Best Test opener of the 21st Century?

[_00_deathscar]

In an individual innings, perhaps.

I guess the point for me is that once you start scoring at an 80 SR over a career, it will come at certain costs to your record.

It also came with huge benefits though. You're acting like it's all negative.

 

[Chrish]

Scoring quickly affects opposition morale more than anything else. If you have a guy who smashes your bowlers for successive boundaries, your bowlers would give up and it would be hard to recover unless you get that batsman out cheaply. Speaking from experience when I used to play, if some opposition batsman belted us, all we would think about was the next game; current game was already lost in everyone’s mind.

Sehwag was one of a kind.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Wonder if Sehwag could've averaged 60 if he batted 4 or 5

 

[subshakerz]

Wonder if Sehwag could've averaged 60 if he batted 4 or 5

He would have averaged north of 50 that's for sure. Likely around 52-55 range.

 

[subshakerz]

It also came with huge benefits though. You're acting like it's all negative.

No I said it's net neutral in a way.

 

[subshakerz]

Scoring quickly affects opposition morale more than anything else. If you have a guy who smashes your bowlers for successive boundaries, your bowlers would give up and it would be hard to recover unless you get that batsman out cheaply. Speaking from experience when I used to play, if some opposition batsman belted us, all we would think about was the next game; current game was already lost in everyone’s mind.

Sehwag was one of a kind.

My memory of Sehwag was that his great knocks used to often almost be in parallel to the rest of the innings. The bowlers would struggle against him but still be able to pick up wickets at the other end. It was like that for his 195, his 155 and his 201* and a few other knocks.

 

[Himannv]

Smith is clearly the best of that lot. Hayden was only better in the kitchen and the bedroom.

 

[Coronis]

For smith, I just can’t look past his record against Australia. Still, I can see why he is leading the list.

I mean where would you rather face Australia? In South Africa or India?

 

[Jayro]

Sehwag had a period where he scored 11 centuries had all 11 scores of more than 150 runs a record which still stands I guess, this goes on to show once he was set he won't get out before executing the total demolition of opposition.

 

[Calm_profit]

For smith, I just can’t look past his record against Australia. Still, I can see why he is leading the list.

Smith overall record against Australia was bad but he had 2 match winning hundreds in 4th innings.

 

[Raz0r6ack]

Smith is clearly the best of that lot. Hayden was only better in the kitchen and the bedroom.

In head to heads, playing on the same pitches Hayden (1036 runs @ 47) was a far bit better then Graeme Smith (682 runs @ 32.47).

 

[shortpitched713]

How often are you preferring an opener who scores 20(6) above one who scores 20(40)?

Or a number 11 that scores 4(2) above one who goes 4(20)?

It's a theory everyone buys into, its just a question of degree.

For the number 11, I'd almost certainly want the 4(20). As the guy on the other end would, being likely a much better batsman, have more time to squeeze out actually significant numbers of runs in that time.

 

[subshakerz]

In head to heads, playing on the same pitches Hayden (1036 runs @ 47) was a far bit better then Graeme Smith (682 runs @ 32.47).

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Yeah but Smith was facing an ATG attack

 

[Raz0r6ack]

Yeah but Smith was facing an ATG attack

Steyn, Pollock, Donald, Ntini, Morkel, etc are comparable enough to the Australian attack.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Steyn, Pollock, Donald, Ntini, Morkel, etc are comparable enough to the Australian attack.

Forget openers - Ponting did insanely well against those SA bowlers.

 

[Coronis]

Steyn, Pollock, Donald, Ntini, Morkel, etc are comparable enough to the Australian attack.

Fun fact, Donald had retired prior to Smith’s debut.

 

[GIMH]

Hayden I reckon, though skimming the thread I am persuaded by some of the arguments for Smith.

Unpopular opinion and maybe laced with bias but I’d rather Alastair Cook open for me if my life was on the line, than Sehwag

 

[BazBall21]

Wonder if Sehwag could've averaged 60 if he batted 4 or 5

He would have been better outside Asia for sure but opening in Asia is probably the best time to bat

 

[Victor Ian]

Hayden I reckon, though skimming the thread I am persuaded by some of the arguments for Smith.

Unpopular opinion and maybe laced with bias but I’d rather Alastair Cook open for me if my life was on the line, than Sehwag

what if your life was on the line and the batsman had to make 30 within the hour?

 

[Bolo.]

RSA were not a good bowling outfit for most of the overlap between Hayden and Smith. Donald was out, Pollock lacked penetration, Steyn on only started hitting his stride at the end of Haydens career, and Morkel was rubbish until after Hayden retired.

The guy holding the attack together in the mid 2000s was Ntini, who had a nice peak, but is still a bowler who averages close to 40 away... not exactly a worldbeater, basically Siddle with more favourable home conditions.

And then you had the rest. Andre Nel was arguably the premier bowler in the side at one stage, and they were playing bowlers like Andrew Hall and Paul Harris, as well as numerous other players who got shorter runs.