Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
- Runs
- 3,519
- Post of the Week
- 2
A criteria for many fans in judging the greatness of a batsmen is the centuries,aggregate runs or batting averages in games won.No doubt it has to be considered but often they can be misleading .For instance Viv Richards averages around 52 in winning tests while Greg Chappell averaged over 70 and Gordon Greenidge over 54.Both Greenidge and Chappell had a greater percentage of match-winning centuries than Greg..Later Inzamam Ul Haq averaged over 78 in tests won as agAinst Sachin Tendulkar's 63 and Brian Lara's 61.Sunil Gavaskar averaged around 43 in tests won as against Jack Hobb's 68 and Len Hutton's 66.In winning causes Steve Waugh scored 25 out his 32 centuries and Ricky Ponting 30 of his 41 in winning causes.
In the case of Tendulkar and Lara we have to ***** the relative weakness of the team's they played for and similarly ***** how strong the teams were in which Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting represented.Inzamam 's case is fascinating as often Pakistan cricket was not at the top and in a re-moulding stage when he played .Still he considerably overshadowed Lara and Sachin .For a considerable period Dravid overshadowed Tendulkar as a match-winner.
Viv Richards and Greg Chappell's World series Kerry Packer supertests have been excluded which would have boosted their average,aggregate and no of centuries in wins.However they also played some great knocks there in losing causes.What may have counted against Viv was that he was not at his best when West Indies had the best ever side under Clive Lloyd from 1983-85 and and he was at his best when Australia and Pakistan were about neck -to neck as ateam with the Calypsos.Another factor maybe that a lot more games were drawn in Viv's era than in those of Ponting's and Waugh's.From the 1990's twice as many tests had results and when Australia was at the top many more tests were played around the world Viv and Gavaskar did not have the opportunity of playing in Bangladesh ,Sri Lanka or South Africa .Viv also played when the likes of Greenidge,Haynes,Cllve Lloyd etc were in their top form so could not match the average percentage score of Tendulkar and Lara.Inzamam also was at his best against New Zealand,West Indies,Bangladesh ,Sri Lanka and India and not against class teams like Australia and South Africa.
Morally,to me;Viv Richards was the best of match-winners which the record books do not depict and Lara and Sachin should have far better records in games won.Rohan Kanhai could have come close to Viv on merit or even Everton Weekes.
In my list below I am choosing in order of merit batsmen whose figures in games won do least justice to their performance on merit.
1.Viv Richards
2.Sunil Gavaskar
3.Brian Lara
4.Javed Miandad
5.Sachin Tendulkar
6.Martin Crowe
Viv could change the complexion of game like noone else ever.No batsmen set such staggering records playing for a relatively weak team against such great bowling as Gavaskar.in a champion team Lara may well have been the best after Bradman as so many times he singe-handedly retrieved a sinking ship.Miandad was the ultimate man when the chips were down.Tendulkar bore pressure like no batsmen ever and at his best received no support.Martin Crowe at his best was the equal of Lara or Tendulkar and may have been the ultimate match-winner playing for a strong team.
VIV RICHARDS STATS.IN OFFICIAL GAMES WON
won match 1974-1991 63 90 8 4300 291 52.43 12 22 4 view innings
lost match 1974-1991 19 38 0 1197 177 31.50 2 7 4 view innings
drawn match 1975-1991 39 54 4 3043 232 60.86 10 16 2 view innings
adding packer cricket still his average would only rise in games won from 52 to about 54.5.
SUNIL GAVASKAR
won match 1971-1987 23 42 4 1671 166 43.97 6 7 2 view innings
lost match 1972-1987 34 67 1 2314 137 35.06 6 12 7 view innings
tied match 1986-1986 1 2 0 98 90 49.00 0 1 0 view innings
drawn match 1971-1987 67 103 11 6039 236* 65.64 22 25 3
Championed cause for weak team.
