• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Richards v Tendulkar - ODIs

Who is the best ODI batsman of all time?


  • Total voters
    91

Ikki

Hall of Fame Member
I think Bevan deserves to be with them. For me; Bevan > Richards > Tendulkar.

Simply for the fact that I grew up watching Bevan. The amount of big knocks he played in ODIs for us is unbelievable. Statistically, Richards is a behemoth and that's why I think if anyone is better than Bevan it is Richards. I think Tendulkar is just below these two for mine.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Both amazing and the top two. Who is the top dog?
Richards is the only one who can seriously challenge Tendulkar IMO.

However, Tendulkar in 323 ODIs when he's opened averages a shade under 49, which is phenominal to have maintained over a period of 16 or so years.

For his sheer longevity I'd have Tendulkar just ahead of Viv.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
I'll probably go Richards given he averaged 47 in an era when ODI batting scores ranged between 200-230 for entire teams and an average of 30 was considered decent.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
I think Bevan deserves to be with them. For me; Bevan > Richards > Tendulkar.

Simply for the fact that I grew up watching Bevan. The amount of big knocks he played in ODIs for us is unbelievable. Statistically, Richards is a behemoth and that's why I think if anyone is better than Bevan it is Richards. I think Tendulkar is just below these two for mine.
IMO it's Tendulkar > Richards >>>>>> Bevan.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
Richards is the only one who can seriously challenge Tendulkar IMO.

However, Tendulkar in 323 ODIs when he's opened averages a shade under 49, which is phenominal to have maintained over a period of 16 or so years.

For his sheer longevity I'd have Tendulkar just ahead of Viv.
Wow, didn't know he averages 49 opening. Amazing. Tendulkar has a very poor start to his ODI career and averaged very low in his initial matches as a kid. He would probably average higher in say the last 15 years he has played cricket.

Richards maintained his average in ODIs to his credit. I'll still give it to Richards.

What separates them is that Richards was more devastating and fearsome than Tendulkar and that's the key for me, the more I think about it.
 

Sir Alex

Banned
I think Bevan deserves to be with them. For me; Bevan > Richards > Tendulkar.

Simply for the fact that I grew up watching Bevan. The amount of big knocks he played in ODIs for us is unbelievable. Statistically, Richards is a behemoth and that's why I think if anyone is better than Bevan it is Richards. I think Tendulkar is just below these two for mine.
That is funny comparing a middle order player with an opener. Tendulkar has done stuff Bevan could not even imagine to.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
I think Bevan deserves to be with them. For me; Bevan > Richards > Tendulkar.
Tendulkar averages 45 in ODIs and more when you consider he averaged less in his first 5 years or so. Richards averages 47. Bevan averages just 53 despite all the not outs. I think Bevan and Dhoni compare for 'the best finisher' ever but when we talk about all time ODI batting, I can't think of any one in the level of Richards and Tendulkar.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
I'll probably go Richards given he averaged 47 in an era when ODI batting scores ranged between 200-230 for entire teams and an average of 30 was considered decent.
Statistically the thing for me which stands out about Viv is his strike rate. IIRC it's around about 91.

Phenominal when you consider that some of his contemporaries, like Greenidge and Haynes, who a) would have been considered attacking batsmen and b) were excellent ODI bats in their own right had strike rates in the mid 60s.
 

Ikki

Hall of Fame Member
Tendulkar averages 45 in ODIs and more when you consider he averaged less in his first 5 years or so. Richards averages 47. Bevan averages just 53 despite all the not outs. I think Bevan and Dhoni compare for 'the best finisher' ever but when we talk about all time ODI batting, I can't think of any one in the level of Richards and Tendulkar.
There's a reason why Bevan has so many not-outs, and simply batting down the order doesn't explain it. We've done averages and counted scores above certain averages when not outs, so I am not gonna get into that.

There are 3 players that stand out just that much more than all others in ODIs, and they are Bevan, Richards and Tendulkar. Your opinion is your opinion...and IMO you're dead wrong.
 

Ikki

Hall of Fame Member
By luck of birth. Bevan played no part in either final.
He just carried us there in the first place.

For a period India were one of the best ODI sides in the world. They got to a final and he didn't produce the goods when it mattered. So the nationality thing ain't cuttin' it.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
Tendulkar has done stuff Bevan could not even imagine to.
And Tendulkar cannot think of finishing a game like Bevan. Stupid thing to say.

Bevan's done stuff Tendulkar can't imagine to...like win a world cup.
Not Tendulkar's fault he hasn't won a world cup. He was Man of The Series in 2003 and averages superb in World Cups. Again, stupid thing to say.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
There's a reason why Bevan has so many not-outs, and simply batting down the order doesn't explain it. We've done averages and counted scores above certain averages when not outs, so I am not gonna get into that.

There are 3 players that stand out just that much more than all others in ODIs, and they are Bevan, Richards and Tendulkar. Your opinion is your opinion...and IMO you're dead wrong.
I do know his average is not inflated purely because of not outs but not outs do play a huge role and it puts him in weak stead when compared with Richards and Tendulkar who average 45 plus.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
It would be nice if a mod can add Bevan to the poll if it is possible to do it considering Ikki's case.
 

Sir Alex

Banned
Like?

Bevan's done stuff Tendulkar can't imagine to...like win a world cup.
:laugh: By that logic Darren Lehmann is a better ODI player than Brian Lara. 8-)

Teams win championships not individuals mate. I am speaking about who was the better individual competitor. And ODIs are not just World Cups alone. I sense it comes from your Australian bias. Hence I don't want to argue it further.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Haha, I knew as soon as I saw this thread title that it would have degenerated into Sachin vs. [Insert Australian Player].

Well done.
 

Jungle Jumbo

International Vice-Captain
Pointless comparing them IMO, they were essentially playing different games (for all but the first five years of Tendulkar's career or so, anyway).
 

Top