The 10 Greatest Test Batsmen of all time

[robin2855]

Their has been many great batsmen that have played test cricket in both past and present era.

But some of them stands out and are legendary.

As One day cricket was not played very long back it would be unfair to make an assessment based on both One day and Test.So to maintain fairness this assessment is based purely on Tests.

Here is my choice of 10 Greatest batsmen of past and present.

1. Sir Donald Bradman

2. Sachin Tendulkar & Brian Lara

3. Sir Gary Sobers & Sir Vivian Richards

4. George Headley

5. Sunil Gavaskar & Rahul Dravid(N)

6. Sir Jack Hobbs

7. Greg Chappell

8. Steve Waugh & Ricky Ponting

9. Kevin Peterson & Inzamamul Haq(Add On)

10. Martin Crowe

What are Reader’s choice?

I look forward to a spontaneous response.

Good Luck and Cheers!

 

[shravi]

Kevin Pietersen? Seriously?

I wouldn't have Sachin that high personally. I've always thought Dravid is a better test batsman than him. Obviously the Sachin lunatics like max dillon get mad if I put Sachin second on any list or second to anyone except Don Bradman, but I stand by my opinion.

 

[Dare]

Im with Shravi here, Kevin Pietersen? Waaaat.

 

[bladescape]

Kevin Pietersen? Seriously?

I wouldn't have Sachin that high personally. I've always thought Dravid is a better test batsman than him. Obviously the Sachin lunatics like max dillon get mad if I put Sachin second on any list or second to anyone except Don Bradman, but I stand by my opinion.

I agree and disagree.
I agree that Pietersen is not supposed to be on that list,but I personally think Tendulkar is a better batsman then Dravid.

 

[robin2855]

Welcome Shravi!

Kevin Pietersen? Seriously?

I wouldn't have Sachin that high personally. I've always thought Dravid is a better test batsman than him. Obviously the Sachin lunatics like max dillon get mad if I put Sachin second on any list or second to anyone except Don Bradman, but I stand by my opinion.

Welcome Shravi!

Though I do not judge a player purely by statistcs I have to stay he is cut above the rest of English batsmen though Andrew Strauss has been in terrific form since he became a captain.

Even by Statistics he has an enviable record:

Tests 51 (Runs : 4,445,16 enturies,14 fifties average 50.51, Highest Score :226).

He may not be at his best. But I do believe in the old saying : Form is Temporary, Class is permanent.

If you have a chance please see his performance against Australia a few years back(DVD commercially available) which England won after a long time and Kevin's innings bordered on genius - the way he handled Wane and McGraw - Unbelievable!

BTW I am not judging Kevin based on one series . But Overall he unquestionably deserves a place amongst the greatest.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

robin2855 added 17 Minutes and 36 Seconds later...

Their has been two glaring omissions - Dravid and Inzamam. They do deserve a place among all time greats.

As per my assessment they are both tied with Peterson at the 9th position.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

 

[Dare]

robin if we go like that then Weekes, Walcott, Graeme Pollock all deserve to be in there, they are call class batsman.

The only certain thing about the all time greatest batsman is the #1 Batsman and that belongs to Bradman. Everything else after him can be argued to death.

 

[robin2855]

Welcome back Dare!

robin if we go like that then Weekes, Walcott, Graeme Pollock all deserve to be in there, they are call class batsman.

The only certain thing about the all time greatest batsman is the #1 Batsman and that belongs to Bradman. Everything else after him can be argued to death.

You have a valid point. The cricketers you have mentioned specially Weekes and Walcott are not simply class. They are super class.

I am not claiming that my choices are fully correct. My choices are based on what I saw mostly DVD (BTW I have OVER 100 + collections I mean a sort of Passion I have) and read on Internet, Wisden and other authentic sources.

Obviously It cannot be the best or ideal one as it is only seen from my perspective.

Please feel free to either add to my choices or share your own choice which you think is best or most appropriate and sharing of knowledge is what the forum is all about.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

 

[Dare]

These would be the top 10 for me I guess.

1. Don Bradman

2. George Headley

3. Garfield Sobers

4. Herbert Sutcliffe

5. Wally Hammond

6. Sir Viv Richards

7. Sachin Tendulkar

8. Everton Weekes

9. Brian Lara

10. Ricky Ponting

Im sure that if I did this 3 months from now it would look different, only the top 3 would be the same. There are so many great batsman in the history of this game that its too hard to put them in some order.

 

[naresh091]

I would rate Dravid atleast at 5 along with Gavaskar.
Like Shravi I rate Dravid higher than even Sachin.
Hes played a hell lot of match winning knocks,and at the end of a day,we all know winning is more important than playing a great innings.

 

[robin2855]

welcome naresh091!

I would rate Dravid atleast at 5 along with Gavaskar.
Like Shravi I rate Dravid higher than even Sachin.
Hes played a hell lot of match winning knocks,and at the end of a day,we all know winning is more important than playing a great innings.

welcome naresh091!

Points taken.What you said is 100% true.

I will update my original choice by upgrading Dravid to position 5.

As this is a valuable input from your end I will put N after Dravid's name to acknowledge the fact that it is a contribution from your end.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

 

[King Pietersen]

Bradman
Hobbs
Headley
Tendulkar
IVA Richards
Sobers
Sutcliffe
Hammond
Gavaskar
Lara/Ponting

My Top 10. Not 100% sure of the order but it's pretty accurate I think. The fact that Pietersen, Crowe and Inzamam are included in the 1st post Top 10 is pretty laughable.

