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Kevin Pietersen vs AB de Villiers - the better batsman?

Acricketfan

Acricketfan

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How do you guys think KP would have fared had played for South Africa ? In my opinion , KP would have done much , much better playing for SA.

Though not the most consistent batsman in the world , ''on his day'' KP was as destructive as Viv or Lara.
 
KP was a lot like Lara..On his day he could turn the game in no matter of time.. He was one of the biggest match winner of his era but wasn't consistent either.AB is far more consistent and in terms of explosiveness both are in the top tier.Perhaps if KP would have played for SA he could have been as successful as AB is.
 
ABD currently no one is near him .... Genius

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If I'm playing a WC final, I would go with KP rather than AB. Having said that, AB is definitely the greater of the two in my mind.
 
I really enjoyed KP. He would pulverise the opposition

I don't know whether his stats make a claim for it but in my eyes based purely on observation he is definitely top 5 test batsmen in the last 15-20 years.
 
EliteCynical said:
If I'm playing a WC final, I would go with KP rather than AB. Having said that, AB is definitely the greater of the two in my mind.
Click to expand...

World Cup final I'd go with AB and logic and history also supports that choice.

If you say You pick KP over AB in a deciding match of a test series then you have a much stronger claim
 
Kevin Pieterson for me in tests. He was very destructive and wasn't as inconsistent as some people make it look like.
 
As for OP. KP started off as a leg spinner and it was only the facilities and the coaching level which county cricket provides that he was able to polish his game to such an extent.

Who knows he might never have made it if he had stayed in SA
 
Sachin136 said:
Kevin Pieterson for me in tests. He was very destructive and wasn't as inconsistent as some people make it look like.
Click to expand...

Success in Ashes home and away coupled with the 2012 series in India sealed his position in tests for me
 
Slog said:
World Cup final I'd go with AB and logic and history also supports that choice.

If you say You pick KP over AB in a deciding match of a test series then you have a much stronger claim
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Beg to differ. In fact if I have to save a test match, or for that matter win, I would go with AB. But clutch matches, I would want to go with KP simply because a couple of good shots would give him an adrenaline rush and he goes so high on ego, that he might swing the game in your favor in a span of 30- 40 minutes.
 
Pietersen was a better test batsman in my book.

Pietersen butchered ATG bowlers like Warne/McGrath/Murali/Steyn , and played some of the greatest innings of all time in Asia (probably the toughest challenge for non-SC batsmen where ABDV has mostly played second fiddle Kallis and Amla so far)

ABDV is of course a better ODI batsman, and may surpass him in tests too when he decides to hang up his boots.
 
Kp is so underrated on this forum.
For a guy who pulverised the best, he sure doesnt get much respect here
 
ABDV is the better batter.

As for who KP would have played better for.... England were just too nice to him for his own good or theirs. I think SA would have kicked him out of internationals before England did. He would never have survived Textgate and been 'reintegrated'.
 
KP is average against spin while AB also has a far bigger range of shots, easily superiour.
 
You could argue KP is better in Tests. But ABs peak coincided with Retirement of great bowlers. AB was one of the few who held his own vs Johnson 2.0 when his teammates were struggling. KP struggled vs Asif n Amir. And against Johnson 2.0. By the time AB retires he will be way better than KP who played some iconic knocks but also had quite a few inconsistent low scoring periods too.

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ABD is better because he is just as destructive as KP but is also a lot more consistent. He'll end with a 50+ average too, something that KP never managed.
 
KP is the batting equivalent of Shoaib Akhtar. On his day, he would absolutely pulverise even the best. But he had his lean patches too. AB is far more consistent and better in the shorter formats. KP's iconic knocks in Tests keep him slightly ahead in the longer version (in my view) but I would back AB to end as the better batsman in every sense. He has a few years left, and it's not like he has been poor in Tests. He played pretty well against Aus in 2014, for example.
 
If there's pressure, KP is the man

But no one can make soft runs as much as abd. That dude is a legend in this aspect.
 
AB. AB can bat like KP but KP can't bat like AB. AB has a lot of gears to his batting and KP's versatility is no match for AB's. KP is a bigger match winner than AB on his day but AB takes everything else.
 
Easily ABD and it is not even a comparison imo.

ABD averages 50+ in both Tests and ODI's whilst managing at a SR of 100+ in LOI...

KP was a wonderful player no doubt but is not in the same league as ABD and there should be no shame in that either since ABD is truly a freak of nature!
 
AB was the better player, but and a key but KP had more 'special' or memorable test innings. Basically won a couple of series for England singlehandedly
 
KP > ABD

He was more balsy and more likely to turn it on when it mattered than ABD. If we were to rate knocks based on quality, I reckon KPs would feature much higher.

