Who is the greatest Test player of the last decade (2008 till now)?

[saadsahabjee]

Players After 2008 Uptil Now or recently retired

Azhar Ali
Made debut in 2010
Matches Played 65
Test Avg 45
Centuries 14

Joe Root
Made debut in 2012
Matches Played 73
Test Avg 51
Centuries 13

Alastair Cook since 2008
Matches 136
Test Avg 45
Centuries 23

Steven Smith
Matches 64
Test Avg 62
Centuries 23

Sangakarra
Matches 63
Test avg 59
Centuries 22

Younis Khan
Matches 60
Test Avg 55
Centuries 19


Kane Williamson
Matches 65
Test Avg 51
Centuries 18

AB DEvilliers
Matches 81
Test Avg 58
Centuries 19

Kohli
Matches 70
Avg 55
Centuries 23

Ur pick ?

 

[shariqnoor]

It's a straight match-up between Kohli and Smith. Smith has been wonderful in his run making but I'd go for Virat Kohli as his runs have been more impactful and in more difficult situations.

 

[Sam99]

Steve Smith. Idk how can virat's run be called impactful? He has just one match winning century in whole carrier in SENA country. Smith has many. Smith dominated jadeja and ashwin on indian pitches (which is way harder than dominating broad and anderson in england). Smith also has 500+ runs last time he went to england. Has fine record in africa. If smith comes back and dominates same way for next 3 - 4 year he will be goat. Virat Kohli no doubt is very close to him but his confidence will go down with all these series loss also with so much workload i doubt kohli will have same peak 2 years later. His peak will go down like ricky ponting's after 2008.

 

[Hitman]

Kohli.

 

[saeed5646]

steven smith
matches 64
test avg 62
centuries 23

 

[big_gamer007]

So far Smith is very slightly ahead but VK will overtake him by the time their career ends.

 

[saadsahabjee]

Since 2010

Steve Smith Avg 62 Centuries 23
Joe Root Avg 51 Centuries 13
Kohli Avg 55 Centuries 23
Williamson Avg 51 Centuries 18
SangaKarra Avg 62 Centuries 17
AB Devilliers Avg 58 Centuries 13
Younis Khan Avg 55 Centuries 18

 

[introvert]

Sangakara & smith

 

[AFM]

Dale Steyn. No question.

 

[shariqnoor]

Steve Smith. Idk how can virat's run be called impactful? He has just one match winning century in whole carrier in SENA country. Smith has many. Smith dominated jadeja and ashwin on indian pitches (which is way harder than dominating broad and anderson in england). Smith also has 500+ runs last time he went to england. Has fine record in africa. If smith comes back and dominates same way for next 3 - 4 year he will be goat. Virat Kohli no doubt is very close to him but his confidence will go down with all these series loss also with so much workload i doubt kohli will have same peak 2 years later. His peak will go down like ricky ponting's after 2008.

I don't measure impactful innings in terms of whether it came in a match won or lost. Impactful innings are measured by situations.

Just a couple of examples: Kohli's century at Adelaide when he decided to go for the chase and Clarke's century in Johannesburg in 2011. Both of them came in losses but both of those innings are rated as one of the best in this decade. Only someone not well versed in cricket will dismiss those innings as non-impactful.

 

[TalhaSyed]

A few more to consider

Anderson
Matches 122
Avg 25.37
Wickets 497

Broad
Matches 121
Avg 28.69
Wickets 430

Herath
Matches 80
Avg 27.39
Wickets 395

Steyn
Matches 72
Avg 22.06
Wickets 345

Cook
Matches 136
Avg 7.00
Wickets 1


Jokes aside - a couple of bowling contenders to consider as well. Particularly the likes of Anderson, Broad and Steyn.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Kohli.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Dale Steyn by far and its not even close.

1. Steyn
2. Smith

 

[the_outsider]

1. Steyn
2. Smith
3. Kohli

 

[Ab Fan]

From 2008:-

Steyn
Smith
AB

 

[topspin]

Lol why is Azhar Ali on that list at the expense of Dale Steyn? - who wins this comfortably. Bowling average in an era of flatter wickets at 22 is just phenomenal.

