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Virender Sehwag vs Graham Gooch

Who was the better test batsman?

  • Total voters
    25
M

ma1978

International Debutant
Tough one.

Both have holes in their career. Gooch’s being the first 75% of his career. Sehwag’s is well documented.

Both have greatness too. Going to go with Sehwag since his greatness applied to much more of his career, as reflected in the raw numbers
 
M

ma1978

International Debutant
Also Sehwag never toured apartheid South Africa. Gooch should never had a cricket career after that.
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
I'm not giving Gooch some kind of free pass for averaging 26 against Australia before the 90s. That absolutely does count against him. But England playing his worst matchup so frequently before his prime gave his numbers at the time a less flattering look than warranted. Typically, he was absent on the 86/87 cash-in tour!

He averaged 43.5 against other opposition by the end of 1989 which isn't special but shows he was still a good player before the late peak. Especially as 41% of those tests were against WI whom he always turned up against.
 
M

ma1978

International Debutant
BazBall21 said:
I'm not giving Gooch some kind of free pass for averaging 26 against Australia before the 90s. That absolutely does count against him. But England playing his worst matchup so frequently before his prime gave his numbers at the time a less flattering look than warranted. Typically, he was absent on the 86/87 cash-in tour!

He averaged 43.5 against other opposition by the end of 1989 which isn't special but shows he was still a good player before the late peak. Especially as 41% of those tests were against WI whom he always turned up against.
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He was a below average opener until the late career peak. Even in totality miles below Greenidge who was a contemporary. Sehwag is closer but the numbers are so far apart, no amount of context can change that
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
ma1978 said:
He was a below average opener until the late career peak. Even in totality miles below Greenidge who was a contemporary. Sehwag is closer but the numbers are so far apart, no amount of context can change that
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I don't think he was ever a below average opener. He averaged above 40 against four of his six Test opponents including WI before the late bloom.
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
PlayerComparisons said:
Average of 33 and only 4 tons in 42 games is a massive hole. Did very well against the Windies tho
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Yeah. Most players have a bad opponent. I mark Gooch down for that because he had several struggles against Australian swing/seam bowling; not because I give Ashes a special subjective importance. I'm different in that respect.
 
Last edited:
P

PlayerComparisons

International Captain
Goochs record against ATG bowlers is very impressive. Did very well against WI quartet, Hadlee, and the 2Ws. Struggled against Lillee and Donald tho. Not sure if he played against Imran.
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
Didn't play a test against Imran. Has a century against Imran in a for MCC v ROW game. Did quite well in a series against Warne too. Albeit early Warne.
 
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
Sehwag would probably do well enough in India say around 40+. But in the WI imo, he'd average around 30 or so. So overall maybe 35ish.
 
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