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Who were the most perfect batsmen ever?

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Harsh Thakor

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Here I am listing my choice in order of merit of the most perfect batsman of all time.My criteria is not statistical records records but combination of technical correctness with ability to dominate bowling or all-round strokemaking ability and elegance.





1.Barry Richards

2.Sachin Tendulkar

3.Don Bradman

4.Greg Chappell

5.Peter May

6.Gordon Greenidge

7.Rohan Kanhai

8.Martin Crowe

9.Lawrence Rowe

10.Gundappa Vishwanath

11.Zaheer Abbas

12.Alvin Kalicharan







Barry is at the top because he possessed every facet in a total package be it technical skill,attacking agression or inventiveness,with Tendulkar only a whisker behind on the same grounds.No batsman decimated attacks as clinically as Barry Richards with such degree of technical skill.Tendulkar was as innovative but not as powerful.Bradman was unorthodox but ultimate embodiment of concentration and temperament.No one dissected bowling for such a prolonged period with such consistent degree of contempt as the Don,who reminded you of a machine.Greg Chappell was elegance personified with perfect technique who could also take domination to realms rarely conquered.Greenidge was very similar to Barry in the clinical manner he pulverized bowling ,with better technique than Viv,Lara or even Sobers.Peter May was the ultimate epitome of batting perfection who took domination to mythical realms,but never at the cost of grace.Rohan Kanhai took batting creativity or art to unexplored realms,in the manner of a Michelangelo.Martin Crowe played express space with more skill than any contemporary batsman.Lawrence Rowe was technically the soundest West Indies batsman of all.Gundappa Vishwanath posessed god gifted artistry taking wristwork to divinic regions.Zaheer Abbas could produce strokes of mythical quality,who could pierce the most impregnable gaps and on his day could sit with the Gods of Olympus.Alvin Kalicharan was technical correctnes personified,.a left-handed Rohan Kanhai.



I have excluded superstars like Viv,Lara,Kohli,Steve Smith or Sehwag or even stylists like Gower,Azhar etc.as in my view they were not technically the equal of those I chose.No doubt some of them are candidates for the best batsman ever.Ofcourse Viv is better than Greg Chappell and Lawrence Rowe or even Lara ,but in terms of pure technique Greg and Rowe were better.In my view no left-handed bat was as clinical as Kalicharan .I still feel in pure game Tendulkar and Barry were more complete than Bradman.
 
If it's about ticking maximum boxes as a batsman then hands down Sachin, among the batsmen I followed from the 1990s remains the most balanced and complete batsman.

After Sachib, there's confusion because a lot of the batsmen are neck to neck.

Sachin, indeed was a standout.
 
Barry Richards & Sachin Tendulkar

Sunny Gavaskar was technically perfect but lacked that 5th gear
 
Sunil Gavaskar should be on the list. He was the perfect batsman for me.
 
Harsh Thakor said:
Almost there.In your view ahead of Tendulkar and Barry?
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In terms of technique yes,I think he gets underrated due to skipping tours and had a bad stint as an Indian coach and of course in underarm controversy.
 
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Although not perfect, Kallis is worth a mention. He ticks just about every box, he was even extremely boring and "selfish" :)) Not only as a batsman but a cricketer in general. He inspired and taught MANY South Africans, and people around the world on how to play cricket.

"Whether on the front or back foot, he plays well on the on- and off-side. He’s not Brian Lara or Ricky Ponting in terms of aggression or flair but he is rock solid and, added to that, has every shot in the book." - Michael Vaughan on Kallis
 
for Indians its Tendulkar for rest of the cricketing world, its Viv Richard.
 
Greg Chappell
Viv Richards
Ken Williamson
Martin Crowe
Mohammed Yousuf
Kallis
Hayden
Sangakara
Surprisingly none of the English Batsmen
 
Ozymandiasza said:
Although not perfect, Kallis is worth a mention. He ticks just about every box, he was even extremely boring and "selfish" :)) Not only as a batsman but a cricketer in general. He inspired and taught MANY South Africans, and people around the world on how to play cricket.

