[VIDEO] Best on-drivers in cricket history?

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watch again and again and again <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/IBpDuChC7n">pic.twitter.com/IBpDuChC7n</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1152147407968378880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Shots like these from Babar Azam do make him a prime candidate for being one of the best on-drivers.

Doesnt matter how many matches he has played so far etc - its just the sheer class of such shots that makes it so special.

 

[KingKhan12]

Sachin Tendulkar

 

[jnaveen1980]

Greg Chappell, Viv Richards, Rahul Dravid. In Modern era Kohli. Kohli often walks across to play through on side. These are prominent names that come to my mind. Others can play as well like Tendulkar.

 

[mon858]

not among the great batsmen, but Rameez Raja had a good classic on-drive.

 

[mon858]

also, the shot in the video to me is a bit more of a straight drive than an on-drive. typically on-drive you would expect to go mid-on/mid-wicket area, vs right back on pitch.

 

[RajBan]

Azhar and Lakshman. Both were marginally better than Sachin and Dravid as far as on drive was concerned.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Azhar and Lakshman. Both were marginally better than Sachin and Dravid as far as on drive was concerned.

Yes Missed Laxman. Class on driver with whippy action. Azharuddin is a god of on-side. He could pick you anywhere he wants.

 

[Snowflake]

Sachin. No one even comes close.

 

[usmankhanmlg]

I think Laxman was the on-drive specialist in his day, and heard that Zaheer Abbas was even better (never saw him though).

 

[ak619]

Sachin, Laxman & Kallis

Don't know much about 70s cricket.

 

[jnaveen1980]

I think Laxman was the on-drive specialist in his day, and heard that Zaheer Abbas was even better (never saw him though).

Dravid was the best i have seen. Laxman is better on driver against spin. But overall against swing Dravid is second to none. You see Kohli often missing the line when he tries on drive against swing. You will rarely see Dravid missing them.

 

[CanadianG00se]

IMO Sachin was the best player to play on drive shot. I remember him playing on drive to Brett Lee’s 150+ thunderbolt.

Sachin
Daylight

Rest

 

[Saj]

Tendulkar for me.

Whether it was against spin or pace his on-drive was immaculate.

The hand/eye coordination has to be good, but the balance is important too.

 

[moghul]

Sir Viv.

 

[jaisan]

Srt and sehwag

 

[QuickCrick]

Mark Waugh is up there

 

[big_gamer007]

Sachin in 90s was famous for his drives down the ground. That and paddle sweep were his trademark shots.

 

[Suleiman]

Mark Waugh the king of onside play.

 

[kingusama92]

Kohli's on-drive is class. Pure wrist work.

This seems more like a straight drive, which was Sachin's bread and butter. I remember as a kid watching him play an absolutely ridiculous one against Shoaib Akhtar in one of those Australian tri-series.

Ponting was another top player of the straight drive.

 

[Majid Khan]

Rahul Dravid was also quite elegant with straight drives and on drives.

 

[Junaids]

The question specifically relates to the on-drive.

I think the obvious answer here is Peter May, the 1950's England batsman. I wouldn't nominate him for anything else, and I disliked the man, but he had the most exquisite on-drive that anyone has ever seen.

Going back even further, the first great Indian batsman was Ranjitsinhji. He made his name in the 1890's as as a back-foot player, but later in his career became a renowned driver.


Ultimately, however, there can only be one answer.


The most famous picture in the history of cricket is Victor Trumper's on-drive: a photo so monumental in its importance that it spawned an entire book 111 years after the event - Gideon Haigh's "Stroke of Genius: Victor Trumper and the Shot that Changed Cricket".

So the winner, by a knockout, is Victor Trumper.

 

[Ram Shekhar]

In the entire cricketing history, not sure. But easily one of the best I've seen.

 

[Robert]

So the winner, by a knockout, is Victor Trumper.

View attachment 93801

Amazing photo, look at how he grips the bat right at the end. Dancing out to drive with his whole body loaded up. And some young people say batters of that era had no technique.

I would have said Viv Richards but you can have this one.

 

[Robert]

In the entire cricketing history, not sure. But easily one of the best I've seen.

Bung nearly had him with the first ball, he wasn't in control of it so it went square insted of straight. But the second and third were overpitched as Bung often did and got the treatment.

 

[Ram Shekhar]

Bung nearly had him with the first ball, he wasn't in control of it so it went square insted of straight. But the second and third were overpitched as Bung often did and got the treatment.

Ah, isn't that why Sachin played the on drive? Maybe you can educate us when to play that shot (can it be played of the ball is not over pitched)?

 

[cricketfan11]

Best on drive for me was Tendulkar.
A very good cover drive too

 

[big_gamer007]

Well, Victor Trumper has the most famous photo in cricket history, the most famous grave in cricket history and 103 years after his death had a book written about his on-drive, which no other cricketer has ever had even in his own lifetime.

You may not know your cricket history, but while Bradman is universally recognised as the best batsman there has ever been, Trumper is probably the most revered.

How do you define something as most famous? Number of fans who have seen the photo? Trust me Victor Trumper wouldn't even be in top 1000 photos for being famous .

Again he's not the most revered either, hardly any casual fan knows him or has heard of him. Bradman on the other hand is universally known because of his records and aura.

