Harsh Thakor
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Here I am ranking in order of merit the best batsmen of the 1970's.I have also considered first -class cricket.Another criteria is the length of period of domination.Viv started in 1974-5 unlike Sunny and Greg who made their debut in 1970-71..Really hard to seperate Viv ,Greg and Sunny but i considered conditions like opponents,strength of team and duration of dominance.I have excluded greats like Gary Sobers and Rohan Kanhai or even Graeme Pollock as they did not play after 1974.Sobers and Kanhai played their last tests in early 1974 while Pollock did not play in unofficial supertests from 1977-79.I included Bary Richards because of his great performances in Packer games.
1.Sunil Gavaskar
The most prolific batsmen in official test cricket of the 1970's with the best bating average who broke batting records facing the best pace attacks without a helmet.Few batsmen in the history of the game have surpassed Gavaskar's consistency from 1976-79 where he plundered runs in every region of the world.His 221 at the Oval was an epitome of batting perfection and scored in the most difficult of situations.Also mastered the likes of Imran Khan and Andy Roberts.Averaged 55.91 scoring 5647 runs which was truly remarkable.Record for a debut series scoring 774 runs in West Indies at average of 154.80.Championed the cause for a relatively weaker team,opened the batting and was up against the most lethal of pace bowling more than Viv Richards or Greg Chappell.
2.Greg Chappell
Closest to the perfect batsmen playing official cricket after 1975 blending agression and technical skill like no one else.Amassed more runs in a single series against the great West Indies pace attack like no other batsmen when scoring 621 runs at average of 69 in 5 supertests in West Indies in 1979.Had the highest aggregate in world series packer cricket scoring 1416 runs with a higher average than even Viv Richards of 56.14. as well as the highest score of 246.Adding scores of world series packer cricket supertests and games in 1972 against rest of the world the most prolific batsmen in international cricket of the 1970's .However did not play great fast bowling as well as Gavaskar or could tear an attack apart as much as Viv Richards.Also backed by a much stronger side than what Gavaskar played and did not open the innings like Sunny.Noses Viv because of playing outstandingly for a longer tenure like in 1972 in England and 1974 in New Zealand.
3.Viv Richards
The ultimate master blaster who could change the complexion of game more than anyone.At his best made the impact of a dynamite exploding or a bomber raiding an airbase.No batsmen batted more like Bradman and at his peak from 1976-79 was the best after the Don.In Kerry Packer Supertests in 1977-78 revealed batting supremacy and invincibility as no overseas batsmen ever did on Australian soil ammasing 862 runs at 86.2.In England in 1976 he was a re-incarnated Bradman averaging 118.42 with an aggregate of 829 runs while in Australia in 1979 dominated bowling like no overseas batsmen had ever previously done.Rated below Gavaskar and Greg Chappell because of lesser tenure of playing.Viv started in 1974-5 unlike Sunny and Greg who made their debut in 1970-71.Viv did not face his own great pacemen and had the advantage of playing for a great team and thus not tested enough in a crisis.
4.Ian Chappell
The best batsmen of his era in a crisis capable of ressurecting his team from the grave more than Viv Richards or brother Greg.A master against both pace and spin who averaged above 50 at one down,scoring 12 centuries at an average of 50.94 and an aggregate of 4279 runs.Many opponents rated or prized his wicket more than even brother Greg like Gary Sobers,Imran Khan and Michael Holding.
5.Barry Richards
Had he played official cricket after 1970 would have been the best batsmen of the 1970's.No batsmen better fitted into the tag of the perfect batsmen.Barry was like a bulldozer and architect rolled into one capable of launching the most devastating assaults on an attack but still posess the highest degree of technical skill.Topped averages in Kerry packer cricket averaging 79.14 including a 207 in 1977-78 and a classic 125 in the 1978 supertest final v Australia.Rated low because of playing very little international cricket.Staggering stats in 1st class cricket scoring over 1000 run s15 times in a sesaon and scoring 1583 runs at average of 109.86 in the Australian season of 1972 including a score of 356 .