 

[Aoun13]

I think Javed miandad and Muhammad Yousaf should be there in all time best batsmen.

 

[robin2855]

Welcome King Pietersen

Bradman
Hobbs
Headley
Tendulkar
IVA Richards
Sobers
Sutcliffe
Hammond
Ponting
Lara

My Top 10. Not 100% sure of the order but it's pretty accurate I think. The fact that Pietersen, Crowe and Inzamam are included in the 1st post Top 10 is pretty laughable.

It is good to see a selection of yours.

But a top 10 greatest without Gavaskar, Chappel, Dravid and Steve Waugh is not only laughable but absurd and illogical so far as I am concerned.

However on the positive note your inclusion of Sutcliffe and Hammond in the 10 greatest makes sense. I have no problems with that.

My assessment is based on Tests carreer record, Oppostion, Pitches, manner, situation in which it was made to name a few.

If you do an intensive research which I strongly recommend on Pietersen, Crowe and Inzamam you will be 150% convinced (LOL!) and in which case you will have to eat your own words that you have spoken about them(LOL!)

I will later give my rationale of selection for the aforementioned guys to reaffirm my selection.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

 

[King Pietersen]

Knew I'd forgotten someone, Gavaskar has been moved into the list in place of either Ponting or Lara. I personally cannot pick between the 2, so they're both in. Amazed I forgot Gavaskar, quite ashamed that I did tbh, as I rate him as the 2nd greatest opening batsman of all-time after Jack Hobbs.

Also, I'd love to see you try and convince me that Pietersen, Crowe and Inzamam are more worthy of a position in the top 10. I don't think there's any way you can justify the inclusion of any of them, possibly Inzamam but I don't even think he's in the top 5 of this era, let alone top 10 of all-time.

As for my Top 10 being absurd and illogical without Chappell, Dravid and Waugh, how exactly would I manage to fit those 3 guys in? Who would you remove from my Top 10 to fit those 3 in? Because I'm sure I could form a very convincing case for all of my Top 10 being better than those 3.

 

[robin2855]

In defense of Kevin Peterson ? Objection Handling (LOL!)

Knew I'd forgotten someone, Gavaskar has been moved into the list in place of either Ponting or Lara. I personally cannot pick between the 2, so they're both in. Amazed I forgot Gavaskar, quite ashamed that I did tbh, as I rate him as the 2nd greatest opening batsman of all-time after Jack Hobbs.

Also, I'd love to see you try and convince me that Pietersen, Crowe and Inzamam are more worthy of a position in the top 10. I don't think there's any way you can justify the inclusion of any of them, possibly Inzamam but I don't even think he's in the top 5 of this era, let alone top 10 of all-time.

As for my Top 10 being absurd and illogical without Chappell, Dravid and Waugh, how exactly would I manage to fit those 3 guys in? Who would you remove from my Top 10 to fit those 3 in? Because I'm sure I could form a very convincing case for all of my Top 10 being better than those 3.

In defense of Kevin Peterson ? Objection Handling(LOL!)

Irrespective of what others say I consider without a shade of doubt that Kevin Peterson is a Batting genius and fully deserves a place amongst the 10 greatest batsmen of all time as analyzed below:

I saw Peterson via the highlights of 2005 England vs. Ashes series where he incidentally made his test debut.The way he dominated the best Bowling attack in the world convinced me the fact that this guy is genius stuff.

No wonder Shane Warne a Bowing genius said "I don't think he has an obvious flaw in his technique."

After a brilliant century against South Africa Times said "The most complete batsman in cricket?

He has the rare distinction of scoring the second highest run total after Bradman in a mere 25 tests.

He is also the fastest player to score 4000 runs in test in terms of days.

His priceless innings of 158 in England?s second innings in the final test against Australia in 2005 is worth its weight in old.

It is an innings that will long be remembered by English fans as it helped England to regain ashes after a while. His demolition of Australian bowlers with seven towering sixes is a record for an English player in an innings

Let?s Analyze His batting performance series by series.

Overall test career record:

Matches : 51 ( 4445 runs, 1, double century , 16 Centuries,14 fifties, Highest Score: 226 , Average 50.51)

He has played 15 test series so far of which he accounts for a batting average of 50 plus in 7 series.

In 4 of the 15 series he averages in (40 - 49) range.

In only 2 series he averages (30- 39) range.

In only one series he averages in (20 -25) range.

This confirms his batting consistency and domination of bowling attack against all oppositions.

His genius and quality of batting greatness is also proven by the fact that his average is best against top quality oppositions:

Series: 2005 England VS Australia

Matches: 5 (473 Runs, 1 Century, 3 Fifties, and Highest Score: 158, Average 52.56)

Series: 2006 England VS Sri Lanka

Matches: 3 (360 Runs, 2 Century, and Highest Score 158, Average:72)

Series: 2006 -2007 Australia VS Australia

Matches: 5 (490 Runs, 1 Century, 3 Fifties, and Highest Score: 158, Average 54.44)

Series: 2008 England VS South Africa

Matches: 5 (421 Runs, 2 Century, 1 Fifties, Highest Score: 152, Average 60.14)

So after all this proven performance I do not know what more Peterson needs to prove to find a place amongst the 10 Greatest Batsmen of all time.

As far as I am concerned I am fully convinced that he deserves a place amongst the 10 Greatest Batsman of all time.

I will deal with case of Martin Crowe and Inzamam tomorrow and that of Chappell, Steve Waugh on Friday.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!