ABD for all the glitz and blitz has very few ATG knock to his name that Tendulkar and Lara made a habit of hitting every few months.
 
AB is more effective, but KP was a better batsman imo. Kevin didn't do justice to his ability.
 
kp is one of my favourite batsman along with kallis,ab,lara, gilly, ponting.
he is outrageously talented but not very consistent.on the other hand ab is consistent.
so ab> kp.
 
ABDV for the entertainment.

KP's claim to fame would be his ability to turn his game up against the very best bowlers and produce matchwinning innings out of nowhere.

Can't go wrong with either one. Both hugely entertaining.

Sad KP doesn't play anymore. ECB completely lost the plot with him.
 
As a test bat purely. KP has far more significant innings than AB. Although AB is not far behind and it could change quickly in the next few years.

All formats combined. AB is far ahead of anyone else in his generation.
 
I'm surprised at people saying ABD doesn't have great test innings . What about his 33 of 220 balls ?
 
Acricketfan said:
How do you guys think KP would have fared had played for South Africa ? In my opinion , KP would have done much , much better playing for SA.

Though not the most consistent batsman in the world , ''on his day'' KP was as destructive as Viv or Lara.
Click to expand...

title says, who's better

and your post is asking who would have been better with SA. make up your mind

PS: hard choice, both are beast every where. So I'll go with Kevin De Villiers
 
Acricketfan said:
I'm surprised at people saying ABD doesn't have great test innings . What about his 33 of 220 balls ?
Click to expand...

And 43 off 228 at Cape town. KP can't do that. AB can play Vivian style knocks as well as Dravid/Kallis style marathons if he wants. The world hasn't seen a batsman with as many batting gears before.
 
IndianWillow said:
And 43 off 228 at Cape town. KP can't do that. AB can play Vivian style knocks as well as Dravid/Kallis style marathons if he wants. The world hasn't seen a batsman with as many batting gears before.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that 43 of 228 balls was another such inning against Aus but he couldn't save that match. That's why it doesn't get mentioned.
 
IndianWillow said:
And 43 off 228 at Cape town. KP can't do that. AB can play Vivian style knocks as well as Dravid/Kallis style marathons if he wants. The world hasn't seen a batsman with as many batting gears before.
Click to expand...

Pretty much sums it up. No contest really. Not sure wth the SA think-tank is doing batting AB down the order still given he doesn't keep any more. Plus Faf at 3 and Amla moved down to 4? SA have completely lost the plot.
 
SL_Fan said:
Pretty much sums it up. No contest really. Not sure wth the SA think-tank is doing batting AB down the order still given he doesn't keep any more. Plus Faf at 3 and Amla moved down to 4? SA have completely lost the plot.
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AB should bat at 3 at least in this series.Faf isn't good against spin and that would mean you don't have enough confidence on your top three in these conditions.All this would mean Amla and AB have to do all hard work.IMO, Faf should bat at 5 and behind AB and Amla.
 
Amla has been brilliant at 3 so I don't see why they are messing around with his position. Plus Faf has done much better down the order. Not sure about SA openers but Amla, AB, Faf, Duminy, de Kock should be nos 3-7 imo. What SA were trying to do last Test I have no idea.
 
SL_Fan said:
Amla has been brilliant at 3 so I don't see why they are messing around with his position. Plus Faf has done much better down the order. Not sure about SA openers but Amla, AB, Faf, Duminy, de Kock should be nos 3-7 imo. What SA were trying to do last Test I have no idea.
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Hes the captain & its just that much easier @4
 
KP was a great Test player and would've retired as an ATG had his career didn't get derailed with controversies (mostly due to his own doing). He has more epic and iconic knocks than AB but he was inconsistent too. AB takes the cake here for his consistency and versatility.
 
So far, overall I will go for KP but not by a big margin.
ABDV is closing on.
 
People who're saying ABDV is more consistent purely based on his 50+ avg, need to do a series by series breakdown of his career and compare it to KP's.

That's all.
 
Scrolln said:
People who're saying ABDV is more consistent purely based on his 50+ avg, need to do a series by series breakdown of his career and compare it to KP's.

That's all.
Click to expand...

KP averaged less than 40 in 11 out of 31 series. That is about 35% failed tours.
AB averages less than 40 in 4 out of 38 series. That is about 11% failed tours.

The only factor where KP has an edge over AB is having more stellar series defining performances, like he had in India, SL, Australia etc. SA typically play too many 2-3 test series compared to England's 4-5 test series and hence it is a bit harder for a Saffer batsman to make series defining knocks.
 