6.Zaheer Abbas
A supreme stylist whose strokes posessed the grace of the divine.The best batsmen on slow wickets who in 1st class cricket overshadowed even the great Viv Richards or Gavaskar scoring a double hundred a hundred in a single match 4 times and a hundred in each innings of a single game on 8 occasions.Dominated a 3 tset series as no post-war batsmen ever did when scoring 583 runs at average of 195 against India at home in 1978-79.To me the most stylish batsmen of the 1970's whose strokes resembled a lotus blooming at it's peak.
7.Gundappa Vishwanath
In terms of pure talent and artistry ahead of even Gavaskar.Vishy was a master on bad or bouncy wickets where he would overshadow even Gavaskar. At his best he could join Viv Richards like when scoring an unbeaten 97 on the fastest of Madras tracks in 1974-75 v West Indies,rated amongst the greatest test match innings ever.Vishy too creative genius in bating to it's highest zenith and at his best looked like a magician.Vishy won more tests for India than any player of his time.
8.Clive Lloyd
A great left-handed batsmen who posessed a huge repertoire of strokes reminiscent of Gary Sobers.No left hander ever hit the ball harder apart from Sobers and perhaps only Lara or Pollock had a wider range of strokes.However he made his greatest contribution as a leader resurrecting the spirit of West Indian cricket to conquer every territory in the world like an invincible emperor.A great batsmen and leader in a crisis like he exhibited in both the 1975 and 1979 Prudential world cup.Few skippers ever moulded scattered pieces into such a formidable combination as Clive .
9.Majid Khan
On his day the equal of a Viv or Barrry Richards who posessed genius more than any Asian batsmen of his era.On a bad wicket arguably the best batsmen of his era.Prolific against the best of pace bowlers like Dennis Lillee,Andy Roberts and Bob Willis and in 1977 proved his greatness when scoring a match-saving 167 at Georgetown ressurecting Pakistan from the grave.His 156 at Swansea ranks amongst the greatest ever innings on a broken top.
10.Alvin Kalicharan
Close to the perfect left-handed batsmen and in terms of prowess the best left -handed batsmen of the 1970's.At his best in the Gary Sobers or Graeme Pollock class like when scoring a devastating 78 against Lillee and Thomson in the 1975 Prudential world cup.Technically arguably the best left handed batsmen of all posessig the grammar of an English professor at Oxford university.
11.Glen Turner
A staggering record in English 1st class cricket making him the most prolific batsmen of the 1970's.Ist overseas opener to reach the historic landmark of a hundred first class centuries.Scored 672 runs including a 223 and 259 in West Indies in 1972 and topped the kiwi batting averages in both the 1975 and 79 Prudential world cups.Few openers were as effective or adapted so well in both test and limited over cricket as Turner .Glen also scored a record 77 percent of a team's total when scoring 141 out of 169 against Somerset.At his best close to a batting genius.
12.Geoff Boycott
Although often boring and slow must be praised for his great consistency and phenomenal technical correctness.Boycott was like a boulder out there in the middle and the hardest batsmen to dismiss.Even if he scored slowly Geoff often set a base for England to win game,like in the 1977 Ashes.However often his slow scoring reduced England's chance of winning.Geoff was prolific in both West Indies and Australia like in 1970-71 down under and 1974 in the Carribean.His 99 and 112 at Trinidad was invaluable in a wining cause .
13.Gordon Greenidge
No opener bar Barry Richards blended attacking ability with high technical skill as Greenidge.He could display the power of a bulldozer but still be as compact as a boulder.Great batsmen in difficult condition and a great match-winner like in England in 1976.Hit the ball harder than any batsmen of his era.
14.Asif Iqbal
The best no 6 batsmen after the retirement of Sir Garfield Sobers who could turn and win games .His 120 at Sydney and 152 not out at Brisbane in 1976-77 are a testimony to this.No batsmen was better batting with the tail.Also superb when scoring 135 at Kingston in 1977 and 135 n.o at Perth in 1978-79.
