Players who do well against big opposition

[Arjun]

In November 2001, experts were discussing why Andy Flower had not done so well against Bangladesh. Statistician Joy Bhattacharya said that he's one of those players who doesn't really do his best against a team like Bangladesh, who keep "sleepwalking through every match". He needs a big opposition to shine, a lot like Chris Cairns.

Whom would you expect to do well against top opposition? And who have? I'd say Andy Flower and Chris Cairns have a shout, but there are some other examples that we find, such as Nasser Hussain or even Yuvraj Singh or Nathan Astle. I can't comment on any time before the 1990s, when the top opposition had been different.

 

[Noble One]

VVS Laxman is a good example. Always steps up against Australia, batting well beyond what his overall record suggests.

 

[Arjun]

VVS Laxman is a good example. Always steps up against Australia, batting well beyond what his overall record suggests.

That statistic is even more remarkable in one-day cricket. It even came to a stage where a newspaper article said "Bring on the Aussies! Or leave VVS in the dressing room!" in light of poor form aganist England in England in 2004.

 

[DaRick]

Well, there were players who performed brilliantly against both big opposition and minnows (like Steve Waugh from about 1993-2001 and intermittenly thereafter). There are those who, despite being world-class, prey a bit too much on minnows (Kumar Sangakkara).

...and then there are those, who perform against big opposition, but fail against minnows.

IMO,

- Virender Sehwag
- Brett Lee (well, to some extent, anyway)
- Nasser Hussain (as Arjun said)
- Shane Warne (except against India)
- Andrew Flintoff (from 2004-05 to 2005-06)

To an extent, Mike Atherton fits the bill, although he's more of a big-match performer, which leads his statistical record against Australia and the West Indies to be more inconsistent (and a fairly middling overall average).

In the end, though, whether someone performs against 'big' opposition is often as much dependent on form as it would be on the opposition in question. Look at Andrew Flintoff, for instance. There are some exceptions, but this is probably the case with most players.

 

[Noble One]

That statistic is even more remarkable in one-day cricket. It even came to a stage where a newspaper article said "Bring on the Aussies! Or leave VVS in the dressing room!" in light of poor form aganist England in England in 2004.

VVS caused an incredible amount of hype in Australia when he wasn't included in India's 2003 World Cup squad. Don't think the media could understand that a cricketer who dominated Australia so much could be utterly average against other nations.

 

[Eclipse]

Ricky Ponting

 

[GIMH]

Pietersen does well against most teams, but he's the man I'm backing to score loads of runs in the summer because he rises to the occasion

 

[fredfertang]

Against the great West Indian sides of the 80's whether we liked him or not we were grateful for Alan Lamb's ability to rise to the occasion

 

[oitoitoi]

Dravid? Certainly knows how to rise to the occasion. Tendulkar and Lara are probably just too good to come into the equation. I don't think Ponting is a minnow basher but he's awesome against mediocre to good bowling attacks but he consistently fails against the top most draw.

Yuvraj in ODI's. Atherton is a good call, Vishwanath for India was fantastic in tough situations against top sides, good record vs the Windies too. Graham Thorpe always struck me as a player who played his best when it was hardest.

Barry Richards in that once he realised he couldn't play international cricket he didn't really apply himself in FC cricket (by his standards), e.g. didn't take on the short ball anymore.

I think KP while he produces the stats, in tough situations he consistently fails (which is why England keep losing tests despite him scoring runs).

 

[nightprowler10]

Not as good as some of the others mentioned but Salim Malik and to a lesser extent Saeed Anwar could be considered.

 

[Redbacks]

Andrew Symonds tends to produce the goods in big ODI games

 

[_Ed_]

Shane Bond was useful in ODIs against Australia.

 

[Pothas]

Gavaskar's amazing record against the West Indies is impressive as almost any other batsman against a side that dominated so much.

 

[Dissector]

As has been pointed out before, Gavaskar supposedly great record against the West Indies is a bit of an illusion. He plundered runs against weak Windies sides in the 70's (including a Packer-weakened one) and performed only decently against the really strong sides in the 80's.

I wouldn't rate Ponting as particularly good against the top bowling attacks.Steve Waugh was good against the best attacks in the 90's and I think Geoff Boycott also performed against top attacks. Sachin also especially against Australia.

 

[Furball]

I think KP while he produces the stats, in tough situations he consistently fails (which is why England keep losing tests despite him scoring runs).

Just wrong on so many levels.

 

[Briony]

Gavaskar's amazing record against the West Indies is impressive as almost any other batsman against a side that dominated so much.

But Sunil faced them on the flat tracks of the sub-continent and even the pitches in the West Indies weren't that pace conducive. The real test was facing them in Australia.

Steve Waugh did all right but 'hid' down the order. His record at #3 wasn't too flash.

 

[Furball]

Steve Waugh did all right but 'hid' down the order. His record at #3 wasn't too flash.

That just makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

 

[honestbharani]

But Sunil faced them on the flat tracks of the sub-continent and even the pitches in the West Indies weren't that pace conducive. The real test was facing them in Australia.

Steve Waugh did all right but 'hid' down the order. His record at #3 wasn't too flash.

lol... You can the same thing about Tendulkar, Greg Chappell too...


And in fact, while we are at it, we can also blame every great #3 for "hiding" behind the openers.. So that Bradman bloke ain't so gr8 as them openers, is he?

 

[Burgey]

As has been pointed out before, Gavaskar supposedly great record against the West Indies is a bit of an illusion. He plundered runs against weak Windies sides in the 70's (including a Packer-weakened one) and performed only decently against the really strong sides in the 80's.

I wouldn't rate Ponting as particularly good against the top bowling attacks.Steve Waugh was good against the best attacks in the 90's and I think Geoff Boycott also performed against top attacks. Sachin also especially against Australia.

Gavaskar's record v Lillee-led Australian attacks isn't all that good iirc, but I haven't access to the statys atm.

Loving the Ponting hate here. The number of times he's set up the direction of series by scoring a ton early is massive. If you think he's mud against quality attacks fair enough, but you might want to factor in his inningd in Perth v Akthar-led Pakistan, his 150-odd in the 3rd Ashes test in 05 and even his recent ton in India under the pressure of his own poor record there, to name but three.

See, if Ponting's been the pre-eminent batsman since about 2000 or close to it, yet isn't flash against top attacks, then attacks around the world must frankly all be ****.

Bad call, imo.

 

[bagapath]

as bowlers glenn mcgrath, shane warne, imran khan, richard hadlee, malcolm marshall, curtly ambrose and dennis lillee had a sense for big occasions; instrumental in so many tide changing moments against big opponents in critical sessions in important tests. hope that answer fits into the discussion.