 

[Savage]

Kohli is unlucky to be missed out of top 3 because most of his best knocks have come in losing cause.I still rate them as great knocks(certainly far better than many of his knocks in winning causes) but it would've been ATG knocks had India won those games.

Steyn is comfortably best Test player since 2008.Unlike Steyn,there is no certified ATG Test player mentioned in the list of OP.

 

[RainMan_]

Op should've added few bowlers and allrounders. Don't really know why he has only batters in his list.

My pick.

1. Steyn. No point in posting his bowling stats. Everyone knows it. He is not only the greatest fast bowler of this decade but also one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time.

2. Kohli and Smith. They have performed almost everywhere in test with their bat and both of them will go down as two of the great batters of all time once they retire.

3. Shakib Al hasan. Easily one of the greatest test allrounders of all time. He has performed everywhere and in all types of condition both as a bowler and batsman.

 

[MMHS]

Styen - at one point Ashwin was in contention as well. I actually won't take batsmen for such selections, unless he is someone like Bradman or Viv of 1970s.

Shakib could have been among top contenders with his stats, but in total 3 Test wins excluding ZIM doesn't help him.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Steyn.

 

[Dead Ball]

Steve Smith. Idk how can virat's run be called impactful? He has just one match winning century in whole carrier in SENA country. Smith has many. Smith dominated jadeja and ashwin on indian pitches (which is way harder than dominating broad and anderson in england). Smith also has 500+ runs last time he went to england. Has fine record in africa. If smith comes back and dominates same way for next 3 - 4 year he will be goat. Virat Kohli no doubt is very close to him but his confidence will go down with all these series loss also with so much workload i doubt kohli will have same peak 2 years later. His peak will go down like ricky ponting's after 2008.

How many match winning centuries does Smith have in Asia? Although match winning centuries is a ridiculous criterion.

Answer to OP is Steyn.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Steyn is not only the greatest test bowler of this century but easily among the top 5 test fast bowlers of all time.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

I'd go with........

 

[Josh]

Most definitely steyn !

 

[MP2011]

Steyn.

Smith has tarnished his legacy a lot so won’t consider him.

 

[Buffet]

Steyn and it's not even close.

 

[Joseph Gomes]

Steyn, and it's not close. Nowhere near close.

 

[Bilal7]

Dale Steyn is the obvious numero uno. After him, you have a bunch of other great players that I will list in no particular order:

- Kumar Sangakkara
- Hashim Amla
- James Anderson
- Younis Khan
- Alastair Cook
- Kevin Pietersen
- Michael Clarke
- Jacques Kallis
- Graeme Smith
- Rangana Herath
- Rahul Dravid
- AB de Villiers
- Steven Smith
- Mitchell Johnson

All the guys that have impacted test cricket over the last decade or so and have also been the best players.

 

[Hasan123]

Dale Steyn for bowling

Batting any of Smith ,Sanga,or Kohli.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Dale Steyn is the obvious numero uno. After him, you have a bunch of other great players that I will list in no particular order:

- Kumar Sangakkara
- Hashim Amla
- James Anderson
- Younis Khan
- Alastair Cook
- Kevin Pietersen
- Michael Clarke
- Jacques Kallis
- Graeme Smith
- Rangana Herath
- Rahul Dravid
- AB de Villiers
- Steven Smith
- Mitchell Johnson

All the guys that have impacted test cricket over the last decade or so and have also been the best players.

In your haste to type players from every country you forgot Kohli.

 

[Chrish]

Dale Steyn by light years..

 

[Bilal7]

In your haste to type players from every country you forgot Kohli.

His standing in test cricket is not on par with the rest of these guys. For starters, he's won nothing in Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan/UAE or South Africa.

However, he is the best in the world right now (Until Smith returns) so maybe he can help India to a series win or even a draw in Australia and claim his place among the pantheon of greats.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

His standing in test cricket is not on par with the rest of these guys. For starters, he's won nothing in Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan/UAE or South Africa.

However, he is the best in the world right now (Until Smith returns) so maybe he can help India to a series win or even a draw in Australia and claim his place among the pantheon of greats.

Batsmen win you nothing.

Test Cricket is a bowlers game and India dont have bowlers yet to take 10 wickets consistently.