IndianWillow said:
KP averaged less than 40 in 11 out of 31 series. That is about 35% failed tours.
AB averages less than 40 in 4 out of 38 series. That is about 11% failed tours.

The only factor where KP has an edge over AB is having more stellar series defining performances, like he had in India, SL, Australia etc. SA typically play too many 2-3 test series compared to England's 4-5 test series and hence it is a bit harder for a Saffer batsman to make series defining knocks.
Click to expand...

ABDV averages less than 40 in 8-10 series i think, can you recheck your data?

Anyway, we will need to do a more thorough analysis than take 40 avg as par for a good/consistent series.

Example, ABDV averaged 40+ in the 2012 England series yet failed to score a single 50. It was an out and out Amla/Smith show with ABDV chipping in with 20's and 40's.
 
IndianWillow said:
KP averaged less than 40 in 11 out of 31 series. That is about 35% failed tours.
AB averages less than 40 in 4 out of 38 series. That is about 11% failed tours.

The only factor where KP has an edge over AB is having more stellar series defining performances, like he had in India, SL, Australia etc. SA typically play too many 2-3 test series compared to England's 4-5 test series and hence it is a bit harder for a Saffer batsman to make series defining knocks.
Click to expand...

I would disagree with this bit too. Amla, Smith and Kallis have all had series defining performances. Anyway the term 'series-defining' itself is subject and a result of a lot of variables so lets stick to comparing KP's and ABDV's consistency for now :)
 
No contest in ODIs.
Close in tests, but I'd still rate AB higher.
 
Scrolln said:
ABDV averages less than 40 in 8-10 series i think, can you recheck your data?

Anyway, we will need to do a more thorough analysis than take 40 avg as par for a good/consistent series.

Example, ABDV averaged 40+ in the 2012 England series yet failed to score a single 50. It was an out and out Amla/Smith show with ABDV chipping in with 20's and 40's.
Click to expand...

Abdv avg <40 in 10 series out of 38 while KP avgs<40 in 11 out of 31 series.Now among those 10 series of AB, two were against Ban(2 match series) and 1 against Zim(batted just 1 inning).Surely such small failures can be ignored especially those are against minnows.The fact that he has been averaging 60+ post 2010 and has always been in top five in tests ranking since then makes him one of the most consistent batsmen in the world.
 
IndianWillow said:
Lacked consistency. AB has better all round record, and KP flourished mostly at home.
Click to expand...
what world r u living in mate?
Kp has more career defining innings in asia than ab that its not even close.

He has single handedly shaped matches in alien environments.

His hundreds in india, sri lanka and the ones in the odi series in the uae warrant him a higher rating than abraham 'mr.feed off others' hard work' devilliers

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Robert said:
That series was a draw. KP did get a 150 in the second match, but Swann took ten wickets,
Click to expand...
So what was kp supposed to do.
Take wickets as well as score those runs for u to attribute the win to him
Stop being bitter. He is easily your best batsman ever and the reason why many non brits followed the english team for a little while after 2005.

I would wish u luck to attract neutrals by showing them chef n his stooges

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Good to see KP getting defended here.

That dude at his best was as good as anyone in the modern era.

The only reason he isn't regarded ATG is due to lack of supreme consistency.

Otherwise - quality of knocks, brutality of knocks, series defining knocks, knocks against ATG bowlers, knocks in tough conditions when the team looked shot - he has them ALL.

Talking about tests.
 
Last edited:
Slog said:
As for OP. KP started off as a leg spinner and it was only the facilities and the coaching level which county cricket provides that he was able to polish his game to such an extent.

Who knows he might never have made it if he had stayed in SA
Click to expand...

off spinner
 
axl100mph said:
what world r u living in mate?
Kp has more career defining innings in asia than ab that its not even close.

He has single handedly shaped matches in alien environments.

His hundreds in india, sri lanka and the ones in the odi series in the uae warrant him a higher rating than abraham 'mr.feed off others' hard work' devilliers

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Click to expand...

KP's hundred in India is a bit overrated. Agree that it was a great knock, but India's bowling resources going into that series was the worst in two decades. Kumble out, Bhajji gone, no Jadeja, newbie Ashwin - only recognized spinner was Ojha. Imagine an English bowling side without Anderson and Broad - this was your India when England faced India in India. His hundred at SGC was also good, but was made with contributions by all his teammates, walks into bat at 2/213, no pressure situation - the wicket had eased out while he was batting. KP is a great batsman but he simply does not have the skills AB has.