"Whether on the front or back foot, he plays well on the on- and off-side. He’s not Brian Lara or Ricky Ponting in terms of aggression or flair but he is rock solid and, added to that, has every shot in the book." - Michael Vaughan on Kallis
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Kallis was not consistently attacking or agressive in my opinion.No doubt a great batsman but not a consistent match-winner.
 
[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] [MENTION=133512]AB_Fan[/MENTION] plead your participation here
 
Hitman said:
Have seen many but none came close to batting perfection like Sachin Tendulkar: Sunil Gavaskar

Link: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...il-gavaskar/story-IUu8V2mk9UpKq940F7xYvI.html
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I would agree with that , if we talking about perfection in terms of all round batting technique, and not just ability but also knowledge and understanding of how to bat in different conditions and kinds of bowling , concentration and focus on his batting - and then making all that count by scoring runs like a machine - no one else comes close. Sachin Tendulkar was as close to batting perfection as it gets.

However, there are also many other fine batsmen who may have been further away from perfection as overall batsmen than Sachin, but in my view these ‘flawed geniuses’ as batsmen who produced individual innings that would rank even higher in terms of impact and pure magic than even the most perfect batsman could produce - and in this category are the names Lara, Viv Richards, Zaheer Abbas, Kohli, Sangakkara, to name a few from the modern post-80s era.
 
Harsh Thakor said:
Here I am listing my choice in order of merit of the most perfect batsman of all time.My criteria is not statistical records records but combination of technical correctness with ability to dominate bowling or all-round strokemaking ability and elegance.





1.Barry Richards

2.Sachin Tendulkar

3.Don Bradman

4.Greg Chappell

5.Peter May

6.Gordon Greenidge

7.Rohan Kanhai

8.Martin Crowe

9.Lawrence Rowe

10.Gundappa Vishwanath

11.Zaheer Abbas

12.Alvin Kalicharan







Barry is at the top because he possessed every facet in a total package be it technical skill,attacking agression or inventiveness,with Tendulkar only a whisker behind on the same grounds.No batsman decimated attacks as clinically as Barry Richards with such degree of technical skill.Tendulkar was as innovative but not as powerful.Bradman was unorthodox but ultimate embodiment of concentration and temperament.No one dissected bowling for such a prolonged period with such consistent degree of contempt as the Don,who reminded you of a machine.Greg Chappell was elegance personified with perfect technique who could also take domination to realms rarely conquered.Greenidge was very similar to Barry in the clinical manner he pulverized bowling ,with better technique than Viv,Lara or even Sobers.Peter May was the ultimate epitome of batting perfection who took domination to mythical realms,but never at the cost of grace.Rohan Kanhai took batting creativity or art to unexplored realms,in the manner of a Michelangelo.Martin Crowe played express space with more skill than any contemporary batsman.Lawrence Rowe was technically the soundest West Indies batsman of all.Gundappa Vishwanath posessed god gifted artistry taking wristwork to divinic regions.Zaheer Abbas could produce strokes of mythical quality,who could pierce the most impregnable gaps and on his day could sit with the Gods of Olympus.Alvin Kalicharan was technical correctnes personified,.a left-handed Rohan Kanhai.



I have excluded superstars like Viv,Lara,Kohli,Steve Smith or Sehwag or even stylists like Gower,Azhar etc.as in my view they were not technically the equal of those I chose.No doubt some of them are candidates for the best batsman ever.Ofcourse Viv is better than Greg Chappell and Lawrence Rowe or even Lara ,but in terms of pure technique Greg and Rowe were better.In my view no left-handed bat was as clinical as Kalicharan .I still feel in pure game Tendulkar and Barry were more complete than Bradman.
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Technically correct without stats?

Pakistan’s Muhammad Wasim.

And if you wanted to know it with stats, then you should pick a baseline criteria - I would say, 100 test innings played and then find the highest to lowest number of balls faced against how many times got dismissed, to find the ratio of balls faced vs how many times got out.

Technically speaking, a technically correct batsman should be very, very hard to get out.
 
