Statistically and based on certain scientific calculations here is the list of top 20 TEST batsmen of all time.(as previously ODIs were not that frequent as they are now)Quiet a few surprises!
Top 20 Test Batsmen of all time : All : as at 23/08/2005 - Upto Test # 1760
(Qualification: Minimum 2000 test runs)
No Player Cty RtgPts InsIdx AvgIdx RPTIdx RunIdx S/RIdx HSIdx BhsIdx %TSIdx WinIdx
Maximum weightage 100.00 66.67 8.00 2.00 10.00 5.00 2.50 1.33 2.50 2.00
1.Bradman D.G Aus 84.87 59.90 8.00 1.79 5.60 2.96 1.86 1.11 2.50 1.15
2.Lara B.C Win 66.08 42.78 4.33 1.23 8.65 3.56 1.74 1.33 1.92 0.55
3.Richards I.V.A Win 61.09 41.00 4.02 0.94 6.83 3.32 1.47 0.97 1.50 1.04
4.Hobbs J.B Eng 59.51 41.70 4.56 1.18 4.33 2.87 1.43 0.70 1.82 0.92
5.Dravid R Ind 58.82 39.56 4.63 1.15 6.16 2.52 1.60 0.90 1.67 0.63
6.Tendulkar S.R Ind 58.72 37.07 4.58 1.10 8.11 3.26 1.53 0.82 1.64 0.62
7.Sobers G.St.A Win 58.48 38.46 4.62 1.15 6.43 2.85 1.51 1.21 1.58 0.67
8.Barrington K.F Eng 58.23 39.78 4.69 1.11 5.44 2.52 1.38 0.85 1.70 0.76
9.Ponting R.T Aus 58.19 38.24 4.48 1.06 5.78 3.52 1.50 0.85 1.40 1.36
10.Chappell G.S Aus 57.87 39.09 4.31 1.09 5.69 2.96 1.44 0.82 1.58 0.87
11.Gavaskar S.M Ind 57.51 37.20 4.09 1.08 8.10 2.81 1.41 0.78 1.67 0.37
12.EdeC Weekes Win 57.46 40.48 4.69 1.24 3.56 2.86 1.50 0.69 1.77 0.67
13.Hayden M.L Aus 57.37 38.18 4.16 1.12 4.70 3.70 1.44 1.26 1.44 1.37
14.Inzamam-ul-Haq Pak 57.27 38.02 4.06 1.01 6.10 3.20 1.41 1.09 1.53 0.85
15.Border A.R Aus 57.14 36.48 4.04 0.96 8.94 2.63 1.33 0.68 1.44 0.64
16.Hutton L Eng 56.93 37.96 4.53 1.18 5.58 2.40 1.56 1.21 1.83 0.68
17.Sehwag V Ind 56.76 39.13 4.48 1.21 2.46 4.36 1.68 1.03 1.71 0.71
18.Headley G.A Win 56.43 40.90 4.87 1.33 1.75 2.59 1.48 0.90 2.16 0.45
19.Kallis J.H Saf 56.41 37.89 4.55 1.05 5.87 2.57 1.38 0.63 1.52 0.95
20.Walcott C.L Win 56.34 40.50 4.53 1.15 3.04 2.90 1.33 0.73 1.61 0.55
Some observations :
As already mentioned Bradman, leading in 5 of the measures, is not a surprise at the top. He is so far ahead of the second best that it is safe to say that he will be No.1 forever. His batting exploits can only be compared to the domination of Nicklaus and Pele in other sports.
Lara at second place should have few dissenters. He has played more great innings than any other player in history (at last count 5 in the top 20 : 153*/214/400/375/277). He scores quickly and often compiles huge innings. 2 300s and 7 200s are proof of this. He is, arguably, the greatest modern player and deserves his place as the "best amongst the second bests".
Richards' position is again a well-deserved one. He was in a much stronger West indies lineup than Lara. This has its advantages and disadvantages for an individual player. However the total domination he exercised over the bowlers is probably matched by Gilchrist today.
Hobbs is, in the opinion of many, the greatest opener who ever played. Gavaskar runs him close. However Hobbs played most of his cricket against better quality opponents and on more difficult pitches.
There have been comparisons between Lara and Tendulkar as to who is the greatest modern batsman. This position of Dravid, at No.5, ahead of Tendulkar should settle this argument once and for all. Tendulkar is not even India's best batsman, leave alone the world's best. Dravid's performances outside India are possibly amongst the best by any batsman away from home. In Rawalpindi, Adelaide, Calcutta and Headingley, Dravid showcased his outstanding batsmanship, against top quality bowlers.
Tendulkar, Sobers, Barrington, Ponting and Greg Chappell complete the illustrious group of Top ten. Ponting, with his landmark innings at Manchester, has just moved into the Top 10, at the expense of Gavaskar.
It is of interest to note that Gilchrist, despite a primary wicket-keeper responsibility and almost always batting at No.7, was in the Top 20 in the all-time list, but has just moved out because of his indifferent current batting form. Sehwag, with his collection of high quality innings around the world, is also in the Top 20.
