Top 50 Greatest test batters

[sayon basak]

Chanderpaul would not make my personal top 50

You probably haven't arranged your top 50/100 yet. If you did, you'd realize that he wouldn't even make your top 70.

 

[Johan]

You probably haven't arranged your top 50/100 yet. If you did, you'd realize that he wouldn't even make your top 70.

Yeah I haven't lol, Literally few messages later I end up listing nearly 80 better players.

 

[Johan]

I like the position of Ponting

you're such a hater.

 

[Line and Length]

I think someone posted the result of the 2022 poll I conducted. Here is the 2024 poll I ran with the 50 extended to 60 and a comparison of the two polls in terms of '22 rankings.

	*Current player	Tests	Runs	Average	Centuries	Usual Batting Position	2022 Rank
1	D. Bradman	52	6996	99.94	29	3	1
2	S. Tendulkar	200	15921	53.79	51	4	4
3	J. Hobbs	61	5410	56.95	15	Opener	2
4	G. Sobers	93	8032	57.78	26	5 & 6	3
5	L. Hutton	79	6971	56.67	19	Opener	7
6	B. Lara	131	11953	52.89	34	4	6
7	V. Richards	121	8540	50.24	24	3 - 5	5
8	*S.Smith	109	9685	56.97	32	4 & Opener	10
9	S. Gavaskar	125	10122	51.12	34	Opener	9
10	W. Hammond	85	7249	58.46	22	3 & 4	8
11	H. Sutcliffe	54	4555	60.73	16	Opener	12
12	G. Headley	22	2190	60.83	10	3	11
13	R. Ponting	168	13378	51.85	41	3	14
14	J. Kallis	166	13289	55.37	45	3 & 4	18
15	G. Chappell	87	7110	53.86	24	4	13
16	A. Border	156	11174	50.56	27	4 - 6	17
17	K. Sangakkara	134	12400	57.41	38	3	16
18	G. Pollock	23	2256	60.97	7	4	15
19	S. Waugh	168	10927	51.06	32	5	19
20	K. Barrington	82	6806	58.67	20	3 & 4	20
21	R. Dravid	164	13288	52.31	36	3	22
22	E. Weekes	48	4455	58.62	15	4	23
23	D. Nourse	34	2960	53.82	9	4	27
24	Javed Miandad	124	8832	52.57	23	4	21
25	Younis Khan	118	10099	52.06	34	4	25
26	C. Walcott	44	3798	56.69	15	3 or 5	26
27	*K.Williamson	100	8743	54.99	32	3	39
28	*J.Root	140	11736	49.73	31	4	36
29	*V.Kohli	113	8848	49.16	29	4	38
30	G. Smith	117	9265	48.26	27	Opener	37
31	AB de Villiers	114	8765	50.66	22	5 & 6	28
32	D. Compton	78	5807	50.06	17	4	24
33	N. Harvey	79	6149	48.42	21	3 & 4	34
34	G. Boycott	108	8114	47.73	22	Opener	29
35	G. Greenidge	108	7558	44.72	19	Opener	42
36	V. Trumper	48	3163	39.05	8	Opener	31
37	A. Flower	63	4794	51.55	12	5	30
38	F. Worrell	51	3860	49.49	9	3 or 5	35
39	V. Sehwag	104	8586	49.34	23	Opener	40
40	P.May	66	4537	46.77	13	3 & 4	46
41	R.Kanhai	79	6227	47.53	15	3	33
42	H.Amla	124	9282	46.64	28	3	unranked
43	M.Crowe	77	5444	45.37	17	4	44
44	C.Lloyd	110	7515	46.68	19	5 & 6	48
45	M.Hayden	103	8625	50.74	30	Opener	41
46	Inzamam-ul-Haq	120	8830	49.61	25	4	45
47	B. Simpson	62	4869	46.82	10	Opener	32
48	C. Hill	49	3412	39.22	7	3	49
49	S. Chanderpaul	164	11867	51.37	30	5	43
50	B. Mitchell	42	3471	48.89	8	Opener	unranked
51	G.Gooch	118	8900	42.58	20	Opener	unranked
52	M.Clarke	115	8643	49.11	28	4 & 5	50
53=	M.Jayawardene	149	11814	49.84	34	4	unranked
53=	VVS Laxman	134	8781	45.97	17	5 & 6	unranked
55=	S.McCabe	39	2748	48.21	19	4 & 5	47
55=	W.Lawry	67	5234	47.15	13	Opener	unranked
57	K.Pietersen	104	8181	47.29	23	4	unranked
58	C.Cowdrey	114	7624	44.07	22	1 to 5	unranked
59	A.Morris	46	3533	46.49	12	Opener	unranked
60	D.Gower	117	8231	44.25	18	3 to 5	unranked