England is so unused to winning in these conditions that these knocks were made out as all time great knocks. England did not have one super batsman since Gooch so they made KP a big hero though Cook is a better batsman in my opinion.

KP is one of my fav players, I have great respect for his abilities, but AB is something else.

AB is capable of playing like KP. And AB is capable of playing the way KP can't.
 
sensible-indian-fan said:
Good to see KP getting defended here.

That dude at his best was as good as anyone in the modern era.

The only reason he isn't regarded ATG is due to lack of supreme consistency.

Otherwise - quality of knocks, brutality of knocks, series defining knocks, knocks against ATG bowlers, knocks in tough conditions when the team looked shot - he has them ALL.

Talking about tests.
Click to expand...

What are KP's top 5 test innings ever in your opinion ?
 
axl100mph said:
what world r u living in mate?
Kp has more career defining innings in asia than ab that its not even close.

He has single handedly shaped matches in alien environments.

His hundreds in india, sri lanka and the ones in the odi series in the uae warrant him a higher rating than abraham 'mr.feed off others' hard work' devilliers

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Click to expand...

That's a little harsh , bro.
 
Acricketfan said:
That's a little harsh , bro.
Click to expand...
His test career atleast has been like that.
I hv rarely ever seen him on his own shaping an entire test match, the way kp did.
he has always built on from the hard work put in by kallis, smith n amla.


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axl100mph said:
His test career atleast has been like that.
I hv rarely ever seen him on his own shaping an entire test match, the way kp did.
he has always built on from the hard work put in by kallis, smith n amla.

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Click to expand...

Well that's what he can do if he comes to bat at number 4th or 5th.
 
Acricketfan said:
Well that's what he can do if he comes to bat at number 4th or 5th.
Click to expand...
Well, then why doesnt he stand up n make a hundred when he is needed after the top order gets shot out quickly.

He could hv in this test but failed to do.
A 60, 70 that he scored in the first innings doesnt win u matches.

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People are seriously underestimating ABDV the test batsman here...I've noticed some people are putting root(lol) and smith(loooooool) ahead of him. Granted early on he struggles slightly against leg spin(or more vaguely the ball turning away), but he's a dangerous dangerous batsman.

It was only 1 or 2 years ago where AB broke the record of most 50+ scores per match in a row, he was showing tremendous consistency. Him going in god mode in ODIs has had a negative effect in tests since people are expecting too much. If he fails now, everyone jumps the gun...especially some certain Indian fans lol.

Scoring big away is a main way of judging whether someone is a gun batsman or not, only Amla, Williamson and AB currently have done that. Williamson hasn't quite broken into the elite tier(altho he definitely will) so its safe to say that Amla and AB are the best test batters in the world.
 
axl100mph said:
Well, then why doesnt he stand up n make a hundred when he is needed after the top order gets shot out quickly.

He could hv in this test but failed to do.
A 60, 70 that he scored in the first innings doesnt win u matches.

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Click to expand...

That was simply impossible as long as Kaliis was there. But yes , now since he is retired , he should come at number 3 in place of Faf.
 
Haz95 said:
People are seriously underestimating ABDV the test batsman here...I've noticed some people are putting root(lol) and smith(loooooool) ahead of him. Granted early on he struggles slightly against leg spin(or more vaguely the ball turning away), but he's a dangerous dangerous batsman.

It was only 1 or 2 years ago where AB broke the record of most 50+ scores per match in a row, he was showing tremendous consistency. Him going in god mode in ODIs has had a negative effect in tests since people are expecting too much. If he fails now, everyone jumps the gun...especially some certain Indian fans lol.

Scoring big away is a main way of judging whether someone is a gun batsman or not, only Amla, Williamson and AB currently have done that. Williamson hasn't quite broken into the elite tier(altho he definitely will) so its safe to say that Amla and AB are the best test batters in the world.
Click to expand...

Somehow you managed to accuse Indian fans of something in this thread as well. :facepalm:
 
IndianWillow said:
KP's hundred in India is a bit overrated. Agree that it was a great knock, but India's bowling resources going into that series was the worst in two decades. Kumble out, Bhajji gone, no Jadeja, newbie Ashwin - only recognized spinner was Ojha. Imagine an English bowling side without Anderson and Broad - this was your India when England faced India in India. His hundred at SGC was also good, but was made with contributions by all his teammates, walks into bat at 2/213, no pressure situation - the wicket had eased out while he was batting. KP is a great batsman but he simply does not have the skills AB has.

England is so unused to winning in these conditions that these knocks were made out as all time great knocks. England did not have one super batsman since Gooch so they made KP a big hero though Cook is a better batsman in my opinion.