Source: http://www.thirdslip.com/2005/aug/tst-topbat.shtm
Though my personal selection is :
1.Sir Donald Bradman
2.Brian Lara
3.Sachin Tendulkar
4.Viv Richards
5.W.G.Grace/Clive Lloyds
Top 20 Test Batsmen of all time : All : as at 23/08/2005 - Upto Test # 1760
(Qualification: Minimum 2000 test runs)
No Player Cty RtgPts InsIdx AvgIdx RPTIdx RunIdx S/RIdx HSIdx BhsIdx %TSIdx WinIdx
Maximum weightage 100.00 66.67 8.00 2.00 10.00 5.00 2.50 1.33 2.50 2.00
1.Bradman D.G Aus 84.87 59.90 8.00 1.79 5.60 2.96 1.86 1.11 2.50 1.15
2.Lara B.C Win 66.08 42.78 4.33 1.23 8.65 3.56 1.74 1.33 1.92 0.55
3.Richards I.V.A Win 61.09 41.00 4.02 0.94 6.83 3.32 1.47 0.97 1.50 1.04
4.Hobbs J.B Eng 59.51 41.70 4.56 1.18 4.33 2.87 1.43 0.70 1.82 0.92
5.Dravid R Ind 58.82 39.56 4.63 1.15 6.16 2.52 1.60 0.90 1.67 0.63
6.Tendulkar S.R Ind 58.72 37.07 4.58 1.10 8.11 3.26 1.53 0.82 1.64 0.62
7.Sobers G.St.A Win 58.48 38.46 4.62 1.15 6.43 2.85 1.51 1.21 1.58 0.67
8.Barrington K.F Eng 58.23 39.78 4.69 1.11 5.44 2.52 1.38 0.85 1.70 0.76
9.Ponting R.T Aus 58.19 38.24 4.48 1.06 5.78 3.52 1.50 0.85 1.40 1.36
10.Chappell G.S Aus 57.87 39.09 4.31 1.09 5.69 2.96 1.44 0.82 1.58 0.87
11.Gavaskar S.M Ind 57.51 37.20 4.09 1.08 8.10 2.81 1.41 0.78 1.67 0.37
12.EdeC Weekes Win 57.46 40.48 4.69 1.24 3.56 2.86 1.50 0.69 1.77 0.67
13.Hayden M.L Aus 57.37 38.18 4.16 1.12 4.70 3.70 1.44 1.26 1.44 1.37
14.Inzamam-ul-Haq Pak 57.27 38.02 4.06 1.01 6.10 3.20 1.41 1.09 1.53 0.85
15.Border A.R Aus 57.14 36.48 4.04 0.96 8.94 2.63 1.33 0.68 1.44 0.64
16.Hutton L Eng 56.93 37.96 4.53 1.18 5.58 2.40 1.56 1.21 1.83 0.68
17.Sehwag V Ind 56.76 39.13 4.48 1.21 2.46 4.36 1.68 1.03 1.71 0.71
18.Headley G.A Win 56.43 40.90 4.87 1.33 1.75 2.59 1.48 0.90 2.16 0.45
19.Kallis J.H Saf 56.41 37.89 4.55 1.05 5.87 2.57 1.38 0.63 1.52 0.95
20.Walcott C.L Win 56.34 40.50 4.53 1.15 3.04 2.90 1.33 0.73 1.61 0.55
Some observations :
As already mentioned Bradman, leading in 5 of the measures, is not a surprise at the top. He is so far ahead of the second best that it is safe to say that he will be No.1 forever. His batting exploits can only be compared to the domination of Nicklaus and Pele in other sports.
Lara at second place should have few dissenters. He has played more great innings than any other player in history (at last count 5 in the top 20 : 153*/214/400/375/277). He scores quickly and often compiles huge innings. 2 300s and 7 200s are proof of this. He is, arguably, the greatest modern player and deserves his place as the "best amongst the second bests".
Richards' position is again a well-deserved one. He was in a much stronger West indies lineup than Lara. This has its advantages and disadvantages for an individual player. However the total domination he exercised over the bowlers is probably matched by Gilchrist today.
Hobbs is, in the opinion of many, the greatest opener who ever played. Gavaskar runs him close. However Hobbs played most of his cricket against better quality opponents and on more difficult pitches.
There have been comparisons between Lara and Tendulkar as to who is the greatest modern batsman. This position of Dravid, at No.5, ahead of Tendulkar should settle this argument once and for all. Tendulkar is not even India's best batsman, leave alone the world's best. Dravid's performances outside India are possibly amongst the best by any batsman away from home. In Rawalpindi, Adelaide, Calcutta and Headingley, Dravid showcased his outstanding batsmanship, against top quality bowlers.
Tendulkar, Sobers, Barrington, Ponting and Greg Chappell complete the illustrious group of Top ten. Ponting, with his landmark innings at Manchester, has just moved into the Top 10, at the expense of Gavaskar.
It is of interest to note that Gilchrist, despite a primary wicket-keeper responsibility and almost always batting at No.7, was in the Top 20 in the all-time list, but has just moved out because of his indifferent current batting form. Sehwag, with his collection of high quality innings around the world, is also in the Top 20.
Source: http://www.thirdslip.com/2005/aug/tst-topbat.shtm
Though my personal selection is :
1.Sir Donald Bradman
2.Brian Lara
3.Sachin Tendulkar
4.Viv Richards
5.W.G.Grace/Clive Lloyds
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