15.Dennis Amiss
An outstanding opening batsmen particularly against pure pace like when scoring 262 at Barbados in 1974 and 203 at the Oval against West Indies in 1976.
1.Sunil Gavaskar
The most prolific batsmen in official test cricket of the 1970's with the best bating average who broke batting records facing the best pace attacks without a helmet.Few batsmen in the history of the game have surpassed Gavaskar's consistency from 1976-79 where he plundered runs in every region of the world.His 221 at the Oval was an epitome of batting perfection and scored in the most difficult of situations.Also mastered the likes of Imran Khan and Andy Roberts.Averaged 55.91 scoring 5647 runs which was truly remarkable.Record for a debut series scoring 774 runs in West Indies at average of 154.80.Championed the cause for a relatively weaker team,opened the batting and was up against the most lethal of pace bowling more than Viv Richards or Greg Chappell.
2.Greg Chappell
Closest to the perfect batsmen playing official cricket after 1975 blending agression and technical skill like no one else.Amassed more runs in a single series against the great West Indies pace attack like no other batsmen when scoring 621 runs at average of 69 in 5 supertests in West Indies in 1979.Had the highest aggregate in world series packer cricket scoring 1416 runs with a higher average than even Viv Richards of 56.14. as well as the highest score of 246.Adding scores of world series packer cricket supertests and games in 1972 against rest of the world the most prolific batsmen in international cricket of the 1970's .However did not play great fast bowling as well as Gavaskar or could tear an attack apart as much as Viv Richards.Also backed by a much stronger side than what Gavaskar played and did not open the innings like Sunny.Noses Viv because of playing outstandingly for a longer tenure like in 1972 in England and 1974 in New Zealand.
3.Viv Richards
The ultimate master blaster who could change the complexion of game more than anyone.At his best made the impact of a dynamite exploding or a bomber raiding an airbase.No batsmen batted more like Bradman and at his peak from 1976-79 was the best after the Don.In Kerry Packer Supertests in 1977-78 revealed batting supremacy and invincibility as no overseas batsmen ever did on Australian soil ammasing 862 runs at 86.2.In England in 1976 he was a re-incarnated Bradman averaging 118.42 with an aggregate of 829 runs while in Australia in 1979 dominated bowling like no overseas batsmen had ever previously done.Rated below Gavaskar and Greg Chappell because of lesser tenure of playing.Viv started in 1974-5 unlike Sunny and Greg who made their debut in 1970-71.Viv did not face his own great pacemen and had the advantage of playing for a great team and thus not tested enough in a crisis.
4.Ian Chappell
The best batsmen of his era in a crisis capable of ressurecting his team from the grave more than Viv Richards or brother Greg.A master against both pace and spin who averaged above 50 at one down,scoring 12 centuries at an average of 50.94 and an aggregate of 4279 runs.Many opponents rated or prized his wicket more than even brother Greg like Gary Sobers,Imran Khan and Michael Holding.
5.Barry Richards
Had he played official cricket after 1970 would have been the best batsmen of the 1970's.No batsmen better fitted into the tag of the perfect batsmen.Barry was like a bulldozer and architect rolled into one capable of launching the most devastating assaults on an attack but still posess the highest degree of technical skill.Topped averages in Kerry packer cricket averaging 79.14 including a 207 in 1977-78 and a classic 125 in the 1978 supertest final v Australia.Rated low because of playing very little international cricket.Staggering stats in 1st class cricket scoring over 1000 run s15 times in a sesaon and scoring 1583 runs at average of 109.86 in the Australian season of 1972 including a score of 356 .