He will probably top the charts again in Australia batting but India will go on to lose the series.

Thats only so much a batsmen can do.

 

[Majestic]

Since 2010

Steve Smith Avg 62 Centuries 23
Joe Root Avg 51 Centuries 13
Kohli Avg 55 Centuries 23
Williamson Avg 51 Centuries 18
SangaKarra Avg 62 Centuries 17
AB Devilliers Avg 58 Centuries 13
Younis Khan Avg 55 Centuries 18

Smith
Sanga
AB
Kohli
YK
Williamson
Root

 

[Bilal7]

Batsmen win you nothing.

Test Cricket is a bowlers game and India dont have bowlers yet to take 10 wickets consistently.

He will probably top the charts again in Australia batting but India will go on to lose the series.

Thats only so much a batsmen can do.

I agree but India have a pretty good bowling attack and bowled out England pretty much every single time. Had Kohli turned his centuries into double centuries, India might have at least drawn the series or won it.

 

[AFM]

His standing in test cricket is not on par with the rest of these guys. For starters, he's won nothing in Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan/UAE or South Africa.

However, he is the best in the world right now (Until Smith returns) so maybe he can help India to a series win or even a draw in Australia and claim his place among the pantheon of greats.

What match winnings has Younis Khan played in Aus, Eng, NZ or SA except the Oval? Or even draw for that matter? Virat has a match winning century in Trent Bridge and has outscored YK's 2016 series. In a series where batsmen from both sides have struggled for consistency. His centuries have helped secure draws in Australia, SA and NZ. He has won a Test each in England and SA as captain.

I'm sorry, but there is no way objectively you can say Virat is not on par with those others in your list in Test cricket.

 

[Canford Cliffs]

I agree but India have a pretty good bowling attack and bowled out England pretty much every single time. Had Kohli turned his centuries into double centuries, India might have at least drawn the series or won it.

You do realize right that you come across as a very biased poster? So the ultimatum for Kohli was to score in Eng this time. Now that he has already scored almost 600 runs with 1 test to go (200 + more runs than 2nd best batsman), you want him to score double hundreds now? What is next, Kohli need to score runs in mars in 1 leg with eyes tied with a wet ball against Anderson? Only if other batsman scored half the runs and supported Kohli, India could have won the series.

Look my friend, cricket is not played on online forums and games are not won by writing essays (not referring you here). Cricket is played on the field and anyone who has seen Kohli bat, would rate him in top 5 test bat in last decade

 

[Bilal7]

You do realize right that you come across as a very biased poster? So the ultimatum for Kohli was to score in Eng this time. Now that he has already scored almost 600 runs with 1 test to go (200 + more runs than 2nd best batsman), you want him to score double hundreds now? What is next, Kohli need to score runs in mars in 1 leg with eyes tied with a wet ball against Anderson? Only if other batsman scored half the runs and supported Kohli, India could have won the series.

Look my friend, cricket is not played on online forums and games are not won by writing essays (not referring you here). Cricket is played on the field and anyone who has seen Kohli bat, would rate him in top 5 test bat in last decade

Okay, I suppose you're done with this forum because writing essays and having debates is kinda what we do here. I have seen Kohli bat and he's not in the top 10 test batsmen of the last decade, forget about top 5. Kohli has pulled ahead of the likes of Joe Root and Kane Williamson by proving that he's not a total tailender in pace-friendly conditions. However, if he wants to be compared with the greats, he needs to start winning series for his team.

 

[topspin]

I agree but India have a pretty good bowling attack and bowled out England pretty much every single time. Had Kohli turned his centuries into double centuries, India might have at least drawn the series or won it.

In the SA series Kohli was the only man who scored a ton and in this bowling friendly series against he's the only player to have scored two tons. You can set whatever unrealistic benchmarks you want and insist he needs to score more double hundreds but you'll always have one excuse after another.

Before the SA series we were told Kohli wasn't an ATG because he can't play the moving ball and has to perform in England. He proved you wrong in SA and then in England, so you're now shifting goal posts to the double hundred requirement. Say he does go on to score a daddy hundred at the Oval, your next excuse will be that Amla and YK played in a tougher era of test cricket as you used when we were comparing Amla's and Kohli's tons to matches.

