Top 10:Rank the Openers (Tests)

[C_C]

Polock has got him a couple of times, Ninti is ranked higher than Pollock as a test bowler at the moment.

Another nail in the rating's coffin.

The rating measures form. Pure and simple. Not class.
A classy player outta form is still a classy player. A mediocre player having the run of his life is still a mediocre player.

And considering that Hayden hasnt faced many good/great bowlers that he dominated, i dont see why it should matter for Strauss

PS: Ntini isnt rated higher than Pollock at the moment. Pollock sits at #3 with 812 pts, Ntini sits at #4 with 801 pts.

 

[chaminda_00]

I don't see why it matter that Strauss had success aganist some good/great bowlers when only really Sehwag and Langer could argue they had success aganist those types of bowlers.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Shewag

Heard this player was really influential at the womens WC...

 

[honestbharani]

Sehwag
Langer
Strauss
Hayden
Atapattu
Smith
Jayasuriya
Trescothick
Gayle
can't find a 10th

 

[C_C]

Since there are 10 countries in Test cricket ( 20 openers at any given time), you *MUST* find a 10th.

No one said the 10-best has to be awesome...he just has to be better than the rest 10 and no worse than 9 openers.

 

[JBH001]

Interestingly,
Jayasurya IMO is the most underrated opener of all in recent times.
He's surprisingly accomplished for an opener. This is what his record reads:

77__132__9__5480__44.55__340__13__23

Against OZ, he is :

9__16__1___565___37.66___131__2__2

Away from home, his record is as follows:

33__59__4__2211__40.20___253__5__9


Not great but not shabby at all : considerably superior to what Trescothik for eg. has as an opener.
Yet he is consistently rated worse than Trescothik and sometimes even Gayle!

Surprisingly, the well-regarded Atapattu has one of the most inflated stats in Test cricket due to playing the minnows- he averages 36+ change once Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are removed from the equation.

I would definately rate Jayasurya as a superior opener to Trescothick,Atapattu and Gayle.

Jaya has always been one of my favourite openers.
Not just becasue he of his ability (which is, I agree, underrated) but also the manner in which it manifests itself.
I like seeing him in full flight - and besides, he is also a nice man.

I would reckon him superior to Trescothick, Atapattu and Gayle.
Also he only cemented his spot as an opener after the 3rd test against Aus at the Adelaide Oval in 95/96. Scores of 48 and 112 meant that the opening slot was more or less his after that.

I have looked at his average afresh after this test match.
Upto this point he had not really been a regular in the SL side - functioning more as a lower order batsman and bowler. I believe he had opened only once before, again Pak in 94 falling twice to Akram for single figures. He played 16 tests between his debut vs NZ in 91 and his career defining knocks against Aus in 95/96.

His adjusted career average as an opener:

M 80 R 5854 HS 340 Avg 45.03 C 14 HC 25

My top 10 openers:

1. Sehwag
2. Langer
3. Smith
4. Strauss
5. Hayden
6. Jayasuriya
7. Trescothick
8. Atapattu
9. Gayle
10. Butt

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Just expanding on the ratings discussion, here is the top 10 according to the current ratings.

Virender Sehwag (5)
Andrew Strauss (10)
Graeme Smith (12)
Justin Langer (13)
Matthew Hayden (14)
Marcus Trescothick (16)
Herschelle Gibbs (20)
Sanath Jayasuria (21)
AB De Villiers (25)
Chris Gayle (30)

If either one of Gibbs or AB doesn't count, Atapattu is 32nd.


Based on highest ever ratings for each player (ie: beyond current form), the top 10 is:

Matthew Hayden (935)
Virender Sehwag (854)
Herschelle Gibbs (825)
Marcus Trescothick (782)
Justin Langer (780)
Sanath Jayasuria (770)
Andrew Strauss (769)
Graeme Smith (756)
Marvan Atapattu (670)
Chris Gayle (655)

 

[Pratters]

Which therefore means the superior Pollock has been unable to get him.

If you remember, Pollock wasnt bowling that great for a period of time.

 

[tooextracool]

Interestingly,
Jayasurya IMO is the most underrated opener of all in recent times.
He's surprisingly accomplished for an opener. This is what his record reads:

77__132__9__5480__44.55__340__13__23

Against OZ, he is :

9__16__1___565___37.66___131__2__2

Away from home, his record is as follows:

33__59__4__2211__40.20___253__5__9
.

his record in SA, aus and NZ is especially poor, and would have been poor in england too, if it werent for that 1 test at the oval in 98. AFAIC he cant bat to save his life in conditions that help the pace bowlers even marginally.