 

[Johan]

Clarke has no job being above Cowdrey in my opinion.

 

[subshakerz]

I think someone posted the result of the 2022 poll I conducted. Here is the 2024 poll I ran with the 50 extended to 60 and a comparison of the two polls in terms of '22 rankings.

	*Current player	Tests	Runs	Average	Centuries	Usual Batting Position	2022 Rank
1	D. Bradman	52	6996	99.94	29	3	1
2	S. Tendulkar	200	15921	53.79	51	4	4
3	J. Hobbs	61	5410	56.95	15	Opener	2
4	G. Sobers	93	8032	57.78	26	5 & 6	3
5	L. Hutton	79	6971	56.67	19	Opener	7
6	B. Lara	131	11953	52.89	34	4	6
7	V. Richards	121	8540	50.24	24	3 - 5	5
8	*S.Smith	109	9685	56.97	32	4 & Opener	10
9	S. Gavaskar	125	10122	51.12	34	Opener	9
10	W. Hammond	85	7249	58.46	22	3 & 4	8
11	H. Sutcliffe	54	4555	60.73	16	Opener	12
12	G. Headley	22	2190	60.83	10	3	11
13	R. Ponting	168	13378	51.85	41	3	14
14	J. Kallis	166	13289	55.37	45	3 & 4	18
15	G. Chappell	87	7110	53.86	24	4	13
16	A. Border	156	11174	50.56	27	4 - 6	17
17	K. Sangakkara	134	12400	57.41	38	3	16
18	G. Pollock	23	2256	60.97	7	4	15
19	S. Waugh	168	10927	51.06	32	5	19
20	K. Barrington	82	6806	58.67	20	3 & 4	20
21	R. Dravid	164	13288	52.31	36	3	22
22	E. Weekes	48	4455	58.62	15	4	23
23	D. Nourse	34	2960	53.82	9	4	27
24	Javed Miandad	124	8832	52.57	23	4	21
25	Younis Khan	118	10099	52.06	34	4	25
26	C. Walcott	44	3798	56.69	15	3 or 5	26
27	*K.Williamson	100	8743	54.99	32	3	39
28	*J.Root	140	11736	49.73	31	4	36
29	*V.Kohli	113	8848	49.16	29	4	38
30	G. Smith	117	9265	48.26	27	Opener	37
31	AB de Villiers	114	8765	50.66	22	5 & 6	28
32	D. Compton	78	5807	50.06	17	4	24
33	N. Harvey	79	6149	48.42	21	3 & 4	34
34	G. Boycott	108	8114	47.73	22	Opener	29
35	G. Greenidge	108	7558	44.72	19	Opener	42
36	V. Trumper	48	3163	39.05	8	Opener	31
37	A. Flower	63	4794	51.55	12	5	30
38	F. Worrell	51	3860	49.49	9	3 or 5	35
39	V. Sehwag	104	8586	49.34	23	Opener	40
40	P.May	66	4537	46.77	13	3 & 4	46
41	R.Kanhai	79	6227	47.53	15	3	33
42	H.Amla	124	9282	46.64	28	3	unranked
43	M.Crowe	77	5444	45.37	17	4	44
44	C.Lloyd	110	7515	46.68	19	5 & 6	48
45	M.Hayden	103	8625	50.74	30	Opener	41
46	Inzamam-ul-Haq	120	8830	49.61	25	4	45
47	B. Simpson	62	4869	46.82	10	Opener	32
48	C. Hill	49	3412	39.22	7	3	49
49	S. Chanderpaul	164	11867	51.37	30	5	43
50	B. Mitchell	42	3471	48.89	8	Opener	unranked
51	G.Gooch	118	8900	42.58	20	Opener	unranked
52	M.Clarke	115	8643	49.11	28	4 & 5	50
53=	M.Jayawardene	149	11814	49.84	34	4	unranked
53=	VVS Laxman	134	8781	45.97	17	5 & 6	unranked
55=	S.McCabe	39	2748	48.21	19	4 & 5	47
55=	W.Lawry	67	5234	47.15	13	Opener	unranked
57	K.Pietersen	104	8181	47.29	23	4	unranked
58	C.Cowdrey	114	7624	44.07	22	1 to 5	unranked
59	A.Morris	46	3533	46.49	12	Opener	unranked
60	D.Gower	117	8231	44.25	18	3 to 5	unranked