6.Zaheer Abbas
A supreme stylist whose strokes posessed the grace of the divine.The best batsmen on slow wickets who in 1st class cricket overshadowed even the great Viv Richards or Gavaskar scoring a double hundred a hundred in a single match 4 times and a hundred in each innings of a single game on 8 occasions.Dominated a 3 tset series as no post-war batsmen ever did when scoring 583 runs at average of 195 against India at home in 1978-79.To me the most stylish batsmen of the 1970's whose strokes resembled a lotus blooming at it's peak.
7.Gundappa Vishwanath
In terms of pure talent and artistry ahead of even Gavaskar.Vishy was a master on bad or bouncy wickets where he would overshadow even Gavaskar. At his best he could join Viv Richards like when scoring an unbeaten 97 on the fastest of Madras tracks in 1974-75 v West Indies,rated amongst the greatest test match innings ever.Vishy too creative genius in bating to it's highest zenith and at his best looked like a magician.Vishy won more tests for India than any player of his time.
8.Clive Lloyd
A great left-handed batsmen who posessed a huge repertoire of strokes reminiscent of Gary Sobers.No left hander ever hit the ball harder apart from Sobers and perhaps only Lara or Pollock had a wider range of strokes.However he made his greatest contribution as a leader resurrecting the spirit of West Indian cricket to conquer every territory in the world like an invincible emperor.A great batsmen and leader in a crisis like he exhibited in both the 1975 and 1979 Prudential world cup.Few skippers ever moulded scattered pieces into such a formidable combination as Clive .
9.Majid Khan
On his day the equal of a Viv or Barrry Richards who posessed genius more than any Asian batsmen of his era.On a bad wicket arguably the best batsmen of his era.Prolific against the best of pace bowlers like Dennis Lillee,Andy Roberts and Bob Willis and in 1977 proved his greatness when scoring a match-saving 167 at Georgetown ressurecting Pakistan from the grave.His 156 at Swansea ranks amongst the greatest ever innings on a broken top.
10.Alvin Kalicharan
Close to the perfect left-handed batsmen and in terms of prowess the best left -handed batsmen of the 1970's.At his best in the Gary Sobers or Graeme Pollock class like when scoring a devastating 78 against Lillee and Thomson in the 1975 Prudential world cup.Technically arguably the best left handed batsmen of all posessig the grammar of an English professor at Oxford university.
11.Glen Turner
A staggering record in English 1st class cricket making him the most prolific batsmen of the 1970's.Ist overseas opener to reach the historic landmark of a hundred first class centuries.Scored 672 runs including a 223 and 259 in West Indies in 1972 and topped the kiwi batting averages in both the 1975 and 79 Prudential world cups.Few openers were as effective or adapted so well in both test and limited over cricket as Turner .Glen also scored a record 77 percent of a team's total when scoring 141 out of 169 against Somerset.At his best close to a batting genius.
12.Geoff Boycott
Although often boring and slow must be praised for his great consistency and phenomenal technical correctness.Boycott was like a boulder out there in the middle and the hardest batsmen to dismiss.Even if he scored slowly Geoff often set a base for England to win game,like in the 1977 Ashes.However often his slow scoring reduced England's chance of winning.Geoff was prolific in both West Indies and Australia like in 1970-71 down under and 1974 in the Carribean.His 99 and 112 at Trinidad was invaluable in a wining cause .
13.Gordon Greenidge
No opener bar Barry Richards blended attacking ability with high technical skill as Greenidge.He could display the power of a bulldozer but still be as compact as a boulder.Great batsmen in difficult condition and a great match-winner like in England in 1976.Hit the ball harder than any batsmen of his era.
14.Asif Iqbal
The best no 6 batsmen after the retirement of Sir Garfield Sobers who could turn and win games .His 120 at Sydney and 152 not out at Brisbane in 1976-77 are a testimony to this.No batsmen was better batting with the tail.Also superb when scoring 135 at Kingston in 1977 and 135 n.o at Perth in 1978-79.
15.Dennis Amiss
An outstanding opening batsmen particularly against pure pace like when scoring 262 at Barbados in 1974 and 203 at the Oval against West Indies in 1976.