For mine the closest to perfect batsman I've seen is probably AB de Villiers once he got into his groove somewhere around the late 2000s. He just looked set from ball one pretty much every time he walked out into the middle.

He was just something else skill wise didn't look like he had any real weaknesses in his game an absolute freak of nature. Add to that he was a brilliant wk/bat as well in both Tests and LOIs just insane. Such a shame the way he left international cricket sky was the limit really.
 
Majid Khan said:
I would agree with that , if we talking about perfection in terms of all round batting technique, and not just ability but also knowledge and understanding of how to bat in different conditions and kinds of bowling , concentration and focus on his batting - and then making all that count by scoring runs like a machine - no one else comes close. Sachin Tendulkar was as close to batting perfection as it gets.

However, there are also many other fine batsmen who may have been further away from perfection as overall batsmen than Sachin, but in my view these ‘flawed geniuses’ as batsmen who produced individual innings that would rank even higher in terms of impact and pure magic than even the most perfect batsman could produce - and in this category are the names Lara, Viv Richards, Zaheer Abbas, Kohli, Sangakkara, to name a few from the modern post-80s era.
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Very sound distinction between perfection and flawed genius.Majid Khan would perfectly fit the bill of a player with pure magic .Why do Greg Chappell and Barrry Richards or even Martin Crowe not rank on par with Tendulkar in term s of perfection?
 
Harsh Thakor said:
[MENTION=139595]Ab Fan[/MENTION] please come here
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If we pick the most perfect batsman in terms of overall perfection in the technicality of the game, some names that really stand out:-

Sachin Tendulkar
Barry Richards
Martin Crowe
AB de Villiers
Joe Root

If we do not weigh the devastative batting ability factor enough and also consider the technicality of proper test match batsmanship skills, then <B>Sachin Tendulkar</B> is the most perfect batsman ever and from present era, it's <B>Joe Root</B>. But if you consider all the factors for all formats, I will have to go with <B>AB de Villiers</B>.

AB is pretty much the closest to perfection of all skills required for a batsman in a game across all formats. You may want someone to have a devastative hitting ability of T20s or you may want someone there to shut the shop on Day 5 pitch of a Test match to save the game. Pace, bounce, swing and seam, spin any condition, any country, ABD was equipped and looked in control most of the times.
 
Ab Fan said:
If we pick the most perfect batsman in terms of overall perfection in the technicality of the game, some names that really stand out:-

Sachin Tendulkar
Barry Richards
Martin Crowe
AB de Villiers
Joe Root

If we do not weigh the devastative batting ability factor enough and also consider the technicality of proper test match batsmanship skills, then <B>Sachin Tendulkar</B> is the most perfect batsman ever and from present era, it's <B>Joe Root</B>. But if you consider all the factors for all formats, I will have to go with <B>AB de Villiers</B>.

AB is pretty much the closest to perfection of all skills required for a batsman in a game across all formats. You may want someone to have a devastative hitting ability of T20s or you may want someone there to shut the shop on Day 5 pitch of a Test match to save the game. Pace, bounce, swing and seam, spin any condition, any country, ABD was equipped and looked in control most of the times.
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Great list.Well analyzed.What about Greg Chappell,Lawrence Rowe and Mark Waugh?No left-hander?
 
Harsh Thakor said:
Very sound distinction between perfection and flawed genius.Majid Khan would perfectly fit the bill of a player with pure magic .Why do Greg Chappell and Barrry Richards or even Martin Crowe not rank on par with Tendulkar in term s of perfection?
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It’s a good question and I would sum it up like this - of all the batsmen I’ve seen, quite a few had it in them to entertain and impress with their strokeplay , play majestic innings, change the course of a match through individual brilliance, or display unmatchable concentration and technique.

However in all the years I’ve watched cricket , there’s only batsman who gave the impression that he was determined to score a 100 every time he went out to bat , and who actually walked off looking disappointed like he had failed if he did not score a 100. That was Sachin Tendulkar. He was that serious about his batting.

This is an era where as a Pakistan fan, we would see many of our batsmen who once they scored a 100 in a test or ODI series - they would go out and bat in the rest of the games like they had earned their bread and could now ‘take it easy’ and relax themselves.. quite the opposite.
 
