Sehwag - Wisden's leading cricketer of the year 2009

[GotSpin]

Surely this discussion between Sehwag and Hayden can't really be had until Sehwag retires?

Sehwag is smack bang in the middle of his peak right now and is putting every other international test batsmen to shame. But its only been two or three years now, so who knows? Far too early to judge.

 

[Migara]

"The great thing about Matthew Hayden was that he redefined what an opening batsman was. He changed the face of Test-match batting for ever. His real legacy will be changing the way cricket was played. He always tried to dominate and went after the opening bowlers in the first session." - Steve Waugh

'He changed the face of batting for ever' | Australia Cricket News | Cricinfo.com

Bull****. Barry Richards did it years ago.

 

[Spark]

Surely this discussion between Sehwag and Hayden can't really be had until Sehwag retires?

Sehwag is smack bang in the middle of his peak right now and is putting every other international test batsmen to shame. But its only been two or three years now, so who knows? Far too early to judge.

(realise I'm talking to nobody here)

Yes, this is true. Right now he looks - and is - the very best in the world, and has the ability to finish his career - which, unfortunately, is far too near - as a player that stands in the memory for a long, long, long time.

But that assumes that his form/luck doesn't do a Hussey and fall of a cliff, which given his game and his style is a distinct possibility.

---

On the Hayden thing. I understand the comparison but there is one key difference - Hayden's style is very deliberately much more intimidatory, how he marched down the track and smashed it back at the bowler.

 

[Burgey]

Bull****. Barry Richards did it years ago.

For four tests.....

 

[Migara]

For four tests.....

And many FC matches. Was as thrilling as Hayden. Old timers would agree with me.

 

[GraemeSmith]

Well, Sehwag deserves it. He is one of the most entertaining cricketers playing. Test cricket would become so much better if more batsmen followed his footsteps.

As for Hayden, his style is incredibly boring. Even when he is hitting boundries it's not exciting.

 

[Burgey]

Well, Sehwag deserves it. He is one of the most entertaining cricketers playing. Test cricket would become so much better if more batsmen followed his footsteps.

As for Hayden, his style is incredibly boring. Even when he is hitting boundries it's not exciting.

It was if he was playing for your team...

 

[Burgey]

And many FC matches. Was as thrilling as Hayden. Old timers would agree with me.

I'm sure htey would, but whether he could have kept doing it at test level, I guess we'll never know - I suspect he would have, but who can say for sure?

 

[Spark]

I'm sure htey would, but whether he could have kept doing it at test level, I guess we'll never know - I suspect he would have, but who can say for sure?

This. We can all have our ifs and buts and whatnots but history is history.

Well, Sehwag deserves it. He is one of the most entertaining cricketers playing. Test cricket would become so much better if more batsmen followed his footsteps.

As for Hayden, his style is incredibly boring. Even when he is hitting boundries it's not exciting.

Although aesthetics and watchability is at the top of my reasons for liking a player Hayden wasn't really all that interested in being watchable. He was interested in hitting the opponents (and the ball) so hard they didn't ever get back up.

And he - and Sehwag - are watchable in their own way. Guys like Tendulkar and Ponting will be known for their supreme skill and class and could easily dismantle an opposition attack at speed but in terms of utterly demoralising and intimidating opponents, Hayden and Sehwag are in a class of their own.

 

[vcs]

Hayden and Graeme Smith are a tough watch for me even if they are demolishing attacks. I just can't enjoy the way they seem to muscle the ball. Pietersen as well.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

Why does every mention of Sehwag, by implication, also invoke Matthew Hayden on here?

Hayden was a fantastic batsman but Sehwag makes him look like Mike Atherton in terms of scoring rate.

 

[GraemeSmith]

Hayden and Graeme Smith are a tough watch for me even if they are demolishing attacks. I just can't enjoy the way they seem to muscle the ball. Pietersen as well.

