Who are your top ten batsmen in Tests ever since you started watching cricket?

[Hasan123]

It's a good list, perhaps I'd swap Cook with KP; but I can see how that can be a challenging one, for me it's a no brainer because I tend to favour players that can turn a game on its head with a moment of madness

Cook is an opener so is having to face the new ball in English conditions which isn't easy.

KP was good but I think there were times when he was inconsistent. But a genius nonetheless.

Would rather watch KP bat over Cook but Cook grit,determination, and consistency give him the edge.

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=141114]Hasan123[/MENTION] I would probably get Lara in your team as well but his exclusion makes sense as you started watching around 2005 so you missed out on a fair amount with regards to his career

 

[Hamza_]

Adam Gilchrist
Brain Lara
Ricky Ponting
Kumar Sangakkara
Sachin Tendulkar
Clarke
Sanath Jaysuriya
Sehwag
Ab De Villiers
Mathew Hayden

 

[shaz619]

Cook is an opener so is having to face the new ball in English conditions which isn't easy.

KP was good but I think there were times when he was inconsistent. But a genius nonetheless.

Would rather watch KP bat over Cook but Cook grit,determination, and consistency give him the edge.

It's not easy but at the same time, England players are expected to deal with lateral movement better then others the same way asian players are expected to dominate spin but at the same time it shouldn't be taken for granted because both present a big challenge. Yeah KP was a bit inconsistent, he's had his fair share of issues with management as well but under Vaughan (who knew how to get the best out of him) he had such a magical spell in his career and played some epic knock's against arguably the greatest team in Test History and that needs to count for something

 

[Haz95]

1)Lara
2)Tendulkar
3)Ponting
4/5)Amla/Sangakkara
6)Younis
7)Pietersen
8/9)Steve Smith/Graeme Smith
10)Clarke

I'd probably change my mind a few times throughout lol. Shoutout to Cook, Inzi, Sehwag, AB.

 

[Hasan123]

[MENTION=141114]Hasan123[/MENTION] I would probably get Lara in your team as well but his exclusion makes sense as you started watching around 2005 so you missed out on a fair amount with regards to his career

Yes I missed out on the peak of Lara. There was a thread asking which players you regret not watching Lara was one of them.

I can remember watching Lara take apart Danish Kaneria in 2005. Early cricketing memories. But that was towards the end of Lara's career. Seeing a player for 2 years isn't enough to say he's one of the best you have seen.

 

[Hasan123]

It's not easy but at the same time, England players are expected to deal with lateral movement better then others the same way asian players are expected to dominate spin but at the same time it shouldn't be taken for granted because both present a big challenge. Yeah KP was a bit inconsistent, he's had his fair share of issues with management as well but under Vaughan (who knew how to get the best out of him) he had such a magical spell in his career and played some epic knock's against arguably the greatest team in Test History and that needs to count for something

KP played some genius knocks especially in the subcontinent. I think his attitude and how he was manage didn't help him.

My favourite KP knock is the 2005 ashes series at the Oval.

 

[shaz619]

KP played some genius knocks especially in the subcontinent. I think his attitude and how he was manage didn't help him.

My favourite KP knock is the 2005 ashes series at the Oval.

Yeah that knock is my favourite as well, best moment of that innings for me was him slog sweeping Shane Warne who'd look at him with that "Who the hell is this punk" face KP looked like a Punk as well:

Other then that knock, the hundred against SA at Leeds was epic.

Besides those he played some amazing innings in asia as well but those two are my favourite

 

[shaz619]

Yes I missed out on the peak of Lara. There was a thread asking which players you regret not watching Lara was one of them.

I can remember watching Lara take apart Danish Kaneria in 2005. Early cricketing memories. But that was towards the end of Lara's career. Seeing a player for 2 years isn't enough to say he's one of the best you have seen.

My earliest memory of Lara and cricket itself in general is a little blurry but I saw everyone create a fuss about a WI's bloke who had just scored 501* in an FC game in my hometown! was a kid then and just in general Lara along with Akhtar made me fall in love with cricket

 

[Square Drive]

Moyo over Dravid and Younis?

SD legit doesn't like Khan, he has been cheering for him out of respect for his elders and his retirement

Younis and Dravid were both better Test batsmen than MoYo, so yes, there is a bit of bias in that selection of mine. As you said later on [MENTION=141114]Hasan123[/MENTION], MoYo was better to watch and he's been my role model growing up. Therefore, I placed him up above YK and The Wall. Just a personal selection, otherwise I acknowledge that YK/Dravid > MoYo.

