Gary Kirsten vs Alastair Cook - Better Test batsman?

[Ted123]

While Kirsten faced better bowlers, Cook has longevity factor. Both have similar batting average. Who do you think is a better batsmen?

 

[Robert]

Kirsten because he had to deal with the Windies and Wasim & Waqar.

 

[Sidilicious]

Kirsten was really a great bat. Played in one of the toughest eras of batting.

Cookie could overtake Kirsten if he has a couple of good years and scores heavily in another ashes.

 

[Hasan123]

Kirsten may have faced better bowlers but this is something which Cook can't control.

Cook has dominated series in Australia and India, also Cook has been one of the top test batsmen during his era. Same can't be said for Kirsten. Furthermore Cook has the longevity factor over Kirsten.

I am a Kirsten fan, but I'll take Cook over Kirsten.

 

[Ted123]

<B>Kirsten may have faced better bowlers but this is something which Cook can't control.</B>

Cook has dominated series in Australia and India, also Cook has been one of the top test batsmen during his era. Same can't be said for Kirsten. Furthermore Cook has the longevity factor over Kirsten.

I am a Kirsten fan, but I'll take Cook over Kirsten.

He can control by performing against the best bowlers of this era but he has failed against Steyn, Asif, Johnson, Philander, Harris and Morkel.

 

[Hasan123]

He can control by performing against the best bowlers of this era but he has failed against Steyn, Asif, Johnson, Philander, Harris and Morkel.

Don't think he has been as bad as people make out. And he's dominated a series in India and Australia. Has Kirsten dominated a series in those countries?

 

[Ab Fan]

Kirsten. He did great vs Wasim & Waqar.

However, this is not as one sided contest because he wasn't a match winner as Smith or Hayden was. He was also a much better ODI batsman.

 

[Justcrazy]

Cook is better .

 

[Hitman]

I'd go for Gary Kirsten. Both were openers and both had similar batting patterns. He was a tough nut to crack, even tougher than Cook.

 

[CricketTruth]

Kirsten for me. Faced much better bowlers than Cook and played high quality pace better as well. Also like Cook he's a decent player of spin (again Cook hardly had to face Warne or Murali).

Kirsten's average of 45 was very decent for the lower scoring era he played in. Cook's average of 46 is good but nothing special for the era he played in.

What both players have in common is an ability to fight through period of bad form and technical issues. Neither have or had perfect techniques but they were/are mentally strong and prepared to grit it out.

 

[Ted123]

Don't think he has been as bad as people make out. And he's dominated a series in India and Australia. Has Kirsten dominated a series in those countries?

He has done well everywhere except Aus and WI who had ATG bowlers.

 

[Ted123]

I'd go for Gary Kirsten. Both were openers and both had similar batting patterns. He was a tough nut to crack, even tougher than Cook.

Your top5 test openers whom you have watched?

 

[Hitman]

Your top5 test openers whom you have watched?

Top 5 would be too much. Top 3 in no order - Sehwag, Hayden, G. Smith.

 

[Rana]

Alistair 'limited strokeplay' Cook certainly has become a far more prolific run scorer as compared to Gary Kirsten. But Kirsten from what I have heard is a one in a lifetime talent with the bat, especially in Test cricket. Sometimes averages or stats do not do justice to the actual quality of a player. Saeed Anwar is a prime example of this. An average of 44 in Tests does not speak much for one of the greatest timers of the ball.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Kirsten easily. Cook started scoring once all ATG bowlers retired and he did not face Anderson and Broad.

 

[msb314]

Definitely Alistair Cook

 

[SLcric123]

Definitely Kirsten.

Cook would have been averaging 40.xx if played in that era at a SR close to 40.

 

[Mamoon]

Cook is better. He is extremely underrated on PP.

One of the modern greats of Test cricket.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Alaistar Cook.

I like Kirsten too as a kid when he used to leave every ball outside offstump and straight drive anything on the stumps.. was really annoying for the bowlers

 

[The_Odd_One]

One just need to check Cook's Ashes record when McGrath and Warne played to get the answer.

 

[Ab Fan]

One just need to check Cook's Ashes record when McGrath and Warne played to get the answer.

Or when he faced Johnson/Harris or Steyn/Morkel/Philander.

Cook not just struggles against ATG fast bowlers but also against every world class pacers.

As I have said there are atleast 15 openers ahead of him and Kirsten is one of them without taking his OdI exploits.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Cook is better. He is extremely underrated on PP.

One of the modern greats of Test cricket.

A modern great who in his entire career managed career best ranking of 5 and rating points of 752. True greats like Ponting, Tendulkar, Younis, etc. spend most of their career above the 750 mark.

 

[CricketTruth]

Cook is better. He is extremely underrated on PP.

One of the modern greats of Test cricket.

One of the modern greats who basically can't handle any half decent pace bowling attack?
In 6 Ashes series he's only once averaged over 40. In 4 Ashes series he's averaged mid 20s. For the same reason he hasn't done so well against South Africa.

He's very good at cashing in when the bowling isn't so great and that generally keeps his overall average decent. A team like West Indies have generally been poor since Cook started his career and he's taken full advantage of them. Imagine if he was 10 years older and had to face Ambrose and Walsh?

His performances this summer pretty much sum his career up.

Averaged 33.5 against South Africa in 8 innings against an attack that has no Steyn and Philander didn't play all the matches (credit for his excellent 88 but not much else).

Scored 304 runs in 5 knocks at 60.8 versus West Indies, which was basically on the back of one innings of 243, when the west Indian bowling was all over the shop and Gabriel was missing.

Overall average for the summer is a respectable 44 but you can see that it's based on taking advantage when bowling attacks are weaker. Story of his career. Good player but nowhere near great.

 

[Ted123]

[MENTION=97523]Buffet[/MENTION]

 

[Buffet]

I will take Kirsten over Cook as a batsman.

 

[Ted123]

Bump

Cook has longevity but Kirsten faced much tougher bowlers. Both have similar average, i.e. 45.