Who would you pick as your 2 Test openers from 21st Century?

[_00_deathscar]

Smith
-
-
Tendulkar
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Kallis
Gilchrist
-
-
McGrath
Murali

Fill as you please.

Dont' think it's quite as cut and dry as that - as much as I love Sachin, if this is 21st century only, Sachin was pretty great during this decade but there were a couple of batsman as good if not better.

He's a lock for the 90s though.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

If Cook had retired 18 months ago he'd be a lock. Just because he played on when past his best doesn't mean he shouldn't be in. I'd have him and Hayden as my openers.

 

[Bolo]

If Cook had retired 18 months ago he'd be a lock. Just because he played on when past his best doesn't mean he shouldn't be in. I'd have him and Hayden as my openers.

They all slumped at the end. You could probably pick a point at which any of them would have looked like locks

 

[trundler]

Smith would've averaged 50 if not for those last few matches where he averaged 20 odd too.

 

[trundler]

Someone dig up the stats to compare their peaks please.

 

[Howe_zat]

Ugh.

 

[_00_deathscar]

Older but here you go:
Blogs: Anantha Narayanan: Test streaks: 52 and 27 matches long | Cricket Blogs | ESPNcricinfo

 

[Bolo]

Someone dig up the stats to compare their peaks please.

Wrong approach. Either do it yourself or make an unfounded claim about XYZ being far better or worse and annoy someone sufficiently to have them prove you wrong.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

smith and sehwag.

Hayden was probably better than sehwag, but sehwag offers contrast and can go nuts in a way with that hayden and smith can't as much.

awta

 

[Red]

Smith and one of either Sehwag/Cook. Not interested in downhill skiers like Hayden.

FWIW I'd prefer Langer to Hayden as well. Much better opener than Hayden once he was promoted up the order

 

[stephen]

Hayden and Smith.

Hayden was far more adaptable than Sehwag. Sehwag averaged far below Hayden outside of Asia. Even in Hayden's worst country (NZ, average 28) he averages 8 more than Sehwag (20).

In fact the only places where Sehwag averages more than 3 higher than Hayden are Sri Lanka and Pakistan. And the latter only because Hayden never played there (Sehwag averaged 90 in Pakistan - Hayden 100 in the UAE).

The only thing Sehwag has over Hayden statistically is his strike rate, but in tests the difference between a 60 SR and an 80 SR isn't really that valuable, particularly for an opener.

Smith would cover Hayden's weakness in New Zealand and England and Hayden would cover Smith's weaknesses in Australia and India.

I don't think Cook offers anything better than either Smith or Hayden to warrant replacing either. Smith is better in swinging conditions, Hayden in bouncy conditions and all three had fantastic records in the subcontinent.

 

[stephen]

Smith and one of either Sehwag/Cook. Not interested in downhill skiers like Hayden.

FWIW I'd prefer Langer to Hayden as well. Much better opener than Hayden once he was promoted up the order

So you don't like Hayden basically. Because Langer was not a better batsman than Hayden.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Hayden and Langer were so different to each other, it’s part of why they were so good together. The benefit of either has a counterpoint with the other.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Hayden and Sehwag.

If we're playing on a greentop Cook and Smith.

Warner could slot in there somewhere as well without losing anything as well

Hard to choose between those 5 really

edit: actually made this post before I saw the poll

 

[_00_deathscar]

The only thing Sehwag has over Hayden statistically is his strike rate, but in tests the difference between a 60 SR and an 80 SR isn't really that valuable, particularly for an opener.

Again, this goes back to so many more factors than just "average, strike rate, and better for the openers to hold out for as long as possible".

When you have Dravid, Sachin, Ganguly, Laxman to come, Sehwag was the PERFECT opener in many ways, and a good counterpoint to Gambhir as well. Because while Gambhir held up one end, Sehwag was going out there scoring 80 from 100 balls and really hurting the opposition. Yes, he was equally as likely to score 10 from 12 as he was 80 from 100, but it's just something you put up with because of how mercurial he was.

It's not like he had a middling or late 30s average - he was up there with his contemporaries.

However, your points re: Sehwag's relatively lower average outside of Asia is a valid one.

What is actually more curious is why Sehwag was never really great in ODIs.

 

[cnerd123]

What is actually more curious is why Sehwag was never really great in ODIs.

Guys like him and Slater relied too much on the aggressive fields set for Test cricket. They didn't hit over the top much, weren't particularly fond of running quick singles, and didn't playback lot of unconventional strokes so were fairly easy to set a field too

Also Sehwag himself mentioned, iirc, that he oftener tried to overhit the ball and play too aggressively when playing ODIs rather than just settle into his natural game.

 

[Agricultural]

Sehwag and Hayden.

The only thing Sehwag has over Hayden statistically is his strike rate, but in tests the difference between a 60 SR and an 80 SR isn't really that valuable, particularly for an opener. .

Factors do come into play. Demoralisation of the opponent team. Damaging the new ball. Both beneficial for Sehwag's batting partner.

 

[Hicheal Michael]

Interesting to note Smith's average of 37 at home if you exclude BNG & ZIM. Drops to 34 if you exclude WI.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Smith was an ATB

 

[subshakerz]

First option is Smith. Gritty player in tough conditions but a great accumulator. More than the other players, he was a pressure player. Scored four match-winning tons in a chase and never lost a match when he scored a ton, indicated when he scored it usually mattered.

The other option is Hayden. He is aggressive unlike Cook and is not as hopeless against the swinging ball as Sehwag, who couldnt even average 30 in NZ, SA and England. Not being able to deal with lateral movement is too big a liability for an opener. Sehwag would be a better middle order player than opener.