No Shazzy Bear, I don't dislike YK (on the field atleast) at all.

 

[Square Drive]

Started watching in 2004/05.

Top 10 in no particular order:

Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Ricky Ponting
Kumar Sangakkara
Mohammad Yousuf
Kevin Pietersen
Alastair Cook
Graeme Smith
Jacques Kallis
Michael Clarke

Honourable mentions: Younis Khan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Hashim Amla, Rahul Dravid, Michael Hussey.

Also add Matthew Hayden under honourable mentions.

 

[Inzy's Aloo]

Aloo's Top 10 Test Batsman (From 1997 onwards)

1. Brian Lara
2. Ricky Ponting
3. Sachin Tendulkar
4. Kumar Sangakarra
5. Jacques Kallis
6. Younis Khan
7. Kevin Pietersen
8. Rahul Dravid
9. Steve Waugh
10. Adam Gilchrist

 

[The_Odd_One]

Good list. Surprising to see Waugh and KP there, however. You also seem to underrate Younis.

Waugh gets some brownie points for facing some real devastating bowlers like Ambrose, Donald, etc. in one of the most hostile eras and still ending up a 50+ averaging batsman.

KP smashed Warne and McGrath all over the park when they were at the top of their game, bullied Murali, and treated Steyn like a club level bowler. KP at the beginning of his career was better than most ATGs.

 

[big_gamer007]

1. Sachin
2. Lara
3. Ponting
4. Dravid
5. Hayden/langer can't separate these two.
6. Kallis
7. KP
8. Gilly
9. Sangakkara
10. Aravinda de silva
11. Yousuf
12. VVS
13. Inzi
14. Anwar
15. Steve Waugh..

These are my top 15..

 

[Sachin136]

Shocked to see many people rank Steve so low. He didn't have a bad record in any country except Sri Lanka.

 

[big_gamer007]

Shocked to see many people rank Steve so low. He didn't have a bad record in any country except Sri Lanka.

List is about top 10 personal best batsman so I think people are ranking on personal preference to watch their play style else in effectiveness Waugh would be much higher than some..

 

[Zak_Fan]

1) Sachin
2) Lara
3) Ponting
4) Sehwag
5) Kallis

 

[Hasan123]

Yeah that knock is my favourite as well, best moment of that innings for me was him slog sweeping Shane Warne who'd look at him with that "Who the hell is this punk" face KP looked like a Punk as well:

Other then that knock, the hundred against SA at Leeds was epic.

Besides those he played some amazing innings in asia as well but those two are my favourite

Lol he does have that CM Punk lol

I think in odi cricket he underachieved a little. He had many brilliant test innings but can't think of too many odi knocks.

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

Started from 85. Seriously started from 87.
Many names to list.

 

[khurram39]

INZI
Lara
Miandad
Ponting
Dravid
Chandarpaul
Younis Khan
Jayawardene
Michael Clark
SangaKara
Kallis
Straus
Smith

 

[amvbfm]

Slightly confused about whether "best" means best in terms of performance or personal favorites (who may not necessarily be the best). I will go with the latter and make a personal list

1) Saeed Anwer (the first batsman who ever grabbed my attention and still remains my favorite)
2) Brian Lara (don't think I have watched a more talented bat - no exceptions)
3) Ricky Ponting (imo second most talented bat I've watched)
4) AB De Villiers (might not end up amongst the greatest but the sort of player who makes the game watchable)
5) Kumar Sangkarra (remember watching him on debut and thinking this guy is special - and special he was)
6) Javed Miandad (only got to watch the last few years of his career but still rate him as the best Pak Test bat)
7) Rahul Dravid (perseverance and hard work personified, wonderful player and a thorough gentleman)
8) Adam Gilchrist (no one could deflate the opposition like him)
9) Mark Waugh (pips Laxman and Vaughan for most stylish bat)
10) Gary Kirsten (as a Pak fan, absolutely hated that guy, so I'm sure he must be doing something right haha)

 

[Bhaijaan]

Bit off topic, but i must say an average Pakistani fan has come a long way when it comes to being truthful about Sachin. Back in mid 2000s, it felt as if most Pakistani fans were under some sort of a fatwa threat in publicly acknowledging Tendulkar's greatness and status as a batsman. Its a welcome change. He always deserved respect despite his annoying fans.