 

[anoop]

Okay, I suppose you're done with this forum because writing essays and having debates is kinda what we do here. I have seen Kohli bat and he's not in the top 10 test batsmen of the last decade, forget about top 5. Kohli has pulled ahead of the likes of Joe Root and Kane Williamson by proving that he's not a total tailender in pace-friendly conditions. However, if he wants to be compared with the greats, he needs to start winning series for his team.

Your own list shows why others won series. Amla was having great support from Steyn, AB, kallis and Smith in batting, bowling
Cook got from Pietersen. Kohli started in 2011 when Tendulkar, dravid faded away and since then is almost a one man show outside asia.

 

[AFM]

Okay, I suppose you're done with this forum because writing essays and having debates is kinda what we do here. I have seen Kohli bat and he's not in the top 10 test batsmen of the last decade, forget about top 5. Kohli has pulled ahead of the likes of Joe Root and Kane Williamson by proving that he's not a total tailender in pace-friendly conditions. However, if he wants to be compared with the greats, he needs to start winning series for his team.

Please explain to which series did Younis win for his team in Aus,Eng,NZ and SA in the last decade?

 

[Mamoon]

Comparing Younis to Kohli is laughable. The latter is already levels above and he is only entering his peak years now. Elite greats of the game should not be compared to merely very good players. As good as Younis was, he never got close to the league Kohli is in now.

Kohli is mowing down all the challenges one by one. Lacks consistency in Tests, cannot score big, cannot do well in England, etc. Pretty sure will put the "cannot score double-hundreds outside Asia" challenge to rest as well.

However, when that happens, people who cannot accept his greatness will come up with something stupid again.

Kohli is already a legend and very close to becoming the greatest Asian batsman of all time. He is already far ahead of Amla and any other Pakistani batsman, and coming up with nonsense filters, qualifications and objectives will not weigh him down or make him a lesser player. It only makes his detractors look foolish, who have to come up with something new after every milestone of his.

 

[anoop]

Please explain to which series did Younis win for his team in Aus,Eng,NZ and SA in the last decade?

He will give the 2016 example of last test where younis scored 218, well supported by century of shafiq and two fifers by Sohail khan and yasir shah.

 

[Mamoon]

It is actually comical to bring up the 2016 England series to make Younis look better than Kohli. Firstly, in spite of the double-ton at the Oval, Kohli has had a far, far better series overall.

Secondly, Younis was a walking wicket in the first three Tests - Pakistan were practically playing with 10 men, and he was one of the main reasons why Pakistan were 2-1 down going into the fourth Test and not 2-1 up.

We won at Lord's without his contribution, and we were dished a record thrashing at Old Trafford. However, the Edgbaston match was evenly contested and had Younis showed up in either of the two innings, Pakistan could have actually won or drawn the match, which meant that we would have actually won the series.

The fact that the Oval Test was not a dead-rubber had nothing to do with Younis Khan. If the whole team performed like him, Pakistan would have lost the series 3-1. However, let's not point out uncomfortable facts to people who will never be able to bring themselves to call a spade what it is. There are no limits to the bias and double-standards of some people.

Younis has a big ego, but I think even he will laugh at the comparisons between him and Kohli.

 

[Hitman]

Comparing Younis to Kohli is laughable. The latter is already levels above and he is only entering his peak years now. Elite greats of the game should not be compared to merely very good players. As good as Younis was, he never got close to the league Kohli is in now.

Kohli is mowing down all the challenges one by one. Lacks consistency in Tests, cannot score big, cannot do well in England, etc. Pretty sure will put the "cannot score double-hundreds outside Asia" challenge to rest as well.

However, when that happens, people who cannot accept his greatness will come up with something stupid again.

Kohli is already a legend and very close to becoming the greatest Asian batsman of all time. He is already far ahead of Amla and any other Pakistani batsman, and coming up with nonsense filters, qualifications and objectives will not weigh him down or make him a lesser player. It only makes his detractors look foolish, who have to come up with something new after every milestone of his.

It's funny how the goal post of some posters have shifted from 'Kohli has not performed in England' to 'Kohli has not won his team a series in England'.