Graeme Smith's style is nothing like Hayden. The only thing common between the two is that they are left handers.

 

[vcs]

Graeme Smith's style is nothing like Hayden. The only thing common between the two is that they are left handers.

Well, I don't enjoy watching either of them bat. It's a purely aesthetic thing, mind you.

 

[Furball]

Ikki, cut out the uneccesary baiting.

 

[King Pietersen]

I'm sure htey would, but whether he could have kept doing it at test level, I guess we'll never know - I suspect he would have, but who can say for sure?

World Series Cricket could surely give us an indication, no? 554 runs at an average of 79.14 with 2 centuries in cricket that has been described as some of the most competitive you'll ever see. This was Richards in his mid-30's too, so arguably past his prime. Then there's his exceptional FC record in England, Australia and South Africa, with cricket in those countries (especially England and Australia) arguably as competitive as ever. Richards' FC high score for example, the 356 from 381 balls, came against an attack that included Dennis Lillee, Tony Lock and Garth McKenzie, on a Perth pitch that led to a result by an Innings and 111 runs, where only 3 other blokes managed half centuries (one of those, a century from Ian Chappell).

I think all the things I've read, seen or heard about Barry Richards indicate to me that he would have been a massive success at Test level, and maintained the fast paced scoring (9 FC centuries before lunch in his career). He's highly regarded by everyone that played with or against him and has the results in FC and WS Cricket to back the talk up. No-one can say for sure, but I think it's far more likely than not, that Richards would have kept it up at Test level, should he have been given the chance to do so. He gets into my All-Time XI that's for sure.

 

[zaremba]

Good post, KP. I didn't know about that 356. And the 9 centuries before lunch is darned impressive.

 

[King Pietersen]

Thanks a lot =]

I heard about the 356 a little while back, and it sounds like one heck of an innings. I've heard stories of him hitting the ball exactly where he wanted to, and was just playing with the opposing captain. At 1 stage, I believe Tony Lock was bowling with a massively leg-side heavy field, bowling down the leg-side, yet Barry was still finding a way to cream the ball through and over cover for boundaries. 356 from 381 balls really is a magnificent effort, at Perth against that attack, it's as impressive, if not more-so, than any of Sehwags quickfire triple centuries (not to take anything away from those innings' of course). I actually read an article earlier that did a great comparison between that Richards' innings, and Bradman's 334 at Leeds:

"I have always liked to use a particular innings of each player as a measuring stick of just how similar their talents were. These were innings in which each of them scored 300 runs in a day. Bradman's was scored at Leeds in 1930 in a Test against England when Bradman was a 22-year-old prodigy.

Richards' was scored at perth in 1970, in a sheffield shield match between South Australia and Western Australia. Bradman went in eight minutes after the start of play at the fall of Archie Jackson's wicket, finished the day on 309 not out and was out next morning for 334. Richard opened up, ended the day on 325 not out, and was eventually out for 356".

"Bradman took 375 minutes to hit his 334 and hit 46 boundaries. Richards hit his 356 in 372 minutes. He found the boundary rope 48 times, and hit a six as well. It takes batsmen of rare quality to play like that. Neither player managed a century in each session in topping the 300.
Bradman hit 105 before lunch, 115 in the session between lunch and tea, and 89 in the final period when weariness was catching up with him. Richards hit 79 in the first session, 137 in the next and 109 in the last".

Both Bradman and Richards made these blistering triple centuries against very strong bowling attacks."

Link ​

 

[silentstriker]

It was if he was playing for your team...

Haha, indeed. While I admit I am a little bit biased against the bludgeoning style of Hayden, or the lead-for-feet style of Sehwag, you can't their immense value.

I would have loved to see a Hayden-Sehwag opening partnership.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Hayden's straight drives down the ground were as stylish as they come.

 

[Furball]

Hayden's straight drives down the ground were as stylish as they come.

Not relevant in a thread about Sehwag.