BRIAN LARA
won match 1992-2005 32 52 4 2929 213 61.02 4387 66.76 8 16 1 389 30 view innings
lost match 1992-2006 63 126 0 5316 226 42.19 9283 57.26 14 22 13 712 34 view innings
drawn match 1990-2006 36 54 2 3708 400* 71.30 6083 60.95 12 10 3 458 24
JAVED MIANDAD
won match 1976-1993 39 56 7 2923 280* 59.65 10 11 2 view innings
lost match 1977-1993 23 46 1 1339 129* 29.75 1 9 3 view innings
drawn match 1976-1993 62 87 13 4570 271 61.75 12 23 1 view innings
SACHIN TENDULKAR
won match 1990-2013 72 113 17 5946 248* 61.93 20 24 2 view innings
lost match 1990-2012 56 112 2 4088 177 37.16 11 18 8 view innings
drawn match 1989-2012 72 104 14 5887 241* 65.41 20 26 4 view innings
MARTIN CROWE
won match 1982-1994 16 26 4 1219 188 55.40 2554 47.72 2 7 2 155 5 view innings
lost match 1982-1995 24 48 2 1242 108* 27.00 3184 39.00 3 4 5 134 9 view innings
drawn match 1982-1995 37 57 5 2983 299 57.36 6452 46.23 12 7 2 370 13
In this list I am ranking batsmen who's statistics in matches won slightly inflate their moral ranking amongst the great batsmen.
1.Inzamam Ul Haq.
2Jimmy Adams
3.Steve Waugh
4.Ricky Ponting.
5.George Headley
I am almost certain Headley would have averaged quite below 95 had he played as many tests as Viv Richards.Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting benefited from the teams they played for and eras.Adams was not in the class of a Lara.Inzy was a genius in his own right but consistently not in the Lara-Tendulkar class.
INZAMAM UL HAQ
won match 1992-2007 49 76 16 4690 329 78.16 8137 57.63 17 20 4 575 36 view innings
lost match 1992-2007 39 77 1 2156 142 28.36 4446 48.49 2 13 7 277 6 view innings
drawn match 1992-2007 32 47 5 1984 135 47.23 3762 52.73 6 13 4 253 6 view innings
JIMMY ADAMS
won match 1992-2000 21 30 8 1534 174* 69.72 3804 40.32 4 8 1 156 0 view innings
lost match 1992-2001 23 46 4 803 81 19.11 2483 32.33 0 3 6 82 1 view innings
drawn match 1993-2000 10 14 5 675 208* 75.00 1730 39.01 2 3 0 75 3 view innings
Figures really exaggerate his contribution
STEVE WAUGH
won match 1987-2003 86 120 27 6460 200 69.46 12847 50.28 25 25 6 690 12 view innings
lost match 1986-2003 36 71 8 2380 199 37.77 4963 47.95 5 9 10 273 6 view innings
tied match 1986-1986 1 2 2 14 12* - 55 25.45 0 0 0 0 0 view innings
drawn match 1985-2004 45 67 9 2073 112 35.74 4596 45.10 2 16 6 212 2 view innings
RICKY PONTING
won match 1995-2012 108 178 24 9157 257 59.46 15240 60.08 30 42 8 1026 53 view innings
lost match 1996-2012 31 62 0 2036 242 32.83 3581 56.85 4 12 8 248 12 view innings
drawn match 1997-2012 29 47 5 2185 157* 52.02 3961
55.16 7 8 1 235 8
GEORGE HEADLEY
won match 1930-1954 5 9 1 766 270* 95.75 4 1 0 view innings
lost match 1930-1939 9 18 1 589 107 34.64 3 1 2 view innings
drawn match 1930-1948 8 13 2 835 223 75.90 3 3 0
Genius of batsmen but hardly played so much overseas in test cricket.To me Viv would have won more games or even Lara with their playing style.