Majid Khan said:
It’s a good question and I would sum it up like this - of all the batsmen I’ve seen, quite a few had it in them to entertain and impress with their strokeplay , play majestic innings, change the course of a match through individual brilliance, or display unmatchable concentration and technique.

However in all the years I’ve watched cricket , there’s only batsman who gave the impression that he was determined to score a 100 every time he went out to bat , and who actually walked off looking disappointed like he had failed if he did not score a 100. That was Sachin Tendulkar. He was that serious about his batting.

This is an era where as a Pakistan fan, we would see many of our batsmen who once they scored a 100 in a test or ODI series - they would go out and bat in the rest of the games like they had earned their bread and could now ‘take it easy’ and relax themselves.. quite the opposite.
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Hafeez too has been pretty determined throughout his career :D
 
Hitman said:
Hafeez too has been pretty determined throughout his career :D
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Indeed , every bit as determined as Edison , that chap who invented the light bulb by believing in himself and not giving up even after failing on the first 1000 attempts. As we all know Edison silenced all his critics on the 1001st attempt.
 
[MENTION=132062]Harsh Thakor[/MENTION], I disagree with Barry Richards vs The Don and Tendulkar on one point.

What you said is all true. But Barry lacked one thing that the other two had and it is a big one. Temperament. Barry did not have it. That is why he does not belong ahead of Don and SRT.

Of course I am not even taking his next to zero international test experience into consideration.
 
U$ofA said:
[MENTION=132062]Harsh Thakor[/MENTION], I disagree with Barry Richards vs The Don and Tendulkar on one point.

What you said is all true. But Barry lacked one thing that the other two had and it is a big one. Temperament. Barry did not have it. That is why he does not belong ahead of Don and SRT.

Of course I am not even taking his next to zero international test experience into consideration.
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Averaged over 79 in Word Series Packer cricket ,topping averages including a 207 and unbeaten 125.In official tests 72.57 in 4 games against Australia.This speaks for itself.
 
From those that I saw, Boycott, Gower, Richards, Greenidge, Gavaskar, Chappell, Miandad, Zaheer, Majid.
 
Harsh Thakor said:
Averaged over 79 in Word Series Packer cricket ,topping averages including a 207 and unbeaten 125.In official tests 72.57 in 4 games against Australia.This speaks for itself.
Click to expand...

A grand total of.......4 test matches. Even if you consider the Packer matches, it would make it what, 8? Also, he has never played in BIPS.

So I would not bring up his international experience at all.

My point was more to do with his temperament. He was known to throw away his wicket. Something that will not fly at test level.
 
gani999 said:
Agreed. Dravid was as good, if not actually better than Sachin technically.
Click to expand...

On the forward defensive, yes.

Sachin displayed perfect batting technique while playing strokes all over the wicket off front and back foot, especially in the V area in front.
 
Majid Khan said:
On the forward defensive, yes.

Sachin displayed perfect batting technique while playing strokes all over the wicket off front and back foot, especially in the V area in front.
Click to expand...
This.

Had Dravid been technically as good as Tendulkar was, his record won't have been as bad as it was in SA and Australia especially when their premier bowlers were playing.
 
Although Sunil Gavaskar was a great batsman I still laugh at him scoring 36 runs in 29 overs in an ODI v England in the WC of 1975:afridi
 
Anis Shivani said:
From those that I saw, Boycott, Gower, Richards, Greenidge, Gavaskar, Chappell, Miandad, Zaheer, Majid.
Click to expand...

Great choices.However were Gower ,Miandad ,Majid and Richards technically perfect ,or were not Boycott and Gavaskar ultra-defensive even their technique was watertight.Also comment on my selection and rankings.Gower,Majid or Viv were flawed geniuses but not so technically outstanding.Why no Tendulkar?
 
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PakLFC said:
Although Sunil Gavaskar was a great batsman I still laugh at him scoring 36 runs in 29 overs in an ODI v England in the WC of 1975:afridi
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The problem is he was very temperamental. It's often said that he played that innings as a protest against S. Venkataraghavan being appointed the captain of the team.
 