 

[ManFan]

1) Steyn

2) Herath

3) Smith

 

[AFM]

He will give the 2016 example of last test where younis scored 218, well supported by century of shafiq and two fifers by Sohail khan and yasir shah.

Even if he take his criteria, the Oval innings only drew the series, not win it. And as Mamoon mentioned, Younis flopped completely in the earlier matches. [MENTION=129948]Bilal7[/MENTION] says YK scored when his team needed him most. Well, Virat's Trent Bridge performance meets the same criteria. He practically scored twin centuries in that match when India were 2-0 down in a 5 Test series. His performance brought India back and kept the series alive. Not to mention he has been heads and shoulders above any other batsman from both teams.

I am a huge YK fan. But Virat has outclassed him in his career so far. His centuries have won his team a match in Eng (same as YK), drawn a Test in SA, NZ and 2 in Aus (YK hasn't) along with his success in Asia.

 

[Ab Fan]

Younis is a great batsmen but anyone can see that Kohli has already outperformed him.

Kohli already has 11 hundreds outside Asia while YK had just 6 hundreds over his career.

 

[Ab Fan]

Outside Asia

 

[Hawkeye]

Sorry, but how can ANYONE possibly include Younis here? In full senses?

What a joke. You don't have to be biased even if he's our countryman.

Kohli is leading the pack, followed by perhaps Smith and AB de Villiers is up there as well.

Smith not impactful as Kohli/AB though.

Amla was also very good but does not make to top 2 or top 3.

 

[Hasan123]

So wait a player wins tests on his own? Most of these great players being discussed had a support from a partner or from another good bowling attack or for bowlers a batsmen setting the game up.


Kohli will be recognised as 1 of crickets greatest batsmen no matter what some biased poster from Canada says. So I wouldn't even waste my time debating with him or worrying about his opinion.

 

[Ab Fan]

The most celebrated players who have debuted in this millenium are:-

Batsmen:-
Sangakkara
Kohli
Smith
AB de Villiers

Bowlers:-
Steyn
Anderson

That's 6 names for you. Others like Root, Williamson, Amla, Younis are just there for making numbers and will be forgotten sooner or later.

 

[barah_admi]

If you are talking about "player" then you have to mention bowlers and keepers too...do they not play test cricket? This sites obsession with batsmen is ridiculous.

 

[the_outsider]

The most celebrated players who have debuted in this millenium are:-

Batsmen:-
Sangakkara
Kohli
Smith
AB de Villiers

Bowlers:-
Steyn
Anderson

That's 6 names for you. Others like Root, Williamson, Amla, Younis are just there for making numbers and will be forgotten sooner or later.

Wouldn't you want to have Graeme Smith in that list too? The highest number of test matches captained by any player - 109. Second youngest test captain since the 1970s.

93% of the tests he played, he was the captain and still maintained an avg of 48.

 

[lehen]

Dale Steyn

 

[giri26]

Dale Steyn will be the best Test player in terms of bowling followed by Anderson and the batting has lots of amazing players.

For now it will be between Smith and Kohli but there are others legendary players like Sangakkara, Kallis, Younis Khan, ABD etc.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Fawad Alam!

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Fawad Alam!

Brother, how have you forgotten mashrafe, ashraful, shakib etc.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Brother, how have you forgotten mashrafe, ashraful, shakib etc.

Bro Faddy averages 41.66 (away from home) in Test matches and 40.25 in ODIs. None of the names you've taken come close to those numbers and hence I've choosen Fawad Alam

 

[Cuts_and_cuts_hard]

Steyn by miles

 

[zeusathon]

Sangakkara by miles. Kohli can never match his gritty batting even against the best of bowlers.

 

[Bilal7]

What match winnings has Younis Khan played in Aus, Eng, NZ or SA except the Oval? Or even draw for that matter? Virat has a match winning century in Trent Bridge and has outscored YK's 2016 series. In a series where batsmen from both sides have struggled for consistency. His centuries have helped secure draws in Australia, SA and NZ. He has won a Test each in England and SA as captain.

I'm sorry, but there is no way objectively you can say Virat is not on par with those others in your list in Test cricket.