In this list I am ranking the great batsmen whose figures in games won more or less did them justice like possibly no one else
1.Don Bradman
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Gary Sobers
4.Len Hutton
5.Greg Chappell
6.Rahul Dravid
7.Clive Lloyd
DONALD BRADMAN
won match 1929-1948 30 43 6 4813 299* 130.08 23 4 3 view innings
lost match 1928-1938 12 22 0 952 131 43.27 2 6 3 view innings
drawn match 1930-1948 10 15 4 1231 334 111.90 4 3 1 view innings
Simply a creature from another planet.However did not play against the lethal pace bowling of the 1970's and 80's like Gavaskar without a helmet and overshadowed on wet pitches by George Headley.
JACK HOBBS
won match 1908-1930 28 45 5 2720 211 68.00 7 14 1 view innings
lost match 1908-1930 22 42 1 1889 154 46.07 6 9 3 view innings
drawn match 1912-1930 11 15 1 801 119 57.21 2 5 0 view innings
Supreme champion an any conditions
GARY SOBERS
won match 1956-1974 31 46 6 3097 365* 77.42 12 11 1 view innings
lost match 1954-1974 25 49 2 1274 113 27.10 1 5 7 view innings
tied match 1960-1960 1 2 0 146 132 73.00 1 0 0 view innings
drawn match 1955-1974 36 63 13 3515 226 70.30 12 14 4 view innings
Thoroughly deserved
LEN HUTTON
won match 1937-1955 27 48 7 2678 364 65.31 8 8 0 view innings
lost match 1946-1954 20 39 5 1700 202* 50.00 3 12 1 view innings
drawn match 1937-1955 32 51 3 2593 206 54.02 8 13 4 view innings
weathered the best bowling as an opening batsmen
GREG CHAPPELL IN WON GAMES
won match 1972-1984 38 62 11 3595 204 70.49 14 16 3 377 9 view innings
lost match 1971-1982 19 38 0 978 112 25.73 2 3 4 104 2 view innings
drawn match 1970-1983 30 51 8 2537 247* 59.00 8 12 5 274 5 view innings
Adding his increbible best WSC Packer scores of 246 not out and 150 in winning causes Greg's average would elevate to 72.However Greg was also not out in mnay match-winning knocks like his 182 at Sydney v West Indies in 1975-76 .
RAHUL DRAVID
won match 1996-2011 56 92 14 5131 270 65.78 10786 47.57 15 23 2 643 12 view innings
lost match 1996-2012 49 98 5 2778 146* 29.87 7918 35.08 4 12 5 345 1 view innings
drawn match 1996-2011 59 96 13 5379 222 64.80 12554 42.84 17 28 1 666 8
The ultimate champion when the backs are to the wall.few batsmen ever played more in tune with the situuation.
CLIVE LLOYD
won match 1966-1984 43 63 6 3337 242* 58.54 10 16 3 view innings
lost match 1968-1985 22 43 1 1351 178 32.16 2 7 1 view innings
drawn match 1967-1984 45 69 7 2827 157 45.59 7 16 0
At his best played like Gary Sobers.
batsmen I find hardest to categorize whether match-winning stats are deserving or not.
1.Kumar Sangakaara
2.Mahela Jayewardene
3.Younis Khan
KUMAR SANGAKAARA
won match 2000-2015 54 84 8 5449 287 71.69 9424 57.82 19 20 5 669 17 view innings
lost match 2000-2015 43 86 2 2938 203 34.97 5867 50.07 5 14 4 369 12 view innings
drawn match 2000-2014 37 63 7 4013 319 71.66 7591 52.86 14 18 2 453 22 view innings
MAHELA JAYEWARDENE
won match 1998-2014 58 89 9 5173 374 64.66 9141 56.59 17 19 5 586 33 view innings
lost match 1998-2014 46 92 0 2706 105 29.41 6084 44.47 5 15 7 338 12 view innings
drawn match 1997-2014 45 71 6 3935 275 60.53 7734 50.87 12 16 3 463 16 view innings
I have missed out super batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar,Graeme Pollock,Everton Weekes,Alan Border etc whose stats in games won justify their credibility.of ranking but not in the same degree as those chosen.
batsmen I find hardest to categorize whether match-winning stats are deserving or not.
