Best modern day batting entertainer?

[fanirama]

I think the poll is about entertainment.
Its a tough call.

Afridi is very entertaining ( highest ) but very low in consistency. Its fun to watch him blast away when he does but many shots are erratic. There's more of sheer power than timing. Some shots he plays so damages the bowler's heart that it makes me laugh at times. The bowler is discouraged but wants to use bad cricket and his-batting-style-random-bowling to take his wicket. However, Afridi is very entertaining.

On the other hand, Sehwag is consistent and entertaining.
Sehwag is about timing, great shot selection and sensible batting. With 300 to chase, it silly to get out cheaply damaging the team morale.So his entertainment factor is excellent shot selection, great shot execution and controlled batting. He too damages the bowlers heart with excellent picked shots. However, although the bowler is discouraged, his respect for the batsmen is raised and approaches him with better cricket than random bowling.

I find this type of surgical batting with precisioned kills very entertaining rather than slash-and-hack approach.

So, my final answer is : Sehwag

 

[ravigoteti]

could not agree more! Afridi is destructive but sehwag is constructive and destructive. Sehwag hits, but also takes those singles/doubles. Bowlers around the world have respect for him, unlike afridi who does/dies.
He is an entertaining cricketer though, i like some of his shots. But sehwag and gilchrist are thorough entertainers.

 

[fardin]

What ever you sai ravi,but still Afridi has got The most amount of votes so people are agreeing the fact That Afridi is more destructive and The most entertaining nothing more then that.

 

[SaiSrini]

What ever you sai ravi,but still Afridi has got The most amount of votes so people are agreeing the fact That Afridi is more destructive and The most entertaining nothing more then that.

A poll's result need not be always right fardin.. this world has more cricket audience than the number of users in planetcricket!!!

a general poll among the public would say the actual result. this is a very small poll among us. doesnt count much towards the final result!

 

[ravigoteti]

well, someone should put this poll in bbc and Fardin your question will be answered.

its not even exaggeration to say he is the most entertaining, well if you look at it from a point of view..then its subjective and i can't say anything against it. If you look at it as a fact, then why me but most people would disagree.

 

[sachin]

sachin tendulkar! the greates modern batting entertainer!

 

[sohum]

I think even in a global poll Afridi would come out top. Every voter will tend to go for their own country-man. Hence Sehwag for India, Gilly for Australia, etc. But the difference is that people all around the world know of Afridi's devastating hitting. They have all felt it. So if anyone is to choose a player not from their country, I believe they would choose Afridi over Sehwag.

 

[ravigoteti]

Sachin is the all time batting entertainer...i disagree a bit with you sohummisra, not many felt that shock from shahid's bat. Aus, england, SA etc. which are the better teams have a good record against him..unlike sehwag who is devastating against the top quality bowlers.

but he would definitely come in the top 5 in the last few years. i would say the all time entertainer was Viv Richards, Sachin, Lara, Gilly and now Sehwag.

 

[sachinisgod]

What about Kallis?

what about him? this is a conversation about the most entertaining batsmen...Kallis, for me, doesn't enter that league...if you can include him, then Sachin and Dravid(he jointly holds the fastest Indian 50 record) should be there too...

difficult to choose between Sehwag/Gilchrist...on experience and all round entertaining abilities - its Gilchrist...

as our friend above said - Afridi doesn't care about anything - neither his career nor his team's performance...that doesn't make him the best entertainer...frankly i am more entertained by his fielding and bowling than by his batting...

its Gilly all the way!!!

 

[sohum]

Well I disagree with you. I am definitely entertained by his powerful batting and six-hitting. He is unparalleled in that regard. If I go to watch a game, I definitely hope that Afridi will be playing there because there is a chance to get in contact with the ball.

 

[The Champ]

what about him? this is a conversation about the most entertaining batsmen...Kallis, for me, doesn't enter that league...if you can include him, then Sachin and Dravid(he jointly holds the fastest Indian 50 record) should be there too...

Well he is correct if Kallis can be there then so does these batsmen.

Sachin ,Dravid, Lara, Ponting, Hayden, Gibbs, Inzamam, youhana, and list goes on mate, its just about pure hitters and aggressive players

 

[themuel1]

Andrew Flintoff is great to watch when he's "seeing the ball".

 

[The Champ]

Personally feel Sehwag or Gilchrist steal the votes

 

[pal]

I am an indian, but it's that word entertainer that made me vote for Afridi, he drives on pure adrenaline and doesn't care about anything except smashing the ball for a six... But, he is good at what he does, so he also plays really well some times...

 

[Ritwik]

I've voted Gilchrist, although Sehwag and Afridi are very close in the entertainment factor.