Kane Williamson is the most overrated Test cricketer in the world today by a country mile

[Aman]

His average in Aus, SA, England and India away has dropped to 34.80 (Aus is the only country he averages over 40 and that will probably drop to the 30s after Sydney), whereas players like Pujara average 36 and Warner 33. Yet it is those players who get criticized despite being bigger match winners than Kane and being far more successful.

Kane had one good series in Aus and scored runs on dead pitches in the UAE, outside that his record against top teams is incredibly mediocre for a top batsmen.

Root's reputation has taken a hit the last few years, and rightfully so. It appears Kane is next, he has failed to rectify his faults in his record and has began to recede as he approaches his 30s. As much talk there is about his technique , he sure doesn't have any runs against good bowlers and teams to show for it. Whereas a player like Babar is scoring runs for fun around the world and Marnus is outscoring the likes of Warner and Smith. Wont be long before these two surpass the dud two.

 

[Ab Fan]

Among top teams, Kane has success in UAE and Australia only. Even in Australia, he got his runs in the series where wickets were flatter ones. He has completely failed in this series and a century in next test won't be enough to make up for that as it will be a dead rubber.

He is good but will need to improve his stats in India, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka to be considered the best NZ bat ever. The benchmark is not that high but Kane hasn't done justice to the hype he got when he was 25.

 

[Hitman]

Wasn't he better than Kohli according to some posters?

 

[angrypathan]

What's Taylor's average in these countries? Wouldn't be surprised if it was better because of that 290 in Perth

 

[Varun]

Still #3 on the big-4 list, be it whether you're talking only tests or if you take both formats into account:

1. Smith
2. Kohli
3. Williamson
4. Root

 

[jnaveen1980]

lol After a series of failures or success we use this 'country mile' phrase to put down and glorify a player. He is not as bad as you have described him here.

 

[Slog]

Wasn't he better than Kohli according to some posters?

Lol I don’t think many posters have claimed that since 2016. You imagine a lot of things man. Before that there was a case since Kohli hadn’t become a beast in tests like he is today

 

[therealAB]

Among top teams, Kane has success in UAE and Australia only

Pak top team lol

 

[Ab Fan]

Pak top team lol

I meant among all the top 7 major test playing nations.With due respect, Windies, Bangladesh and rest don't count much.

 

[Hitman]

Lol I don’t think many posters have claimed that since 2016. You imagine a lot of things man. Before that there was a case since Kohli hadn’t become a beast in tests like he is today

A lot of posters claimed him to be better than Kohli after his century in the UAE against Pakistan. That was in 2016?

 

[MenInG]

Wasn't he better than Kohli according to some posters?

A lot of posters claimed him to be better than Kohli after his century in the UAE against Pakistan. That was in 2016?

You seem to be on repeat mode.

 

[Shazzam]

Technique wise Kane is better than Kohli so I rate him higher.

 

[Hasan123]

Technique wise Kane is better than Kohli so I rate him higher.

Kohli averages higher than him in tests in England and South Africa. Why can’t Williamson technique do well in these conditions?

 

[Hasan123]

It’s a crime how he gets away with poor records in South Africa, India, and England. Just because he is a nice guy doesn’t mean he gets away with criticism.

I think he is slightly overrated. He doesn’t have an extra gear, I think he can be got at by good short balls, and he hasn’t done much away from home against the top teams.

 

[Hyperion66]

A lot of posters claimed him to be better than Kohli after his century in the UAE against Pakistan. That was in 2016?

You are right, but don't expect them to admit. He was hyped to the Moon, albeit for a short time, after he scored in dead tracks of UAE against a hopeless Pakistani attack.

 

[The Viper]

Williamson does have some blips in his record. But we should remember that he has not played SA, India and England since 2016. So he has a chance to rectify his poor records there.

Joe Root is more well rounded than Williamson as he has scored everywhere:

Average of 53 in India

Average of 51 in SA

Average of 38 in Aus

Average of 39 in NZ

Roots biggest problem has been his conversion rate, otherwise his stats in each country are pretty well rounded.

 

[therealAB]

Technique wise Kane is better than Kohli so I rate him higher.

How does this result in him making more runs for his team

 

[therealAB]

Average of 38 in Aus

He has never scored a century in Aus. That average means nothing as it consists of ineffectual 40's/50's. He hasn't even won a test match in Aus

 

[JaDed]

Technique wise Kane is better than Kohli so I rate him higher.

So you probably rate him higher than Smith too if that’s the he criteria.