1.Kumar Sangakaara
2.Mahela Jayewardene
3.Younis Khan
KUMAR SANGAKAARA
won match 2000-2015 54 84 8 5449 287 71.69 9424 57.82 19 20 5 669 17 view innings
lost match 2000-2015 43 86 2 2938 203 34.97 5867 50.07 5 14 4 369 12 view innings
drawn match 2000-2014 37 63 7 4013 319 71.66 7591 52.86 14 18 2 453 22 view innings
MAHELA JAYEWARDENE
won match 1998-2014 58 89 9 5173 374 64.66 9141 56.59 17 19 5 586 33 view innings
lost match 1998-2014 46 92 0 2706 105 29.41 6084 44.47 5 15 7 338 12 view innings
drawn match 1997-2014 45 71 6 3935 275 60.53 7734 50.87 12 16 3 463 16 view innings
YOUNIS KHAN
won match 2000-2016 44 77 15 4793 267 77.30 8766 54.67 19 13 3 493 40 view innings
lost match 2000-2017 44 87 1 2890 177 33.60 6020 48.00 7 12 9 323 10 view innings
drawn match 2000-2015 27 43 3 2294 313 57.35 4255 53.91 8 7 6 256 19
STATISTICS OF BATSMEN IN TEST WINS COMPILED FROM CRICINFO.IN 2010.
Best averages in Test wins (Qual: 750 runs) Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s
Don Bradman 30 4813 130.08 23/ 4
George Headley 5 766 95.75 4/ 1
Graeme Pollock 9 1178 84.14 4/ 6
Clyde Walcott 12 1113 79.50 3/ 4
Surely Headley or Pollock were not that much better as match-winners than Sobers,Lara or Viv.
Highest Test batting averages in wins (Qual: 4000 runs) Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s
Don Bradman 30 4813 130.08 23/ 4
Inzamam-ul-Haq 49 4690 78.16 17/ 20
Kumar Sangakkara 42 4282 76.46 15/ 15
Steve Waugh 86 6460 69.46 25/ 25
Sachin Tendulkar 59 5393 69.14 20/ 20
Rahul Dravid 51 4557 65.10 12/ 22
Graeme Smith 44 4086 63.84 15/ 14
Mahela Jayawardene 49 4200 63.63 14/ 14
Jacques Kallis 68 5390 62.67 18/ 26
Ricky Ponting 98 8314 60.24 28/ 36
In the case of Tendulkar and Lara we have to ***** the relative weakness of the team's they played for and similarly ***** how strong the teams were in which Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting represented.Inzamam 's case is fascinating as often Pakistan cricket was not at the top and in a re-moulding stage when he played .Still he considerably overshadowed Lara and Sachin .For a considerable period Dravid overshadowed Tendulkar as a match-winner.
Viv Richards and Greg Chappell's World series Kerry Packer supertests have been excluded which would have boosted their average,aggregate and no of centuries in wins.However they also played some great knocks there in losing causes.What may have counted against Viv was that he was not at his best when West Indies had the best ever side under Clive Lloyd from 1983-85 and and he was at his best when Australia and Pakistan were about neck -to neck as ateam with the Calypsos.Another factor maybe that a lot more games were drawn in Viv's era than in those of Ponting's and Waugh's.From the 1990's twice as many tests had results and when Australia was at the top many more tests were played around the world Viv and Gavaskar did not have the opportunity of playing in Bangladesh ,Sri Lanka or South Africa .Viv also played when the likes of Greenidge,Haynes,Cllve Lloyd etc were in their top form so could not match the average percentage score of Tendulkar and Lara.Inzamam also was at his best against New Zealand,West Indies,Bangladesh ,Sri Lanka and India and not against class teams like Australia and South Africa.
Morally,to me;Viv Richards was the best of match-winners which the record books do not depict and Lara and Sachin should have far better records in games won.Rohan Kanhai could have come close to Viv on merit or even Everton Weekes.
In my list below I am choosing in order of merit batsmen whose figures in games won do least justice to their performance on merit.
