Your top 10 TEST batsmen of all-time

[Matteh]

seriously, I would like to ask guys who have seen Kallicharan bat... How good was he?


The first time I came across his name was when I was a kid. There was this chewing gum here which if u collected a certain number of its covers, you get a small book about cricket (not an actual book, more like a supplement) and the first chapter in that was about some innings Kallicharan played for some MCC XI kind of game... The author had written in very glowing terms about his batting....

Only Youtube video is of him smashing Lillee for 26 in an over in the 75 WC.

 

[JBMAC]

seriously, I would like to ask guys who have seen Kallicharan bat... How good was he?


The first time I came across his name was when I was a kid. There was this chewing gum here which if u collected a certain number of its covers, you get a small book about cricket (not an actual book, more like a supplement) and the first chapter in that was about some innings Kallicharan played for some MCC XI kind of game... The author had written in very glowing terms about his batting....

I was fortunate to see Kallicharan at the SCG when he was playing Shield for Qld. He scored 129 in what I considered was one of the finest displays of finesse batting of many of the West Indians I have seen and there has been a few of them.He only played a limited number of games the 77/78 season but made an impact.

 

[archie mac]

I loved him (Kalli) when I was a kid, tiny little fellow with a great hook shot, was a quick scorer. Went to SA and was never really mentioned much after that. He refused to join WSC (from memory)

 

[Ikki]

Theres no denying that Gilchrist's aggressive style of batting has been very useful to Australia. However, without guys like Hayden, Ponting, Hussey et al. I think it would have been significantly less useful.

You could actually make the statement that had it been not for them he would have been even more useful.

92 matches but only 130 innings. I think had he batted more he would have made a bigger difference and would have more runs and records. Regardless, no one scores as high as him and as fast. Richards is very fast, not as fast as Gilchrist, but he was more likely to score higher. I also consider Richards the better batsman in front of better bowling. But apart from that, for me, Gilchrist certainly compares.

 

[archie mac]

You could actually make the statement that had it been not for them he would have been even more useful.

92 matches but only 130 innings. I think had he batted more he would have made a bigger difference and would have more runs and records. Regardless, no one scores as high as him and as fast. Richards is very fast, not as fast as Gilchrist, but he was more likely to score higher. I also consider Richards the better batsman in front of better bowling. But apart from that, for me, Gilchrist certainly compares.

Should also consider that they batted in very different positions

 

[Lillian Thomson]

seriously, I would like to ask guys who have seen Kallicharan bat... How good was he?


The first time I came across his name was when I was a kid. There was this chewing gum here which if u collected a certain number of its covers, you get a small book about cricket (not an actual book, more like a supplement) and the first chapter in that was about some innings Kallicharan played for some MCC XI kind of game... The author had written in very glowing terms about his batting....

He was a less flamboyant version of Brian Lara.

 

[Richard]

People who watch cricket know Richards was a superior batsman, those with their nose stuck in book think they're equal.

Nah, people who watch cricket and read books know best.

 

[Richard]

I loved him (Kalli) when I was a kid, tiny little fellow with a great hook shot, was a quick scorer. Went to SA and was never really mentioned much after that. He refused to join WSC (from memory)

Nah, he was all set to and then it was discovered he couldn't because he'd have contravened a radio contract with South Australian radio.

Or something like that.

 

[Richard]

Screw you!!

I don't care if my list isn't considered correct or by the books. But why should I pick a player like Hutton/Barrington/Hobbs etc when I've read basically nothing about them, never seen them bat and have only just seen there names written down on a records sheet...

I made the exception wtih Bradman cause he was WAY better and Sobers I've actually seen some footage of him and think/thought he was awesome.

Richard,

I am interested in knowing what made you presume I was being facetious?

Oops, sorry guys, didn't actually spot the fact that Athlai had quoted the two of you as well as that bond21 clown.

Wouldn't have made said comment if I had.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Nah, people who watch cricket and read books know best.

In your case you were probably watching Holland v Kenya whilst reading Wind in the Willows.

 

[Richard]

Nah.

 

[NUFAN]

Oops, sorry guys, didn't actually spot the fact that Athlai had quoted the two of you as well as that bond21 clown.

Wouldn't have made said comment if I had.

LOL It's cool. I was still drunk when I posted my last message.

 

[bagapath]

I know all you guys have moved on. But before this thread closes here is my list, in reverse order.

10. Trumper
9. Gilchrist
8. Lara
7. Tendulkar
6. Gavaskar
5. Viv Richards
4. Sobers
3. Hammond
2. Hobbs
1. Bradman

Runners up: Compton, Ponting, Greg Chappell, George Headley, Dravid

 

[Days of Grace]

Thanks for your list, man. And thanks to all those who have posted their lists.

Okay, here is the top 20. 30 people voted. Only Bradman and Sobers made everyone's lists.

1 Bradman 300 points
2 Hobbs 229
3 Sobers 212
4 V. Richards 162
5 Hammond 127
6 Tendulkar 102
7 Lara 95
8 Headley 68
9 Hutton 57
10 Chappell 46
11 Gavaskar 36
12 Ponting 34
13 Sutcliffe 33
14 Pollock 28
15 Grace 24
16 B. Richards 14
17 Border 12
18 Barrington 11
19 Walcott 10
20 Gilchrist 9

Gilly leaves it very late to break into the top 20. As always, very close between Tendy and Lara, with Sachin just shavin it. Chappell perhaps the surprise no.10. The other 9 in the 10 seem to fit very well.

But, sorry guys, but Grace and Barry Richards should be nowhere near a TEST top 20.

Thanks again.

 

[silentstriker]

Don't really see any problems with the top ten. Good list.

 

[Fiery]

Nice sig

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Don't really see any problems with the top ten. Good list.

9 of the Top 10 were my choices (though not in the same order). The only one missing is Barry Richards (who comes in at14) replaced by Greg Chappell .

 

[The Sean]

Thanks for your list, man. And thanks to all those who have posted their lists.

Okay, here is the top 20. 30 people voted. Only Bradman and Sobers made everyone's lists.

1 Bradman 300 points
2 Hobbs 229
3 Sobers 212
4 V. Richards 162
5 Hammond 127
6 Tendulkar 102
7 Lara 95
8 Headley 68
9 Hutton 57
10 Chappell 46
11 Gavaskar 36
12 Ponting 34
13 Sutcliffe 33
14 Pollock 28
15 Grace 24
16 B. Richards 14
17 Border 12
18 Barrington 11
19 Walcott 10
20 Gilchrist 9

Gilly leaves it very late to break into the top 20. As always, very close between Tendy and Lara, with Sachin just shavin it. Chappell perhaps the surprise no.10. The other 9 in the 10 seem to fit very well.

But, sorry guys, but Grace and Barry Richards should be nowhere near a TEST top 20.

Thanks again.

Quality list, and not a long way from what I'd choose personally. Not that I actually posted my own list - so torn was I whether or not to include Grace that I didn't end up voting at all...

 

[Engle]

A good exercise. Glad to see GChappell in the top 10. He did very well in some highly challenging WSC Supertests in the WIndies as well as in ROW matches. One felt (i.e. me) that had he been a record/weak opposition chaser, his numbers could've been so much better.

 

[silentstriker]

9 of the Top 10 were my choices (though not in the same order). The only one missing is Barry Richards (who comes in at14) replaced by Greg Chappell .

Barry Richards could not be a great Test batsman because he did not play enough Tests. The question isn't best batsmen, its best TEST batsmen.