 

[The Viper]

He has never scored a century in Aus. That average means nothing as it consists of ineffectual 40's/50's. He hasn't even won a test match in Aus

He may have not scored a hundred, but the point was that Root is generally more well rounded.

His conversion rate is the problem, and which makes the comparison between him and Williamson pretty even.

 

[Justcrazy]

He is still one of the best Test Batsman in the world , within top 5 .

 

[jnaveen1980]

Yearly performance of Williamson. This is not even such a bad year for him. THere was a reason why he even was considered as FAB 4. Performed across formats reasonably well. Can't put down players when they are running through a bad patch

 

[Aman]

Yearly performance of Williamson. This is not even such a bad year for him. THere was a reason why he even was considered as FAB 4. Performed across formats reasonably well. Can't put down players when they are running through a bad patch

View attachment 98091

Kane was fantastic in ODIs this year, this thread is about his Test match performances and mostly his performances away from home against top teams.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Kane was fantastic in ODIs this year, this thread is about his Test match performances and mostly his performances away from home against top teams.

My stat was Tests only. Anywho NZ doesn't tour much. They don't play 5 test series or even 4 test series. At best 3 test series. He did have a very good series in Australia once. This time he didn't click. But overall he has been consistent for like 6 years. They have run into a red hot Australian side who have mopped floor with 3 teams in a row at home. I don't think any batsman has done well in Australia over and over again in the last 20 years or so. You get a good series. Next is bound to be average.

In the last 20 years or so overseas batsman vs Australia in Australia

 

[Aman]

My stat was Tests only. Anywho NZ doesn't tour much. They don't play 5 test series or even 4 test series. At best 3 test series. He did have a very good series in Australia once. This time he didn't click. But overall he has been consistent for like 6 years. They have run into a red hot Australian side who have mopped floor with 3 teams in a row at home. I don't think any batsman has done well in Australia over and over again in the last 20 years or so. You get a good series. Next is bound to be average.

In the last 20 years or so overseas batsman vs Australia in Australia

View attachment 98092

Oh then it must be including the Bangladesh series where he scored runs. He hasn't scored runs against SL away or Aus this year.

 

[Hyperion66]

My stat was Tests only. Anywho NZ doesn't tour much. They don't play 5 test series or even 4 test series. At best 3 test series. He did have a very good series in Australia once. This time he didn't click. But overall he has been consistent for like 6 years. They have run into a red hot Australian side who have mopped floor with 3 teams in a row at home. I don't think any batsman has done well in Australia over and over again in the last 20 years or so. You get a good series. Next is bound to be average.

In the last 20 years or so overseas batsman vs Australia in Australia

View attachment 98092

Man India has been a true batting powerhouse for last couple decades, no wonder we have been matching Aus in Aus and even out batting them post 2000.

 

[Hyperion66]

Oh then it must be including the Bangladesh series where he scored runs. He hasn't scored runs against SL away or Aus this year.

He may not be a GOAT but isn't half as bad as the way you are bashing him.

 

[barah_admi]

Stats can be manipulated any which way. Kohli for example only averages 30 odd in the WI, which is pathetic considering the WI is one of the weakest test sides of the last 15 years. He also averages less than 40 in England, where India have been woeful even though they have arrived in England twice as test number ones but left having been thoroughly beaten.

However, if one took just those stats, they should not say Kohli is not an exceptional batsman...because he is, regardless of what those numbers indicate.

 

[jnaveen1980]

There is not a single batsman who has not gone through a bad patch. Even against England but for the dropped catch KW would have failed. As a top batsman he should be allowed to rediscover his form. Others have to share the load. He is still an ace batsman and also he is tactically a very good captain. Even with limited resource he can do well.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happy birthday to Kane Williamson &#55356;&#57218;<br><br>In 2021, the <a href="https://twitter.com/BLACKCAPS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BLACKCAPS</a> star set a record for the highest score by a captain in an ICC Men’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WorldCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WorldCup</a> Final!<br><br>Are we expecting more such fireworks at this year’s event in Australia? &#55357;&#56384;</p>— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1556535967204249600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Ahmed216]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happy birthday to Kane Williamson ��<br><br>In 2021, the <a href="https://twitter.com/BLACKCAPS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BLACKCAPS</a> star set a record for the highest score by a captain in an ICC Men’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WorldCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WorldCup</a> Final!<br><br>Are we expecting more such fireworks at this year’s event in Australia? ��</p>— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1556535967204249600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Played a blinder in the final. One of the best in knockouts ever but forgotten easily because it couldn't win the game

 

[sweep_shot]

I wouldn't call him overrated. He is a World Cup winning captain (WTC). NZ have done well under him.