1.Viv Richards
2.Sunil Gavaskar
3.Brian Lara
4.Javed Miandad
5.Sachin Tendulkar
6.Martin Crowe
Viv could change the complexion of game like noone else ever.No batsmen set such staggering records playing for a relatively weak team against such great bowling as Gavaskar.in a champion team Lara may well have been the best after Bradman as so many times he singe-handedly retrieved a sinking ship.Miandad was the ultimate man when the chips were down.Tendulkar bore pressure like no batsmen ever and at his best received no support.Martin Crowe at his best was the equal of Lara or Tendulkar and may have been the ultimate match-winner playing for a strong team.
VIV RICHARDS STATS.IN OFFICIAL GAMES WON
won match 1974-1991 63 90 8 4300 291 52.43 12 22 4 view innings
lost match 1974-1991 19 38 0 1197 177 31.50 2 7 4 view innings
drawn match 1975-1991 39 54 4 3043 232 60.86 10 16 2 view innings
adding packer cricket still his average would only rise in games won from 52 to about 54.5.
SUNIL GAVASKAR
won match 1971-1987 23 42 4 1671 166 43.97 6 7 2 view innings
lost match 1972-1987 34 67 1 2314 137 35.06 6 12 7 view innings
tied match 1986-1986 1 2 0 98 90 49.00 0 1 0 view innings
drawn match 1971-1987 67 103 11 6039 236* 65.64 22 25 3
Championed cause for weak team.
BRIAN LARA
won match 1992-2005 32 52 4 2929 213 61.02 4387 66.76 8 16 1 389 30 view innings
lost match 1992-2006 63 126 0 5316 226 42.19 9283 57.26 14 22 13 712 34 view innings
drawn match 1990-2006 36 54 2 3708 400* 71.30 6083 60.95 12 10 3 458 24
JAVED MIANDAD
won match 1976-1993 39 56 7 2923 280* 59.65 10 11 2 view innings
lost match 1977-1993 23 46 1 1339 129* 29.75 1 9 3 view innings
drawn match 1976-1993 62 87 13 4570 271 61.75 12 23 1 view innings
SACHIN TENDULKAR
won match 1990-2013 72 113 17 5946 248* 61.93 20 24 2 view innings
lost match 1990-2012 56 112 2 4088 177 37.16 11 18 8 view innings
drawn match 1989-2012 72 104 14 5887 241* 65.41 20 26 4 view innings
MARTIN CROWE
won match 1982-1994 16 26 4 1219 188 55.40 2554 47.72 2 7 2 155 5 view innings
lost match 1982-1995 24 48 2 1242 108* 27.00 3184 39.00 3 4 5 134 9 view innings
drawn match 1982-1995 37 57 5 2983 299 57.36 6452 46.23 12 7 2 370 13
In this list I am ranking batsmen who's statistics in matches won slightly inflate their moral ranking amongst the great batsmen.
1.Inzamam Ul Haq.
2Jimmy Adams
3.Steve Waugh
4.Ricky Ponting.
5.George Headley
I am almost certain Headley would have averaged quite below 95 had he played as many tests as Viv Richards.Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting benefited from the teams they played for and eras.Adams was not in the class of a Lara.Inzy was a genius in his own right but consistently not in the Lara-Tendulkar class.