Tendulkar balance was outstanding , aggressive when he wanted yet always looked compact.
 
PakLFC said:
Although Sunil Gavaskar was a great batsman I still laugh at him scoring 36 runs in 29 overs in an ODI v England in the WC of 1975:afridi
Click to expand...

I’ve always admired that combination of batting technique and mental strength , through patience and resilience to survive that long as clearly Gavaskar had himself taken the decision on that day that ‘I am not getting out today no matter what happens’.

The point is you can’t do that unless you have both the determination and the batting technique to go with that. Dravid is another one who comes to mind , he could set his own price for his wicket.
 
This one goes to sachin , tbh its one of easiest choices in cricket history.
 
Majid Khan said:
I’ve always admired that combination of batting technique and mental strength , through patience and resilience to survive that long as clearly Gavaskar had himself taken the decision on that day that ‘I am not getting out today no matter what happens’.

The point is you can’t do that unless you have both the determination and the batting technique to go with that. Dravid is another one who comes to mind , he could set his own price for his wicket.
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It is rather easy to defend all day long when one is determined to prove a supposed point. Gavaskar ignored that it was a limited overs match to prove some flimsy point. I don't see anything great in playing such a selfish innings putting himself first before the entire team and country.
 
PakLFC said:
It is rather easy to defend all day long when one is determined to prove a supposed point. Gavaskar ignored that it was a limited overs match to prove some flimsy point. I don't see anything great in playing such a selfish innings putting himself first before the entire team and country.
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All men are flawed. Gavaskar made some choices on the field that cannot be defended like this knock or when he threw in the towel and decided to take his nons-triker off the field with him because he thought he was wrongly given out and was given a rude send off.

One hell of a test cricketer though and rightfully respected across all fan groups.
 
Majid Khan said:
It’s a good question and I would sum it up like this - of all the batsmen I’ve seen, quite a few had it in them to entertain and impress with their strokeplay , play majestic innings, change the course of a match through individual brilliance, or display unmatchable concentration and technique.

However in all the years I’ve watched cricket , there’s only batsman who gave the impression that he was determined to score a 100 every time he went out to bat , and who actually walked off looking disappointed like he had failed if he did not score a 100. That was Sachin Tendulkar. He was that serious about his batting.
Click to expand...


Precisely why Sachin is revered at a different level by Indians compared to our other star cricketers. The obvious flaw in Sachin's game was that he was not an effective finisher like Dhoni, Bevan or to a lesser extent Inzamam but Sachin went out to bat 100/100 times with that locked-in look in his eyes and the burden of the expectations like a few could carry. He could get out on a duck or on 80, in fact even after a 120, he went back to the dressing room with that same look of utter disappointment. Playing for India meant so much to him.

24 years of international cricket cannot be done with a smile on the face throughout if you don't absolutely love what you do.
 
ABD
Cricket ground just seem to be a hunting ground to this Predator.

Immense talent,extraordinary abilities and consistent batsman in all formats of cricket whether it is test cricket , T20 or ODI.

He is super human of cricket who can play all over 360 with perfect batting technique.

:ab
 
SL_Fan said:
For mine the closest to perfect batsman I've seen is probably AB de Villiers once he got into his groove somewhere around the late 2000s. He just looked set from ball one pretty much every time he walked out into the middle.

He was just something else skill wise didn't look like he had any real weaknesses in his game an absolute freak of nature. Add to that he was a brilliant wk/bat as well in both Tests and LOIs just insane. Such a shame the way he left international cricket sky was the limit really.
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Completely agree.
Once in a lifetime talent.
 
King_Kohli said:
Completely agree.
Once in a lifetime talent.
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No doubt.

33 (220) to save a Test in Oz (that too after keeping for around 180 overs) to belting a 149 off 44 deliveries.

That pretty much sums up AB de Villiers. Limitless.
 
Sachin Tendulkar was the most perfect batsman I have seen play. He aparently had no weakness - technically very good, got all the shots in the book, played for 3 decades...yet kept him updated according to modern demands. Brilliant batsman.
 
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