Who are the top five greatest openers (post World War 2)?

[Ted123]

IMO, it would be:

Gavaskar
Smith
Gooch
Hayden
Greenidge

 

[Ab Fan]

Cant say much about those who played in 50s and 60s but since Viv's era:

Gavaskar
Smith(because he changed the SA cricket complexion, they were losing big ones even in tests before 2007)
Hayden
Gooch
Boycott

Other close contenders: Greenidge, Kirsten, Cook, Sehwag

 

[ToeCrusher2]

Gavaskar
Smith
Sehwag
Hayden

Can't pick the fifth, could be anyone from the following

Cook/Kirsten/Langer/Gooch

 

[Bilal7]

Sehwag isn't in the top ten. An opener who cannot buy a run outside of Asia and Australia nor see out the new ball is pretty useless.

1) Gavasker
2) Gooch
3) Greenidge
4) Smith
5) Hayden/Cook

 

[austerlitz]

1.Gavaskar
2.Hayden
3.Sehwag
4.Gooch
5.Greenidge

 

[Chrish]

Hutton
Gavaskar
Hayden
Smith
Sehwag


B Rchards misses out for obvious reasons.

 

[giri26]

Gavaskar
Gooch
Cook
Smith
Hayden/Kirsten

Torn between Gary Kirsten and Hayden...If I had to pick one I would probably will go with Hayden for the way he dominated spin in Asia.