Rank them in order

[Fusion]

I could've switched Miandad and Border on another day. They're very close IMO. I definitely think Richards and Gavaskar are firmly ahead of the others though.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Is that the way you'd rate them on all 365 days in a year or is it just because Miandad is underrated (in your perception) in this thread? Just a genuine question and I can appreciate if this order indeed is your true opinion.

Possibly a little of both. I don't think Border or Gavaskar can be said to be better players which such a degree of consensus and my perception might be biased because his big double ton against us was one of those moments in childhood that burns itself in one's mind's eye.

 

[Burgey]

Richards
Border
Gavaskar
Miandad
Gooch.

Think Viv the stand out personally, but they're all of great quality.

 

[weldone]

Gavaskar
Richards
Border
Miandad
Gooch

most difficult for me was to decide the first two...

...same order for me...and same difficulty...

In my case, it was a difficult choice between 3rd and 4th, too.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Border
Richards
Miandad
Gevaskar
Gooch

Borders grit and determination make him the best amongst the rest for me.

 

[Jono]

Based on these replies, Gooch clearly a rung below the other 4?

 

[weldone]

Based on these replies, Gooch clearly a rung below the other 4?

yes, or two...

 

[zaremba]

Well I put him last in my list, but a decent case can be made for him to be ranked higher.

I think Gooch is the finest opening batsman since Len Hutton.

He really faced great pace attacks (West Indians, Pakistanis and Australians were spared at least from facing their own) and came out on top. Compared to him Gavaskar faced weaker pace attacks.

He certainly has the most impressive record against top class fast bowling.

High praise.

(ps if you go to tha SJS post in its thread, look at the post immediately below it for an amusing Brumbyism)

 

[Xuhaib]

yeah thats why I had him in this thread even though he averages quite a bit lower then the other 4 guys he's got some great hundreds as an opener against the likes of Ambrose,Walsh,marshal,Wasim and Waqar.

 

[Himannv]

Viv Richards
Allan Border
Sunil Gavaskar
Javed Miandad
Graham Gooch

The second spot is a bit tough for me. Could go either way really.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Well I put him last in my list, but a decent case can be made for him to be ranked higher.

Fair point. I have no doubt that Gooch was a player of the highest class, but for someone so good, his spate of struggles were inexplicable.

The man in my avatar pic was by no means the greatest swing bowler one can think of (guys like Bedser, Trueman, Hadlee, Dev et. al. ought to be a few leagues higher), but Gooch really couldn't put bat to ball against him.

Such abject displays are held against him when people gauge his overall career. What is surprising is that the man was capable of playing much, much better against that kind of bowling as he regularly showed. Fair to say that he didn't quite do justice to himself except towards the fag end of his long career.

 

[Xuhaib]

Where would G.Chappel slot in?

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Where would G.Chappel slot in?

Between Richards and Gavaskar for mine.



In terms of batting ability, I mean!

 

[zaremba]

Thing about Gooch, as pointed out by SJS in the thread that I quoted from, is that you can split his career into two parts. I know that this is cheating a bit, because it all depends where you choose to split it. But it's interesting nonetheless.

At the end of his 21st Test he averaged 32.1 and no three figure score.

In the next 87 games (from June 1980 onwards) he scored almost 7500 runs at 57.5 with 20 centuries.

Now that is seriously good going, and against some bloody good bowlers.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Awesome stats and it just goes to show that he was picked way before his time.

Yes, there was promise but the 20-year-old lad was thrown in to face Lillee, Thomson and Walker on a spiteful pitch (particularly rain freshened in the first innings) in 1975 for his debut. Got a pair and in my estimation, that could have created a bit of a psychological block for him. A block that took a fair toll on his future performances against the arch rivals.

I still don't accept that Gooch's struggles were due to a severe technical or temperamental flaw. But a player of such rare quality should have been mentally tougher to fight his demons. Still ends up as an ATG English opener which speaks volumes about the man's class.

 

[smash84]

Between Richards and Gavaskar for mine.



In terms of batting ability, I mean!

 

[JBMAC]

Gooch was not a "bad" batsman. Saw him score a gritty 50 at The Gabba. That was the test Warne got his best figures in (an 8 for). Sold his wicket dearly in my opinion.