Well, off the top of my head, Khan scored like two 75+ scores in a match in New Zealand that we drew and therefore won the series. This happened right after the 2010 spot-fixing fiasco and was a pretty good deal given that most people thought Pakistan cricket was dead. No series wins in Australia and South Africa obviously, but Khan has won and drawn games/series in India as well, which is huge for any cricketer. Kohli hasn't gotten a chance to perform in Pakistan/UAE and although unfair, it has deprived him of a similar chance to showcase his skill against one of the best teams of the last decade. He also played a fine innings to help us win a match in South Africa.

When Kohli wins something away from home in a place not called Sri Lanka, then he can join the likes of Younis Khan. Until then, at least for me, he's not at the same level.

Your own list shows why others won series. Amla was having great support from Steyn, AB, kallis and Smith in batting, bowling
Cook got from Pietersen. Kohli started in 2011 when Tendulkar, dravid faded away and since then is almost a one man show outside asia.

Kohli had pretty great support from his bowlers this series and during his last series in England, I remember India actually being 1:0 up after three games. Also, aren't India the #1 team in the world? What better team to give him support than the #1 team in the world? Or do you agree that India does not deserve being at the top of the table?

 

[Bilal7]

Even if he take his criteria, the Oval innings only drew the series, not win it. And as Mamoon mentioned, Younis flopped completely in the earlier matches. [MENTION=129948]Bilal7[/MENTION] says YK scored when his team needed him most. Well, Virat's Trent Bridge performance meets the same criteria. He practically scored twin centuries in that match when India were 2-0 down in a 5 Test series. His performance brought India back and kept the series alive. Not to mention he has been heads and shoulders above any other batsman from both teams.

I am a huge YK fan. But Virat has outclassed him in his career so far. His centuries have won his team a match in Eng (same as YK), drawn a Test in SA, NZ and 2 in Aus (YK hasn't) along with his success in Asia.

Kept the series alive for what? One more week? Younis drew the series with that fantastic double, he left no room for England to get back into the game after that innings and that is what great players do. They finish games off.

Also, are you serious about the "drawn a Test in SA..." part? South Africa nearly chased down 450 runs in the fourth innings of that match. They would have won had the infamous South African defensiveness not shone through. Kohli did not 'draw' their game, unless you think his sheer presence restricted the South African batters from getting those last few runs because he sure as Hell had no other role to play in the fourth innings of that match.

That game is actually a credit to Faf, ABD and the rest of the South African batters. The fact that they nearly chased so many runs in the fourth innings is phenomenal.

 

[Ab Fan]

Kept the series alive for what? One more week? Younis drew the series with that fantastic double, he left no room for England to get back into the game after that innings and that is what great players do. They finish games off.

Also, are you serious about the "drawn a Test in SA..." part? South Africa nearly chased down 450 runs in the fourth innings of that match. They would have won had the infamous South African defensiveness not shone through. Kohli did not 'draw' their game, unless you think his sheer presence restricted the South African batters from getting those last few runs because he sure as Hell had no other role to play in the fourth innings of that match.

That game is actually a credit to Faf, ABD and the rest of the South African batters. The fact that they nearly chased so many runs in the fourth innings is phenomenal.

Ashwin lost India that match as well. He bowled quite poorly.

 

[Ab Fan]

Wouldn't you want to have Graeme Smith in that list too? The highest number of test matches captained by any player - 109. Second youngest test captain since the 1970s.

93% of the tests he played, he was the captain and still maintained an avg of 48.

I would love to but there are several reasons going against him:-

1) He has done a good share of minnow bashing over his career. Once we exclude WI, Zim and Ban, his average slips down to 43. His home average slips down to 34, which means he actually has failed in his home conditions. So, while that 43 is still fantastic but not ATG level.

2) He was an above average ODI player.

3) He doesnt have the same peer reputation as some of other batsmen/openers of his era. When we look at all-time XI, most of the times, we will see one of Cook, Hayden and Sehwag making it to XI than Smith would. The reason is big3 influence but that's how it is. He looked ugly with the bat and hence failed to capture the imagination of fans.

However, no doubt, he is one of the most impact cricketers to have played the game and an ATG captain as well. His ODI exploits aren't much to talk about.