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Viv Richards vs Virat Kohli
- Thread starter ma1978
- Start date
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Richards.
Nintendo
Cricketer Of The Year
Is this red + Whiteball or just red ball?
trundler
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The numbers aren't particularly close, though. Kohli is much more feast and famine even compared to Richards and much more of an HTB (relatively, still gun) and has a much better rate of tonning up despite the decline. They have different styles of play and consequently different strengths and weaknesses. Can't see how they're similar beyond being 2 radiators of big dick energy.
Fuller Pilch
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
White ball perhaps, but red ball? Not close.
Coronis
Hall of Fame Member
In my experience people on here at least, tend to have it as Tendulkar >= Richards/Lara > Gavaskar > Ponting > Sanga/Kallis/Dravid.
Anyway on the thread topic, Richards easily, far more well rounded record. Kohli a big HTB. Far more hit and miss with a higher rate of doubles, but a lot more failures.
Nintendo
Cricketer Of The Year
Can somoene give me the rundown on why VIV is so highly rated on here btw. Is it Aura factor + that one crazy year period averaging 70 odd or is there more too it? Because his test record doesn't immeditantly jump out as being in that tendulkar, smith, lara, pre war english opener category of best bar bradman.
trundler
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Played 2 thirds of his tests away and still averaged 50 at a ridiculous strike rate, dominated the ATG bowlers of his day in closely fought bowler-friendly away series several times where he was the biggest difference between the two sides, never got to play minnows and did some things that are just memorable like the fastest ton (for like 30+ years) and chasing 140 odd in 20 overs in a test in the '80s. Also, yeah the crazy peak helps.
Chrish
International Debutant
His home vs away record is as well-rounded as Tendulkar’s. Averaged 50 at the SR of 67 which was previously unheard of. And never wore helmet despite pace bowlers (especially Australians) repeatedly tried to bounce him. Also, had a great record in WSC that isn’t counted toward FC record.
Fuller Pilch
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Viv along with Gavaskar was the best batsman of the 70s and 80s, while Kohli is the 4th best of the last 10 years.
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Minus the minnows from everyone else's record and Vivs looks just fine.
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I think you're overrating the strength of the attacks Richards faced. Most of the ATG bowlers were on his side.
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
It's more than one crazy year. Viv had the greatest peak for any batter except Bradman in cricket history from 76 to 81.
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
He has series dominating against Lillee, Imran, peak Botham and Hadlee, and the Indian spin quartet.
Burgey
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Viv Richards is easily the most devastating batsman I've seen in over 45 years of watching cricket. Like he was just ****ing ridiculous. He was better than Gilly-level demoralizing but did it right handed and higher up the order. And he was also the best all round fieldsman of his generation - utterly brilliant, and bowled handy offies with it. And a decent skipper too.
Like you see blokes these days bomb sixes over mid off and extra cover all the time. No one did that in the 70s and 80s. You just didn't see it. Except him. He was doing it back when it was pretty much unthinkable.
These two guys would probably be two of the first fellas picked in an AT LO XI. Kohli as a LO has basically done it all, and fair enough people marvel at it. But Viv did it first. Sort of the Pele of ODI batting.
And in tests, as an Aus fan growing up in the 70s and 80s, you hid behind your couch and peeked over the top of it in fear when Viv came out to bat, because if he batted for any more than about and hour and a half you were going to get pummeled into oblivion
Edit: oh, and swag. FMD the man was walking testosterone. I know that shouldn't come into it but it did, because you marveled at it while at the same time wanting him brought down a peg or two. Said it before on here a few times, but when he and Lillee went at it, you could have a ground with the combined capacity of the MCG and the Modhi Stadium, and it still wouldn't be big enough for the combined ego.
Fuller Pilch
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Didn't tour NZ in 79/80.
Averaged 62 with 1 100 in 4 tests vs Hadlee in WI in 84/85 (Richie Richardson did better).
Averaged 19 in 3 tests vs Hadlee in NZ in 86/87.
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I mean that is still pretty good, if not outright dominating then not far off.