Ours is much better.

 

[Johan]

We also have some stupid stuff.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Ours is not even completely reflective of CW tbf. Not enough voters for that. ABD beat Smith and Younis easily in head to head polls but was ranked below them in this list.

 

[DrWolverine]

We also have some stupid stuff.

If you make a list of 50 batsmen, it is hard to please everybody whereas top 10 is much easier to do.

 

[Thala_0710]

We'll do one again, next year right?

 

[Johan]

We'll do one again, next year right?

let's do one after Ashes 2027 or the Centenary test as Smith would likely retire there, Kohli would be gone, Williamson probably gone and Root in the final stage

 

[Thala_0710]

let's do one after Ashes 2027 or the Centenary test as Smith would likely retire there, Kohli would be gone, Williamson probably gone and Root in the final stage

Kohli might retire today if the reports are true

 

[Johan]

Kohli might retire today if the reports are true

How Kohli will leave after the England series

 

[Line and Length]

Ours is not even completely reflective of CW tbf. Not enough voters for that. ABD beat Smith and Younis easily in head to head polls but was ranked below them in this list.

But there is a different demographic voting. Player Comparison thread is overlooked by many.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Kohli might retire today if the reports are true

I honestly am...... Kinda conflicted.

 

[Line and Length]

Ours is not even completely reflective of CW tbf. Not enough voters for that. ABD beat Smith and Younis easily in head to head polls but was ranked below them in this list.

When were these conducted? The Smith v ABD poll conducted earlier this year saw a 15-4 result in favour of Smith. The Younis v ABD conducted about the same time was closer (11-8 to ABD). It seems these polls generate about 20 votes - is this reflective of CW?

 

[PlayerComparisons]

When were these conducted? The Smith v ABD poll conducted earlier this year saw a 15-4 result in favour of Smith. The Younis v ABD conducted about the same time was closer (11-8 to ABD). It seems these polls generate about 20 votes - is this reflective of CW?

I meant G Smith

AB de Villiers vs Younis Khan

Better batsman?

www.cricketweb.net

 

[Thala_0710]

I honestly am...... Kinda conflicted.

The BCCI is a **** organization and Kohli for once is doing the right thing, but they are not allowing him to. What's there to be conflicted about?

 

[Prince EWS]

Grace's ranking is strange, like which methodology did he use to put him at 16th

Yeah it's neither here nor there. He's realistically either top five or not in the top 50 at all.

 

[Cabinet96]

Test cricket is 148 years old. More than half the names on the list played during the past 25 years.

As usual the publishers' priority is book sales.

42% of tests have been played in the last 25 years tbf. And half the 21st century players you mention (I only counted 24) debuted before that period anyway.