English and Aussies are in minority now (in cricketing terms). Asian cricketers will always be the most revered, famous etc now. And that is the fact

 

[Ram Shekhar]

It's easier to play drives off Brett Lee bowling at 150kph+. Anyone can play such shots, they are nothing special.

Real drives were played by Victor Trumper on so called wet pitches facing bowlers bowling at 200kph+ speeds. Just look at the photo [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] has posted. Have you ever seen any modern player with such impeccable technique?

According to some of the above knowledgable posters, that photo was how Victor Trumper played on drive against fast bowlers. I understand there's a lot of nostalgia attached but how can you be so dumb to believe that?

On a lighter note, imagine Victor Trumper attempt that shot against 'Bung' dishing out his nonsense as he often did. Probably Trumper's manhood would have been in jeopardy )

 

[Ram Shekhar]

On topic, I rate Babar Azam's on drive in the opening post more classical and importantly 'believable' than Trumper's colonial photograph.

 

[Ahmed216]

Shoaib Malik the best ever

 

[MenInG]

Lets keep this thread on topic please - take your old arguments etc to other threads

 

[sweep_shot]

Any proper batsman should be able to play on-drive. Babar's on-drive is on another level though. Picture perfect on-drive.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Amazing photo, look at how he grips the bat right at the end. Dancing out to drive with his whole body loaded up. And some young people say batters of that era had no technique.

I would have said Viv Richards but you can have this one.

I really doubt that.
Imagine him playing this shot against a 90 mph bowler, or damn even a 85 kph bowler, before he brings his bat down his toes would have already been crushed.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Rahul dravid.

 

[cricket_cfa]

Mark waugh

 

[Robert]

I really doubt that.
Imagine him playing this shot against a 90 mph bowler, or damn even a 85 kph bowler, before he brings his bat down his toes would have already been crushed.

Nobody charges a fast bowler. Obviously he is playing the shot to Bosanquet or Grimmett or some other spinner.

 

[Robert]

How do you define something as most famous? Number of fans who have seen the photo? Trust me Victor Trumper wouldn't even be in top 1000 photos for being famous .

Again he's not the most revered either, hardly any casual fan knows him or has heard of him. Bradman on the other hand is universally known because of his records and aura.

English and Aussies are in minority now (in cricketing terms). Asian cricketers will always be the most revered, famous etc now. And that is the fact

Then casual fans are ignorant. Trumper is a man out of legend to students of the game. Plenty of people thought he was better than Bradman, though Cardus said it was like comparing an eagle with a fighter plane.

 

[gazza619]

I used to love Rameez Raja and Mark Waugh’s on drive back in the day.

 

[QalandarFan]

AB De Villiers on drive is a thing of beauty a lot of his shots are. But the more classical ones get lost in the mix with his innovative modern day shots.

 

[Mean&Green]

Sachin Tendulkar no body comes close

 

[Mean&Green]

I really doubt that.
Imagine him playing this shot against a 90 mph bowler, or damn even a 85 kph bowler, before he brings his bat down his toes would have already been crushed.

That bowler is vilojen he is bowling 90mph lol

 

[mfin]

In the cricket that I have seen, which is religiously since 1987, the answer in Sachin. No one is close.

 

[Mujtaba2900]

Babar Drives PSL4

 

[Sunny_majoka]

When Babar drives it looks amazing. Eye catching

 

[sohailmm]

Sachin for me had the best straight drives , almost magical. One of moments which would always stick to my memory was from 2003 Wooldcup game against Pak. The ondrive against shoaib in his opening spell was breath taking.
Though I was backing my Team but I cherished that straight drive and it caused me to appreciate the special abilities of the little man.

 

[sohailmm]

This one I meant :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSowqKwZL7E&t=0m34s

 

[austerlitz]

 

[austerlitz]

The best there ever was with the straight/on drive.

 

[malcom_86]

Ponting's for me.

 

[Mueez]

Babar is currently the best driver of the ball.

Sheer class.

 

[Pakhs]

Greg Chappell, Viv Richards, Rahul Dravid. In Modern era Kohli. Kohli often walks across to play through on side. These are prominent names that come to my mind. Others can play as well like Tendulkar.

Kholi doesn't actually play the traditional on drive. I dont think he is much of a on driver at all. he prefers to flick it toward mid wicket specially in ODIs. I have seen him play on drive in tests though but then most batsmen play in drives in tests due to them preferring to play straighter.

 

[Pakhs]

Sachin was probably the best I have seen for straight drives.

 

[Musakhel]

Laxman.

 

[mfin]

Kholi doesn't actually play the traditional on drive. I dont think he is much of a on driver at all. he prefers to flick it toward mid wicket specially in ODIs. I have seen him play on drive in tests though but then most batsmen play in drives in tests due to them preferring to play straighter.

Correct - kohli almost always is overbalanaced on the on drive, trying to play the ball with the wrist on midwicket. Rarely will you see a well balanced punch going past the bowler's right hand - classical on drive.

 

[mfin]

Actually Babar's balance is quite reminiscent of tendulkar. He doesn't tend to preempt the shots on the off side or the leg side leading to optimal balance for the straight drives.