The Classic Test Opener - An Extinct Species?

[vprasanna83]

Sunil Gavaskar , Gordon Greenridge , Justin Langer , Michael Atherton , Alistair Cook are some ATG classical Test openers that I can think of . The job of the opener is the toughest in Test Cricket - he needs to see off the new ball in the first session of a Test Match when the bowlers are at their freshest , and often there is most help in the wicket. These are guys with impeccable technique , concentration , judgement and then later strokeplay once the bowlers get tired.

Is this an extinct species ? Dont see any of these in World cricket these days .

 

[WengerOut]

Karunaratne, Elgar are decent enough

 

[Ab Fan]

Doubt if Greenidge was that type.

I would say,

Sunil Gavaskar
Geoffrey Boycott
Graeme Smith
Justin Langer
Gary Kirsten
Alastair Cook
Michael Atherton
Stephen Fleming

belong to this group.

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Extinct at the moment, but Shubman Gill is gonna revive this species in the very bright future of his career

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Doubt if Greenidge was that type.

I would say,

Sunil Gavaskar
Geoffrey Boycott
Graeme Smith
Justin Langer
Gary Kirsten
Alastair Cook
Michael Atherton
Stephen Fleming

belong to this group.

Graeme Smith was far from a classic opener. His sheer determination and hard work was what fetched him so many runs. He was an opener who didn't have a cover drive in his arsenal. Whatever came on the offside, regardless of which way it would be swinging or seaming, he would flick it on the leg side and was darn good at it.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Tom Latham is probably the one closest to a classic opener. Chris Rogers was one of that as well although he didn't have a long career.

 

[Markhor]

In present day, Dom Sibley is one that's content to bat time and occupy the crease for as long as possible.

 

[Itachi]

What constitutes a classic test opener?