INZAMAM UL HAQ
won match 1992-2007 49 76 16 4690 329 78.16 8137 57.63 17 20 4 575 36 view innings
lost match 1992-2007 39 77 1 2156 142 28.36 4446 48.49 2 13 7 277 6 view innings
drawn match 1992-2007 32 47 5 1984 135 47.23 3762 52.73 6 13 4 253 6 view innings
JIMMY ADAMS
won match 1992-2000 21 30 8 1534 174* 69.72 3804 40.32 4 8 1 156 0 view innings
lost match 1992-2001 23 46 4 803 81 19.11 2483 32.33 0 3 6 82 1 view innings
drawn match 1993-2000 10 14 5 675 208* 75.00 1730 39.01 2 3 0 75 3 view innings
Figures really exaggerate his contribution
STEVE WAUGH
won match 1987-2003 86 120 27 6460 200 69.46 12847 50.28 25 25 6 690 12 view innings
lost match 1986-2003 36 71 8 2380 199 37.77 4963 47.95 5 9 10 273 6 view innings
tied match 1986-1986 1 2 2 14 12* - 55 25.45 0 0 0 0 0 view innings
drawn match 1985-2004 45 67 9 2073 112 35.74 4596 45.10 2 16 6 212 2 view innings
RICKY PONTING
won match 1995-2012 108 178 24 9157 257 59.46 15240 60.08 30 42 8 1026 53 view innings
lost match 1996-2012 31 62 0 2036 242 32.83 3581 56.85 4 12 8 248 12 view innings
drawn match 1997-2012 29 47 5 2185 157* 52.02 3961
55.16 7 8 1 235 8
GEORGE HEADLEY
won match 1930-1954 5 9 1 766 270* 95.75 4 1 0 view innings
lost match 1930-1939 9 18 1 589 107 34.64 3 1 2 view innings
drawn match 1930-1948 8 13 2 835 223 75.90 3 3 0
Genius of batsmen but hardly played so much overseas in test cricket.To me Viv would have won more games or even Lara with their playing style.
In this list I am ranking the great batsmen whose figures in games won more or less did them justice like possibly no one else
1.Don Bradman
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Gary Sobers
4.Len Hutton
5.Greg Chappell
6.Rahul Dravid
7.Clive Lloyd
DONALD BRADMAN
won match 1929-1948 30 43 6 4813 299* 130.08 23 4 3 view innings
lost match 1928-1938 12 22 0 952 131 43.27 2 6 3 view innings
drawn match 1930-1948 10 15 4 1231 334 111.90 4 3 1 view innings
Simply a creature from another planet.However did not play against the lethal pace bowling of the 1970's and 80's like Gavaskar without a helmet and overshadowed on wet pitches by George Headley.
JACK HOBBS
won match 1908-1930 28 45 5 2720 211 68.00 7 14 1 view innings
lost match 1908-1930 22 42 1 1889 154 46.07 6 9 3 view innings
drawn match 1912-1930 11 15 1 801 119 57.21 2 5 0 view innings
Supreme champion an any conditions
GARY SOBERS
won match 1956-1974 31 46 6 3097 365* 77.42 12 11 1 view innings
lost match 1954-1974 25 49 2 1274 113 27.10 1 5 7 view innings
tied match 1960-1960 1 2 0 146 132 73.00 1 0 0 view innings
drawn match 1955-1974 36 63 13 3515 226 70.30 12 14 4 view innings
Thoroughly deserved
LEN HUTTON
won match 1937-1955 27 48 7 2678 364 65.31 8 8 0 view innings
lost match 1946-1954 20 39 5 1700 202* 50.00 3 12 1 view innings
drawn match 1937-1955 32 51 3 2593 206 54.02 8 13 4 view innings
weathered the best bowling as an opening batsmen
GREG CHAPPELL IN WON GAMES
won match 1972-1984 38 62 11 3595 204 70.49 14 16 3 377 9 view innings
lost match 1971-1982 19 38 0 978 112 25.73 2 3 4 104 2 view innings
drawn match 1970-1983 30 51 8 2537 247* 59.00 8 12 5 274 5 view innings
Adding his increbible best WSC Packer scores of 246 not out and 150 in winning causes Greg's average would elevate to 72.However Greg was also not out in mnay match-winning knocks like his 182 at Sydney v West Indies in 1975-76 .
RAHUL DRAVID
won match 1996-2011 56 92 14 5131 270 65.78 10786 47.57 15 23 2 643 12 view innings
lost match 1996-2012 49 98 5 2778 146* 29.87 7918 35.08 4 12 5 345 1 view innings
drawn match 1996-2011 59 96 13 5379 222 64.80 12554 42.84 17 28 1 666 8
The ultimate champion when the backs are to the wall.few batsmen ever played more in tune with the situuation.
