How do Williamson/Root/Smith compare to Tendulkar/Ponting/Lara?

[OverratedSanity]

Anyway I think it's way way too early to be comparing kw and co to once in a lifetime players like srt/bcl

In terms of overall greatness, yes it's obviously early. In terms of the objective quality of the batting they're producing right now, though, why can't we compare? Keeping aside other factors like the quality of bowling/pitches etc. I reckon Smith and Williamson over the last year have batted as well as Lara and Sachin usually did.

 

[Furball]

Tendulkar, Williamson, Lara, Rahane - possibly in that order if I have to predict

Lara > Tendulkar.

 

[Slifer]

If we ignore the quality of bowling differences and the overall timing (way too early for kw and co), then yeah maybe u can make a comparison. By his 25 birthday I reckon Lara was averaging around 60 odd and had already made his 375 and 277. Not to mention what he did for warwickshire, so I'd give him the edge over the latter day 'greats'.

 

[Chrish]

What do people think about ABDV?

 

[weldone]

Lara > Tendulkar.

No, just like Kohli>Rahane is a no

 

[Jono]

Take it to the lara vs Sachin thread fellas

 

[smash84]

What do people think about ABDV?

He gives me that Lara and Tendulkarish vibe. You get that feeling of watching a special talent when you see ABDV bat.

 

[Tom Flint]

Alastair Cook will go on to be the highest ever run scorer as an opener. Surely he deserves to be mentioned in the same class as these guys. Albeit in a different role

 

[vcs]

AB de Villiers is just a special, special talent. Forget about averages and numbers, I don't think I've ever seen a more talented sportsman in terms of variety of skills. Watched him bat in the recent rained out Test at Bangalore. He was easily a couple of notches above everyone else and got 85 and hardly broke a sweat. Crowd was absolutely devastated when he got out.

 

[honestbharani]

I think AB is a genius of the level that we cannot yet comprehend. You are picking a team to play any of the 3 formats of the game and you are given one batsman to pick, it just has to be AB, doesn't it? You almost feel like on any kind of track, against any kind of attack, in any kind of a cricket match, he will just work out the best way to help his team get into a better position or win the game, and actually has the ability to go and do just that. He is the King of Awesome as far as cricket goes.

 

[Daemon]

Yeah, reckon you can throw him into any era on any pitch against any bowler, and he'll still be bloody good

 

[NUFAN]

Too early to say. A more even comparison for the young trio now would be Virat Vaughan Amla.

 

[Gob]

 

[Burner]

What am I missing?

 

[Chrish]

So wouldn't it make more sense to compare these players with their contemporary rather than players from slightly different era??

Better question I think is can anyone from this trio match/ suppress ABDV?

 

[Coronis]

Alastair Cook will go on to be the highest ever run scorer as an opener. Surely he deserves to be mentioned in the same class as these guys. Albeit in a different role

Only because he plays a ridiculous amount of tests and has been playing since he was 21.

 

[91Jmay]

Only because he plays a ridiculous amount of tests and has been playing since he was 21.

And because he is ****ing brilliant. Don't forget that little nugget.

 

[Coronis]

And because he is ****ing brilliant. Don't forget that little nugget.

Thats a very interesting definition of brilliant.

 

[91Jmay]

You'd literally have to be braindead to not think Cook is brilliant. Best non-Asian player in Asia ever, a dominant tour in Australia. He needs to improve his record at home (which hopefully this summer allows him to do) but Cook is a brilliant player.

 

[hendrix]

yeah Cook is awesome.