Harsh Thakor
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In this list I am ranking in my personal order of merit the 15 most difficult batsmen to dislodge in test cricket.Ofcourse this does not ***** their talent,their technical skill completely or their contribution.I think such batsmen however boring could wear down the best of bowling attacks like a boulder surviving a tornado.A continuous barrage of bouncers would not unsettle them .They all posessed amazing depths of concentration.Considered eras and given preference to opening batsmen.The likes f a Wasim Akram,Marshal ,Mcgrath,Holding,Andy Roberts,Dale Steyn ,Dennis Lille etc would find these the hardest batsmen to penetrate through.
1.Geoff Boycott
The ultimate wall.There were better batsmen,more technically proficient and statistically better but none in my view could stick out their in the middle as much as Boycott. He was the ultimate equivalent of a boulder and displayed the qualities of a soldier.True ,he did not keep the scoreboard moving like many others,but could wear down great bowling attacks like none could.Michael Holding found Boycott more difficult to dismss than even Gavaskar,even though overall Sunil was a better batsmen.Geoffrey often was selfish,but never forget his invaluable contribution in low scoring games.I can't forget Boycott facing Lillee and facing the Calypso quartet in 1980-81.Boycott's batting was the perfect lesson for a coaching manual and he resembled an architect posessing the concentration of a monk.
2.Hanif Mohammad
He could adapt to any conditions,against any attack.Posessed phenomenal powers of concentration and technical skill.A revelation in West Indies when agregating 628 run sin 1957-58 including a mammoth 337.
3.Alan Border
No left-hander could defy great pace or spin like Border who was the ultimate champion in a crisis.Proved his staying mettle on the seaming English tracks,the fast Carribean wickets and the turning sub-continent pitches.
4.Len Hutton/Sunil Gavaskar
Both were technical champions with phenomenal powers of concentration.Technically Hutton marginally ahead while Gavaskar posessed more concentration than any batsmen ever.When Batting Gavaskar looked like a monk meditating and he proved his abilty against the greatest of bowling attacks.Hutton was master on bad wickets like when scoring 37 at Sydney.I reccomend everyone to watch Gavaskar's 221 at the Oval and 96 v Pakistan at Bangalore.
6.Don Bradman
Although he was absolutely ruthless he posessed great reserves of staying power.I have given respect to his average.Bradman had an advantage of facing lesser attacks and was not at his best against bodyline.For sheer staying against hostile pace even Gavaskar or Border may have had the edge,while on a wet pitch Headley or Hobbs were better.
7.George Headley/Jack Hobbs
Both champion son wet or bad wickets who would flourish on sticklers.They also proved their mettle in test cricket when the ship was sinking.Rated low down because they did not face the quality of bowling as Boycott or Gavaskar did or even Hutton.
9.Rahul Dravid
In his era no batsmen could wear down a great attack more or defy an attack when the chips were down.More than sheer technical skill Dravid had the great quality to adapt and adjust his style according to the situation.From 2002-07 opponents prized Dravid's wicket more than that of Tendulkar.
10.Sachin Tendulkar
I have to respect his record like Bradman.On his day the ultimate master.Not at his best in 4th innings .
11.Ian Chappell
Harder to dismiss than brother Greg or Viv Richards and the best batsmen of his era in a crisis.Great against pace and spin.
12.Javed Miandad
The ultimate scourge of bowlers who literally looked at them through his eyes.No batsmen niggled great bowlers more.
13.Steve Waugh
No batsmen was ever mentally stronger or as resilient.
14.Mohinder Amarnath
No batsmen played the great West Indian quartet or Imran Khan better than Mohinder in 1982-83.Although not attractive Mohinder defied great pace bowling with the courage and skill of a military commander.
15.Jacques Kallis
Could be more difficult to dislodge than even Gary Sobers or even Tendulkar.
1.Geoff Boycott
The ultimate wall.There were better batsmen,more technically proficient and statistically better but none in my view could stick out their in the middle as much as Boycott. He was the ultimate equivalent of a boulder and displayed the qualities of a soldier.True ,he did not keep the scoreboard moving like many others,but could wear down great bowling attacks like none could.Michael Holding found Boycott more difficult to dismss than even Gavaskar,even though overall Sunil was a better batsmen.Geoffrey often was selfish,but never forget his invaluable contribution in low scoring games.I can't forget Boycott facing Lillee and facing the Calypso quartet in 1980-81.Boycott's batting was the perfect lesson for a coaching manual and he resembled an architect posessing the concentration of a monk.
2.Hanif Mohammad
He could adapt to any conditions,against any attack.Posessed phenomenal powers of concentration and technical skill.A revelation in West Indies when agregating 628 run sin 1957-58 including a mammoth 337.
3.Alan Border
No left-hander could defy great pace or spin like Border who was the ultimate champion in a crisis.Proved his staying mettle on the seaming English tracks,the fast Carribean wickets and the turning sub-continent pitches.
4.Len Hutton/Sunil Gavaskar
Both were technical champions with phenomenal powers of concentration.Technically Hutton marginally ahead while Gavaskar posessed more concentration than any batsmen ever.When Batting Gavaskar looked like a monk meditating and he proved his abilty against the greatest of bowling attacks.Hutton was master on bad wickets like when scoring 37 at Sydney.I reccomend everyone to watch Gavaskar's 221 at the Oval and 96 v Pakistan at Bangalore.
6.Don Bradman
Although he was absolutely ruthless he posessed great reserves of staying power.I have given respect to his average.Bradman had an advantage of facing lesser attacks and was not at his best against bodyline.For sheer staying against hostile pace even Gavaskar or Border may have had the edge,while on a wet pitch Headley or Hobbs were better.
7.George Headley/Jack Hobbs
Both champion son wet or bad wickets who would flourish on sticklers.They also proved their mettle in test cricket when the ship was sinking.Rated low down because they did not face the quality of bowling as Boycott or Gavaskar did or even Hutton.
9.Rahul Dravid
In his era no batsmen could wear down a great attack more or defy an attack when the chips were down.More than sheer technical skill Dravid had the great quality to adapt and adjust his style according to the situation.From 2002-07 opponents prized Dravid's wicket more than that of Tendulkar.
10.Sachin Tendulkar
I have to respect his record like Bradman.On his day the ultimate master.Not at his best in 4th innings .
11.Ian Chappell
Harder to dismiss than brother Greg or Viv Richards and the best batsmen of his era in a crisis.Great against pace and spin.
12.Javed Miandad
The ultimate scourge of bowlers who literally looked at them through his eyes.No batsmen niggled great bowlers more.
13.Steve Waugh
No batsmen was ever mentally stronger or as resilient.
14.Mohinder Amarnath
No batsmen played the great West Indian quartet or Imran Khan better than Mohinder in 1982-83.Although not attractive Mohinder defied great pace bowling with the courage and skill of a military commander.
15.Jacques Kallis
Could be more difficult to dislodge than even Gary Sobers or even Tendulkar.
Very difficult batsman to bowl to
