'd take him over any other player in the world.

Good argument, except that Ponting has come in at 3 for most of that time, and frequently has had to come in within the first 10 or even 5 overs with the score not much. Gilchrist isn't exactly the opener he used to be, and the long search for a decent partner for him between Hayden losing form and being dumped and Hayden getting back and finding form meant that Ponting often had to do the bulk of the heavy lifting for the team. Having the likes of Symonds, Clarke and Hussey coming in AFTER he's so frequently got the team into winning positions is irrelevant to his performance with the bat so far as I can see. Its not like he comes in and plays ridiculous slogs because he doesn't place any value on his wicket given the batting to come - he routinely builds an innings before accelerating when needed.

Ponting easily the best ODI batsman in the world at the moment for me. Until this WC, Hussey was #2 but he's slipping fast, Pietersen #3 and Clarke very close behind him at #4.

 

[Tomm NCCC]

Question - If this was a batsman from any other nation, who was top of the ICC rankings, would the question of "Worthiness" be asked. I don't think ti would

In my opinion, KP picks up runs on a very consistent basis and recently, he has been passing the 50 mark with ease. Sometimes struggles to get 3 figures, but he has been in the runs almost every game this world cup, and I think he deserves to be top of the world

 

[Nishant]

KP does perform well...but IMO, he doesnt do that well for the team...he gets out at the wrong time which isnt good enough to be no. 1. Surely, there are better players that are more valuable to the team and perform to te team's demand...for example, Ponting.( Hayden's in good form, but this only sparked recently TBH) KP i good and is in the top 5, definitely..but not no. 1

 

[PhoenixFire]

KP does perform well...but IMO, he doesnt do that well for the team...he gets out at the wrong time which isnt good enough to be no. 1. Surely, there are better players that are more valuable to the team and perform to te team's demand...for example, Ponting.( Hayden's in good form, but this only sparked recently TBH) KP i good and is in the top 5, definitely..but not no. 1

But that's irrelevant to the rankings, true or not. He scores the most runs, in the hardest conditions, against the best bowlers, so he is #1.

 

[open365]

But that's irrelevant to the rankings, true or not. He scores the most runs, in the hardest conditions, against the best bowlers, so he is #1.

That's what it boils down to me, any player in the top 3 is worthy of it, but by those rankings(which i have no reason to doubt) he's number one and deserves to be there.

It's no fluke either

 

[Ikki]

Sure, but not the worthiest.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Sure, but not the worthiest.

How does that work out. You can't exactly cheat the rankings. I'd rate Ponting to be in much better form at the moment than Pietersen at the moment tbh.

 

[Beleg]

Hmm.

Ponting's on top and Pieterson is among the top ten.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Good argument, except that Ponting has come in at 3 for most of that time, and frequently has had to come in within the first 10 or even 5 overs with the score not much. Gilchrist isn't exactly the opener he used to be, and the long search for a decent partner for him between Hayden losing form and being dumped and Hayden getting back and finding form meant that Ponting often had to do the bulk of the heavy lifting for the team. Having the likes of Symonds, Clarke and Hussey coming in AFTER he's so frequently got the team into winning positions is irrelevant to his performance with the bat so far as I can see. Its not like he comes in and plays ridiculous slogs because he doesn't place any value on his wicket given the batting to come - he routinely builds an innings before accelerating when needed.

Ponting easily the best ODI batsman in the world at the moment for me. Until this WC, Hussey was #2 but he's slipping fast, Pietersen #3 and Clarke very close behind him at #4.

That's all fair enough, but I think it's less a matter of when you come to the crease and more a matter of your state of mind - Ponting knows even if he comes to the crease at 5-1 that he still has quality batters beneath him and he can bat fairly freely. If Pietersen came to the crease at 10-2, however, would he trust the guys below him enough to play his natural game?

I think we've seen in this World Cup that that's not the case. Pietersen knows that when England do lose early wickets, he can't rely on anyone below him in the order to bail them out, so he's forced to restrain himself early on. Look at how few sixes he's hit recently compared to earlier in his career, even though he's been getting runs - he knows he's playing in a dire team, and it's affecting the way he bats.

I guess we won't ever know what Pietersen would be like if he played the role Symonds does for Australia - at least, not until England somehow become world-beaters in ODIs.

 

[silentstriker]

No, he is in good form, but Ponting is clearly a better candidate to be the #1, and Haydos is pushing his case hard too.

 

[Ikki]

How does that work out. You can't exactly cheat the rankings. I'd rate Ponting to be in much better form at the moment than Pietersen at the moment tbh.

I also rate Ponting ahead, hence my comment. The fact that he's up there you may consider him worthy. Whether he has the best claim to the #1 spot, I disagree.

 

[Scaly piscine]

No, he is in good form, but Ponting is clearly a better candidate to be the #1, and Haydos is pushing his case hard too.

KP scores more runs and quicker than Ponting, When Ponting does that more than KP then Ponting will be #1.

As for KP being in good form? If he was he wouldn't keep chipping the ball to fielders and giving midwicket catches.