Which keeper would you choose

[Cricketman]

Tests, option A no doubt.

ODIs, deffo the batsman.

 

[Howsie]

Tests, option A no doubt.

ODIs, deffo the batsman.

Agree. But that it also depends on how weak you're teams batting line-up is.

 

[Dabi]

As others have stated it depends on the balance of the side but I'd go with option A in tests and ODI's with the batting keeper in T20.

 

[Jakester1288]

Well, give us an example batting line up? If it's weak batting, the batsman. If you have a good packed batting line up, hopefully with good balance, then you could have that option of taking the keeper. If the batting ends at 5 or 6, and you have a true keeper coming in maybe after the bowlers, or lower down the order, you don't have many tail ender runs, and would get bundled out for lower scores more often if the top order doesn't fire, as happens regularly in current cricket.

 

[sifter132]

I see the argument that keepers who take more chances are more important in Test cricket, but having a tail that wags is also quite important in Test cricket. Ask JP Duminy who was about 10* when Morne Morkel came to the crease at the MCG last summer. Morkel, Harris and Steyn virtually won that series for South Africa - with the bat - that day.

On the other side, sure keepers drop chances, but the scenario says that keeper B takes the regulation chances. That's all you can ask for, so I'd take the runs all the time unless my batting side was already quite strong. So if your top 6 is good and your #8 is a pretty decent batsman (like a Daniel Vettori or Mitchell Johnson or Stuart Broad), then I'd go with the better keeper. Otherwise I don't think it's worth the lack of runs, particularly in Test cricket.

 

[gopkrish88]

it depends on the format i would prefer a true keeper in tests though

 

[Pranav]

Option A for tests and Option B for ODIs

Why don't you add a poll?

 

[spaga1994]

Why don't you add a poll?

added it

 

[aussie1st]

You will find very few teams that would keep a keeper that averages 15 in any form of the game. The only lineup you would keep one with that sort of average is when you have a genuine all rounder that allows you to bat the keeper at 8 or 9. But if you are batting in the top 7 you have to be averaging at least 30.

 

[OffCutters]

Defo the pure keeper in Tests, he might still be able to hit the occasional half-century down the order, and will be much more reliable behind the stumps.

But its a completely different story in ODIs, I`d choose the keeper who bats well, to hit some much-needed runs.