This is interesting - by far what I have read online and am in the impression - DBC14 is better than DBC17. Hmm now I am confused
in DBC14 console, there are: 0 edges when playing to AI; no mods for kits or bats; an inferior AI; worse graphics (albeit a much better colour palette, which is why DBC17 doesn't always look better); a handful of stadiums; the same lineup for 20 years in career mode.
In DBC17 console all of those are better: the AI edges the ball and the edges are varied; there are a wide range of kits and bats available and a more active community continuing to update players, rosters and kits/bats; the AI is better; the graphics are better (but the colour palette is too bright and matte and generally poor, except when using retro filter); there are community made stadiums that look great and add huge variety; there are dynamic lineups in career. (when people complain about strange dynamic lineups missing star players, the problem is not the game it is them - they have downloaded bad teams with incorrectly-linked players.
if only they had read and paid attention to my signature!)
DBC14 on console has effectively one advantage over DBC17: there are no stats bugs. this is important - the incorrect stats are a huge issue in dbc17 especially in career. but it's not enough reason to choose 14 over it, pretending everything else is better when it's palpably inferior.
Nobody can pretend DBC17 is the perfect game, it isn't. But let me put it this way: by this stage I had stopped playing DBC14 (on xbox or PC), and only went back to it on PC when franco released his fearsome tweak hack. I am still playing and enjoying DBC17 on PS4. In DBC14 up until franco's hack i hardly completed any matches or tournaments: i'd always end up getting frustrated at the lack of edges and the way that pushed you into unrealistic fields and bowling plans. In DBC17 as well as odd casual matches I have already completed multiple long tours with test and odi series - all on console with the standard game and no mods beyond the logos for kits and bats.
DBC14 was a good game, but it was saved (IMO) only on PC by franco's hack - it had a very limited shelf life on console without the hack. DBC17 has flaws but is a significantly better game.
Buying DBC14 on console now would be ridiculous. Don't let hyperbolic idiots push you into that path.