KP is one of my fav players, I have great respect for his abilities, but AB is something else.

AB is capable of playing like KP. And AB is capable of playing the way KP can't.
Click to expand...

What were easier runs? KP scoring 150 in SL against the second new ball at an SR of 90+ or ABDV piling up double hundred after SA had bundled India out for 76 in the first innings? KP's Mumbai knock (although i agree with you that its over-rated) or ABDV's hundred after Steyn had knocked out Pakistan for 99 in Dubai?

ABDV so far is the king of soft runs in Asia, especially compared to KP. Maybe if he can work up some magic during this series i will change my mind.

Despite his strong numbers, he has one inning of note in England and one in India. And none of them can be said to be high pressure knocks. He does have one vital 83 in NZ (has never scored a ton against NZ) and a good series against Murali in SL in 2006 or 2007 i think. He has been very consistent against Australia since McWarne retired.

ABDV will probably surpass KP when he decides to hang up his boots (looking at his current form) but in my opinion, he hasn't yet.
 
axl100mph said:
His test career atleast has been like that.
I hv rarely ever seen him on his own shaping an entire test match, the way kp did.
he has always built on from the hard work put in by kallis, smith n amla.
Click to expand...

Then you have hardly seen anything of him.His first great knock came as an opener against England in 2005 where he scored 92 and 109 in both innings in series decider test .The match was drawn but if not for those two innings SA would have lost that match..Then in 2006, he chased 414 in Perth against Aus by Scoring a century. Smith also made a century but AB came to crease at 179/3 with Smith already gone and he finished off on his own. Even his double century against Pak came when they were 33/3 with both Smith and Amla gone .The double century against India came when SA were 117/4 although Ind were all out at 71 in 1st inning but that 217 put India completely out of game..Then his century against Ind in 2013 in Johannesburg chasing 458 saved the match and perhaps the series..Surely you can't chase 400 alone and when you bat at 5-6 you are not getting credit for such innings.. Fair enough?? Even last year when he scored 152 against WI he came to bat at 57/3 and although Amla played superior inning scoring a double ton but if not for AB inning they would have struggled.. Apart from that his special tuk tuk of 33 of 220 or 46 of 228 against Aus to save a game can't be ignored..
 
Haz95;815655It was only 1 or 2 years ago where AB broke the record of most 50+ scores per match in a row said:
I am an Indian fan and have you seen me bashing AB..Even I have defended AB the most in this forum (perhaps more than any Indian player).
Click to expand...
 
Acricketfan said:
What are KP's top 5 test innings ever in your opinion ?
Click to expand...

The Top knocks:

4. 2005 Ashes - Those cameo 50s and 70s to run the tide though he did score 158 in the last test (but his impact was felt WAY befor - carted Aussie ATGs)

3. 151 SL Colombo (changed the series when England were hopeless against spin - helped them draw it)

2. 149 SA at home 2012 (carted Steyn around like nobody's business)

1. 183 Mumbai 2012 (no words to describe this knock - the bowlers won't be ATG but context and pitch makes it his greatest IMHO)

---

These are the knocks I remember and ALL of them came in at a pivotal moment in the series and helped shape the series in some way or the other (except SA one cos they were just too strong for England in 2012).

Then he had centuries against us both home and away, centuries in Aus, Pak, SL, WI etc - Didn't see them all and so won't put them in the rating.

Any one of them can be No 5.

For example - See the following follow knock which LITERALLY ensured England drew this test match in India 2008.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/361051.html
 
KP's 183 is anything but over-rated.

Sure Ashwin was off boil but the context and pitch and the way he played Ojha.....oh my goodnesss.

Did you guys see how he tore apart Ojha once the pitch started to turn viciously which led to England collapsing in the first innings?

Everything shouldn't be seen from bowler's quality alone. Context and conditions is as important as quality of bowlers. Eyes don't lie.

Faf's Adelaide defiance is rated SUPER HIGH for context and NOT for quality of bowling.
 
what about ashraful? is he better than ab and kp?
the guy is from a mino country and played gems innings.
scored hundred against murali and vass at the age of 16, scored run a ball hundred anainst mcgra-Gillespie in england, scored 94 off 52 against harmisson-Flintoff, scored 158 off194 ball and reached hundred play consecutive reverse sweep, scored 87off 83 ball against southa afriva in 2007 world cup, scored 61off 27 ball against west indies in 2007 t20 world cup, scored 190 in 2013 in srilanka under scoreboard pressure, scored hundred against murali vass in 2007 in srilanka after following on.
in short career and being from bangladesh when bangladesh was the worst cricket playing nation he played such innings.
 
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