CLIVE LLOYD
won match 1966-1984 43 63 6 3337 242* 58.54 10 16 3 view innings
lost match 1968-1985 22 43 1 1351 178 32.16 2 7 1 view innings
drawn match 1967-1984 45 69 7 2827 157 45.59 7 16 0
At his best played like Gary Sobers.
batsmen I find hardest to categorize whether match-winning stats are deserving or not.
1.Kumar Sangakaara
2.Mahela Jayewardene
3.Younis Khan
KUMAR SANGAKAARA
won match 2000-2015 54 84 8 5449 287 71.69 9424 57.82 19 20 5 669 17 view innings
lost match 2000-2015 43 86 2 2938 203 34.97 5867 50.07 5 14 4 369 12 view innings
drawn match 2000-2014 37 63 7 4013 319 71.66 7591 52.86 14 18 2 453 22 view innings
MAHELA JAYEWARDENE
won match 1998-2014 58 89 9 5173 374 64.66 9141 56.59 17 19 5 586 33 view innings
lost match 1998-2014 46 92 0 2706 105 29.41 6084 44.47 5 15 7 338 12 view innings
drawn match 1997-2014 45 71 6 3935 275 60.53 7734 50.87 12 16 3 463 16 view innings
I have missed out super batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar,Graeme Pollock,Everton Weekes,Alan Border etc whose stats in games won justify their credibility.of ranking but not in the same degree as those chosen.
batsmen I find hardest to categorize whether match-winning stats are deserving or not.
1.Kumar Sangakaara
2.Mahela Jayewardene
3.Younis Khan
KUMAR SANGAKAARA
won match 2000-2015 54 84 8 5449 287 71.69 9424 57.82 19 20 5 669 17 view innings
lost match 2000-2015 43 86 2 2938 203 34.97 5867 50.07 5 14 4 369 12 view innings
drawn match 2000-2014 37 63 7 4013 319 71.66 7591 52.86 14 18 2 453 22 view innings
MAHELA JAYEWARDENE
won match 1998-2014 58 89 9 5173 374 64.66 9141 56.59 17 19 5 586 33 view innings
lost match 1998-2014 46 92 0 2706 105 29.41 6084 44.47 5 15 7 338 12 view innings
drawn match 1997-2014 45 71 6 3935 275 60.53 7734 50.87 12 16 3 463 16 view innings
YOUNIS KHAN
won match 2000-2016 44 77 15 4793 267 77.30 8766 54.67 19 13 3 493 40 view innings
lost match 2000-2017 44 87 1 2890 177 33.60 6020 48.00 7 12 9 323 10 view innings
drawn match 2000-2015 27 43 3 2294 313 57.35 4255 53.91 8 7 6 256 19
STATISTICS OF BATSMEN IN TEST WINS COMPILED FROM CRICINFO.IN 2010.
Best averages in Test wins (Qual: 750 runs) Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s
Don Bradman 30 4813 130.08 23/ 4
George Headley 5 766 95.75 4/ 1
Graeme Pollock 9 1178 84.14 4/ 6
Clyde Walcott 12 1113 79.50 3/ 4
Surely Headley or Pollock were not that much better as match-winners than Sobers,Lara or Viv.
Highest Test batting averages in wins (Qual: 4000 runs) Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s
Don Bradman 30 4813 130.08 23/ 4
Inzamam-ul-Haq 49 4690 78.16 17/ 20
Kumar Sangakkara 42 4282 76.46 15/ 15
Steve Waugh 86 6460 69.46 25/ 25
Sachin Tendulkar 59 5393 69.14 20/ 20
Rahul Dravid 51 4557 65.10 12/ 22
Graeme Smith 44 4086 63.84 15/ 14
Mahela Jayawardene 49 4200 63.63 14/ 14
Jacques Kallis 68 5390 62.67 18/ 26
Ricky Ponting 98 8314 60.24 28/ 36
