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Kumar Sangakkara vs Allan Border

Who was the greater test batsmen?

  • Kumar Sangakkara

    Votes: 32 58.2%
  • Allan Border

    Votes: 23 41.8%

  • Total voters
    55

Migara

Cricketer Of The Year
Not disagreeing with your overall point, but by saying "subcontinent" you're undervaluing a double against Pakistan in UAE when SL were bowled out for a sub-200 score in the first innings.
The important point is Border played against minnow SL team many times. But has no doubles to show.
 

Coronis

Cricketer Of The Year
I don't think OS is actually saying he is over-rated - he said he's in the top 15 bats of all time and he's not really rated higher than that by the vast majority of people - he's just saying that his overall Test average is inflated compared to someone like Border. He's definitely not a 7-run beter batsman than Border so his raw average "over-rates" him in that way.

I largely agree too. I think 10th-15th of all time is about right and I voted for him here ahead of Border but it's close, and the reason it can be so close despite his obscene average is the factors OS pointed out.
tbh it was more in reaction to TJB’s “one of the most overrated players” comment. I don’t necessarily think anyone is a seven run batsman better than Border but yeah I don’t generally see anyone here ever rating him any higher than that region 10-15 so I guess its more the phrasing bothering me.
 

ataraxia

International Coach
Sanga’s double tons….

DateVersusGroundRuns
1
Bangladesh​
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium​
319
2
South Africa​
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground​
287
3
Zimbabwe​
Queens Sports Club​
270
4
South Africa​
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground​
232
5
Pakistan​
Gaddafi Stadium​
230
6
Bangladesh​
Asgiriya Stadium​
222*
7
Pakistan​
Galle International Stadium​
221
8
India​
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground​
219
9
Pakistan​
Sheikh Zayed Stadium​
211
10
New Zealand​
Basin Reserve​
203
11
Bangladesh​
P Sara Oval​
200*
12
Pakistan​
Galle International Stadium​
199*
13
Pakistan​
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground​
192
14
Australia​
Bellerive Oval​
192
I get that it's only three doubles vs Bangladesh but it kinda proves the point. Two not out doubles at home vs Bangladesh (nothing ever happens at home vs Bangladesh after all...) and another triple in a drawn match.

That said, Sanga's still very good.
 

CricAddict

Cricketer Of The Year
I get that it's only three doubles vs Bangladesh but it kinda proves the point. Two not out doubles at home vs Bangladesh (nothing ever happens at home vs Bangladesh after all...) and another triple in a drawn match.

That said, Sanga's still very good.
Looks like he would have been rated higher here if he had got 3 ducks instead of 3 doubles in those innings against Bangers.
 

Flem274*

123/5
why are we focusing on 3 innings of Sangakkara's 233 test match innings? 3 of his 38 test hundreds?

it's not like these were knock out games or something either. 3 innings and 3 hundreds do not make a test average of 57 over 233 innings.

global pitch homegenization during his era inflated the average a bit but let's be real he has pretty generous room for that average to come down before he can be anything other than a top tier ATG batsman, and the same pitch homogeneity he benefitted from also kept his rivals averages propped up. Ponting might have his era to thank for keeping his average above 50 after he soldiered on for the good of the team for so long despite clearly being just a 'test standard but no more' player by the end (this is not a slight at Ponting's ATG status before anyone sooks at me).

Sangakkara's average benefits more from retiring when he still had more talent to give as well. Most greats cling on, determined to prove a point one last time I guess, but eventually need to be shoulder tapped for their own good. One day Sangakkara woke up and said nah cbf and fair enough.

I voted for Border but focusing on 3 innings from Sanga's career because they were against a minnow isn't an argument. As someone who's team recently lost to a (in our conditions) minnow, someone needs to put them away or it's all a bit embarrassing. Minnow bashing is only a crime if it's the only thing a player does.
 

OverratedSanity

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Looks like he would have been rated higher here if he had got 3 ducks instead of 3 doubles in those innings against Bangers.
He'd be rated exactly the same by me but he'd be rated marginally lower than he is now by people who only look at his overall average. That's what's funny here.
 

Coronis

Cricketer Of The Year
Appropriately inflated by asian poster votes ? ???
I know how tongue in cheek this post is, really I do, but just for me as a proud Aussie I’d like to say that I definitely have no problem rating 4-5, (maybe even 6 on some days) Asian batsman above Border.
 

Burgey

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Border played against minnow SL team many times
He played against SL seven times. Less than half the tests Sanga played vs Bangladesh.

That said, Sanga is one of my favourite players. I rate him up there with Tendulkar & De Silva as blokes from the SC who didn't crap themselves when it bounced above waist height. Dravid too.
 

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