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Richards v Tendulkar - ODIs

Who is the best ODI batsman of all time?


  • Total voters
    91

GuyFromLancs

State Vice-Captain
Mmmmm, it's a tough question. The contrived nature of ODIs means you have different types of batsman who play very different roles.

As mentioned you have Bevan, Dhoni and Hussey who are/were experts at picking their moments to counter-attack, guiding the tail, and hanging on for the not out. The averages of these players are always very high but propped up by not outs and subsequently they score few centuries. .

Then you have those at the top of the order, Tendulka, Ganguly etc, less not outs thus lower averages, but with far more opportunity to score big if they get in, but having to fend off the new ball first.

Tendulkar as the best ever ODI batsman for the simple fact that he balanced power, attacking verve and accumilation better than anyone else and for far longer than anyone else. That's why his average of 45 is not far behind the finishers but with 46 centuries (light years ahead) and a very good strike rate around 86 on top of that.

Maybe Viv could have been as good if he had played more, but he didn't so he isn't.

Mere speculation about what Viv might have done does not = 46 centuries and averaging 45 after 20 years in my book.

Tendulka number 1.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
You get offended too easily Gimpy boy.

And BTW that is a personal attack on me. Don't break forum rules.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
The feeling is mutual, hey.
You get offended too easily Gimpy boy.

And BTW that is a personal attack on me. Don't break forum rules.
You think I was offended? You need some sort of sense of humour injection or something

Are you a mod now? Report the post if you think it's against the rules hey. If I wanted to provide a personal attack, I would, alas I don't so didn't
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
You are wise enough to know you broke the forum rule there.. Questioning my intellect and wit IS a personal attack. And I don't need to report your post as I don't take words from you in serious vein.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
I was being sarcastic for sure, but if you think it counts as a personal atack, well you're just wrong, wrong, wrong. How about, like I said, report the post if you think there's a problem with it. I am sick and tired of your wannabe mod act, you telling people to stop breaking forum rules is tiresome. You're not a mod, you have no authority, get that into your head.

And I'm leaving it there because this will be tiresome for people to read, hell I found it tiresome to write
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
Last edited:

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
You are wise enough to know you broke the forum rule there.. Questioning my intellect and wit IS a personal attack. And I don't need to report your post as I don't take words from you in serious vein.
I don't see how it's a breach of rules whatsoever actually. Surely the purpose of a forum is to challenge people on their intellect.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
45 over 442 games 86 s/r 41n/o

47 over 186 games 90 s/r 24 n/o

Both good records. But as many should be saying here maintaining it over 442 games matters and is not something to be overlooked.
As an opener alone, Tendulkar's maintained a 49 average and 88 strike rate over 323 games.
 
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Furball

Evil Scotsman
lol, someone questioning your wit and intellect is a personal attack, calling someone "gimpyboy" and an "asshole" perfectly ok.
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
Let's not forget that GIMH's response "Your intellect and wit astound me" was way more classy than the tasteless post from pratters "Poms suck GIMH".
 

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