Top 50 Greatest test batters

[Johan]

What about Lara and Smith?

Did you take for all the years? I mean he played 2 Tests each in 1978 and 1979. Is 2 tests enough?

I took basically every year, but if you want me to then I'm willing to use World Series Cricket for 1977/1978/1979 and that would clear a few things up.

Smith – 60%

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Who?

Kallis, Sanga, Ponting, and Dravid are somehow frauds iirc lol

 

[Johan]

Who?

it's always Kallis, Sangakkara, Ponting and Dravid.

 

[sayon basak]

it's always Kallis, Sangakkara, Ponting and Dravid.

Root is a fraud as well.

 

[Johan]

Root is a fraud as well.

Why?

 

[sayon basak]

Why?

Because I said so.

 

[DrWolverine]

Post war batsmen(% of years averaging 50+) :

Smith : 60%
Sachin : 48%
Lara : 47%
Viv : 44%
Sunny : 41%
Sobers : 40%

 

[Johan]

Because I said so.

Lol Ok.

 

[DrWolverine]

Because I said so.

Ok Stone Cold

 

[subshakerz]

Post war batsmen(% of years averaging 50+) :

Smith : 60%
Sachin : 48%
Lara : 47%
Viv : 44%
Sunny : 41%
Sobers : 40%

It's not the best metric.

I think looking at percentage compared to series played makes more sense.

 

[Johan]

that will take some work.

 

[DrWolverine]

That’s too cumbersome

 

[DrWolverine]

Percentage of years averaging 40+ in a year

Sachin Tendulkar : 72%
Brian Lara : 68.75%
Steven Smith : 66.6%
Sunil Gavaskar : 64.7%
Gary Sobers : 57.8%
Viv Richards : 55.5%

Percentage of years averaging 50+ in a year
Steven Smith : 60%
Sachin Tendulkar : 48%
Brian Lara : 47%
Viv Richards : 44%
Sunil Gavaskar : 41%
Gary Sobers : 40%

 

[subshakerz]

On reflection, I am struggling to see any argument for why Sobers should be rated ahead of Hutton.

Hutton simply averaged the same while playing better bowling generally on tougher pitches and in a far more difficult position.

The only real arguments would be SR, but it's not like Sobers was Viv level aggressive, and peer rating, which can't account for this difference.

Thanks for opening my mind on Hutton @Johan.

In fact I think Hutton moves ahead of Smith for me too.

I think Sobers vs Smith is a real battle.

 

[subshakerz]

My top ten now looks

Bradman
Tendulkar
Hobbs
Viv
Hutton
Sobers
Smith
Lara
Hammond
Headley or Gavaskar

 

[Johan]

Percentage of years averaging 40+ in a year

Sachin Tendulkar : 72%
Brian Lara : 68.75%
Steven Smith : 66.6%
Sunil Gavaskar : 64.7%
Gary Sobers : 57.8%
Viv Richards : 55.5%

Viv would get a pretty big boost in this regard if WSC is used, with WSC his average in 1977 would go to 44 I think and in 1978 it would be 50+, but would come down from 50 in 1979 but stay 47

 

[DrWolverine]

Sachin’s consistency does not surprise me.
I am just surprised that Sobers is quite low whether the bar was average of 40+ or 50+.

 

[subshakerz]

It's not the best metric.

I think looking at percentage compared to series played makes more sense.

Number of series averaging 50 (not counting single tests):
Tendulkar 37/66
Lara 17/35
Viv 14/29
Smith 17/36

Tendulkar is far ahead. Second would be Viv if we count WSC. Further proof his consistency problem is overrated.

 

[Johan]

the majority of Viv's issues from middling home record to lack of consistency to lack of output etc just keep falling like flies.

 

[subshakerz]

the majority of Viv's issues from middling home record to lack of consistency to lack of output etc just keep falling like flies.

Viv is only bat in history who could average 50 plus in a bowling era with a SR of 70. He is exceptional.