Ricky Ponting vs Rahul Dravid

[Coronis]

Two titans of the modern era, but which was the better Test batsman?

 

[harsh.ag]

Dravid, obzectively.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Haha what's with all the dravid threads?

I'll go Chappell>Ponting>Border~Dravid>Waugh. Smith could end up better than all of them but he's the most shameless cheat of the bunch and thus deserves exclusion.

 

[Burgey]

Sp you’re ruling out proven ball tamperer (and associate of known match fixer Md Azharuddin) Sachin Tendulkar from any future comparisons. Good to know.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Oh he's a cheat too. Everyone in this poll was one as well. Waugh and Smith a level above though.

 

[cnerd123]

Ponting better at his peak, but Dravid had the better career.

 

[ankitj]

Oh he's a cheat too. Everyone in this poll was one as well. Waugh and Smith a level above though.

Ponting personifies remorseless cheating for me.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Ponting had the better career too IMO.

I think they both had strikingly similar career trajectories. Both emerged in 1996/97, and performed really well in some tough conditions against good attacks, hit an immense purple patch between 2002-06 (Ponting a bit better) and then from 07-11 they were both pretty meh (Ponting probably worse) apart from one last great series (Dravid in England, Ponting vs India) before being sadly atrocious in their final series.

 

[fredfertang]

Ponting was certainly remorseless at his peak - was a relief when, towards the end of his career, he became fallible - hoping it will happen to Kohli one day

 

[OverratedSanity]

Ponting personifies remorseless cheating for me.

He was a bigger douchebag but a less egregious cheat.

 

[Burgey]

Ponting personifies remorseless cheating for me.

We won't be copping lectures on morality from supporters of the Home of Matchfixing, thanks.

Besides, I think you'll find no Australian cricketer would ever cross the line like that.

 

[ankitj]

We won't be copping lectures on morality from supporters of the Home of Matchfixing, thanks.

Besides, I think you'll find no Australian cricketer would ever cross the line like that.

LOL. Bringing in country and nationality into it so soon? It was not a lecture on morality to *you* anyway, so I don't know what is "we". Victim complex much?

 

[cnerd123]

Waugh still the benchmark for Cheating Aussies for me. Pointing is great but not the best cheat from his nation.

It's staggering how a country so small has produced such a high percentage of cheaters tbh. Something to do with the culture clearly.

 

[Burgey]

The only culture you'd know anything about is the yoghurt you have with your breakfast every morning, ****head.

 

[Burgey]

harsh seems to have voted for everyone in the poll. I love this.

 

[cnerd123]

The only culture you'd know anything about is the yoghurt you have with your breakfast every morning, ****head.

Would still be more culture than Australia posses tbqf

Maybe something is wrong with your dier? Do Vegemite and a lack of cooking skill breed dishonesty in people?

 

[trundler]

Waugh ought to be the worst cheat. Straight up claimed dropped catches.

The #2 spot is much more interesting. Sandpaper or Underarm?

Anyway, as batsman Chappell>Ponting> Dravid>Border>Waugh IMO.

Can't say for Smith but I expect him to at least surpass Waugh. Will probably overtake Ponting in due time too.

 

[the big bambino]

Good thing about Australia is that it shows up some mighty big complexes in some very small people. Anyways I'm curious as to why people get so upset about a bloke claiming a catch he thought he took but when bowlers and keepers appeal for lbw off an inside edge or a catch that missed the outside edge then that's "just cricket".

 

[trundler]

That's pretty different from dropping it, watching it drop, picking it up AND THEN claiming it.

Get a load of this sanctimony from the nation that produced Greg Dyer in addition to Waugh.

 

[cnerd123]

As if claiming dropped catches is the only cheating Aussies have done lol

Someone post the video of the current head coach knocking the bails off with his hand and appealing for a hitwicket plz