Dravid v Sanga - who was better test batsman?

[vvvslaxman]

Nasser Hussain who generally puts down Indian players had this to say "England players should learn from Dravid" when he was talking about how to play swing bowling. He is probably the best i have seen in swinging conditions. He plays besides the ball instead of prodding at it.

[SK_IH]

3 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

Nasser Hussain who generally puts down Indian players had this to say "England players should learn from Dravid" when he was talking about how to play swing bowling. He is probably the best i have seen in swinging conditions. He plays besides the ball instead of prodding at it.

true that,cant ever foget that summer of 2002

[Vilander]

very difficult.

 

Sanga did not play much in Aus/SA/Eng like Dravid. But obviously in terms of avg and epic innings.

 

 

[Vilander]

did Sanga break into 

 

Sachin/Lara/Ponting level

 

if not he is on par with Dravid/Kallis.

[Laaloo]

Neck to neck. Cant go wrong with either one. Probably Dravid edges for me.

[Trichromatic]

1 hour ago, mancalledsting said:

I find players like Jayawardene, Jaques Kallis, Sangakarra to be good statistical players. They scored consistently big against good to medium opposition (hence attaining high career averages) but at the highest levels of cricket against the most quality pace bowling attacks/in clutch situations, I often found them lacking. (Tests only)

Like I mentioned earlier, Dravid was somewhat similar player. 

 

He has 1 hundred against ATG bowlers in 29 away matches. In total 59 matches against those bowlers (home/away) he has 5 hundreds. One can say that all batsmen struggle against great bowlers, but they do manage to play multiple century knocks. SRT has 19 hundreds against them out of his 51.

 

Dravid failed to do anything in SL against Murali, went missing against SA in multiple tours against Steyn, Pollock and Donald. Suddenly whenever he was facing lesser bowlers, he was back in form. 

 

Dravid did well in difficult conditions and in pressure conditions, but same goes Sangakara. He has played many knocks for SL like that.

 

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/28114.html?class=1;filter=advanced;player_involve=1765;player_involve=1775;player_involve=1884;player_involve=1935;player_involve=2000;player_involve=2011;player_involve=2041;player_involve=2101;player_involve=2228;player_involve=47154;template=results;type=batting

 

Records type batting analysis [change type]

View career summary [change view]

Involving any of the players CEL Ambrose (WI)  or AA Donald (SA)  or GD McGrath (AUS)  or M Muralitharan (ICC/SL)  or SM Pollock (SA)  or DW Steyn (SA)  or CA Walsh (WI)  or Waqar Younis (PAK)  or SK Warne (AUS) or Wasim Akram (PAK)

Ordered by default (ascending)

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Career averages

	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
unfiltered	1996-2012	164	286	32	13288	270	52.31	31258	42.51	36	63	8	1654	21	Profile
filtered	1996-2011	59	104	7	3785	180	39.02	10137	37.33	5	21	3	445	8

Career summary

Grouping	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
ICC World XI	2005-2005	1	2	0	23	23	11.50	74	31.08	0	0	1	3	0
India	1996-2011	58	102	7	3762	180	39.60	10063	37.38	5	21	2	442	8
v Australia	1996-2005	15	27	1	884	180	34.00	2506	35.27	1	5	3	104	2
v Pakistan	1999-1999	3	6	0	162	53	27.00	467	34.68	0	1	0	15	1
v South Africa	1996-2011	20	38	3	1189	148	33.97	3406	34.90	2	4	0	156	0
v Sri Lanka	1997-2010	16	26	1	1190	177	47.60	2621	45.40	2	7	0	137	4
v West Indies	1997-1997	5	7	2	360	92	72.00	1137	31.66	0	4	0	33	1

 

 

and in away matches

 

 

Records type batting analysis [change type]

View career summary [change view]

Home or away away (home of opposition)

Involving any of the players CEL Ambrose (WI)  or AA Donald (SA)  or GD McGrath (AUS)  or M Muralitharan (ICC/SL)  or SM Pollock (SA)  or DW Steyn (SA)  or CA Walsh (WI)  or Waqar Younis (PAK)  or SK Warne (AUS) or Wasim Akram (PAK)

Ordered by default (ascending)

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Career averages

	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
unfiltered	1996-2012	164	286	32	13288	270	52.31	31258	42.51	36	63	8	1654	21	Profile
filtered	1996-2011	29	54	4	1622	148	32.44	4583	35.39	1	10	2	179	1

Career summary

Grouping	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
ICC World XI	2005-2005	1	2	0	23	23	11.50	74	31.08	0	0	1	3	0
India	1996-2011	28	52	4	1599	148	33.31	4509	35.46	1	10	1	176	1
v Australia	1999-2005	4	8	0	116	35	14.50	442	26.24	0	0	2	6	0
v South Africa	1996-2011	11	22	1	624	148	29.71	1658	37.63	1	2	0	83	0
v Sri Lanka	1997-2010	9	17	1	522	75	32.62	1346	38.78	0	4	0	57	0
v West Indies	1997-1997	5	7	2	360	92	72.00	1137	31.66	0	4	0	33	1
in Australia	1999-2005	4	8	0	116	35	14.50	442	26.24	0	0	2	6	0
in South Africa	1996-2011	11	22	1	624	148	29.71	1658	37.63	1	2	0	83	0
in Sri Lanka	1997-2010	9	17	1	522	75	32.62	1346	38.78	0	4	0	57	0
in West Indies	1997-1997	5	7	2	360	92	72.00	1137	31.66	0	4	0	33	1

 

 

So, both scored against medium to good opposition only and Sanga was probably better bully of such bowlers than Dravid whereas both were not proven success against ATGs. 

 

Sanga has advantage of being more prolific scorer over Dravid, while it can be argued that even though both had similar level of success against mid-range bowlers, Dravid had to face ATGs more than what Sanga did in his career. 

 

Sanga was good against these medium to good bowlers in home matches, Dravid mostly in away matches. But their weakness are quite similar.

[maniac]

Sangakkara marginally ahead

 

[TheWall]

Sanga is good. But Dravid.. The Best!!

[BeautifulGame]

Dravid in England 

Sanga everywhere else.

[jusarrived]

Sanga was only better statistically , just like Kallis he played some good knocks towards end of his career and ended his career on a relative high which goes in his favour . 

[HippoSucks]

Dravid scored more overseas, so I'll pick him. Copying this from someone's post, Sangakkara averages 36 in India with 1 century, 44 in England with 2 centuries, 35 in South Africa with 1 century and 43 against Australia with 1 century.

[master22]

2 hours ago, BeautifulGame said:

Dravid in England 

Sanga everywhere else.

Are you even aware of Sanga's record in India?

[maniac]

Sanga was a beast towards the end of his career which probably clouds my judgement and he also  retired at his peak....he could have easily amassed a few more runs...given how Aussie and even South African pitches behave these days could have gotten that average up....where as we remember Dravid's golden run in England 2011 but a for year or so before that he was clearly on the down.

 

maybe on a minefield or a green mamba Dravid hands down but on a relatively good even paced track or a patta no one can cash it in like Sanga that's why I give him the edge

 

 

[Trichromatic]

23 minutes ago, maniac said:

maybe on a minefield or a green mamba Dravid hands down but on a relatively good even paced track or a patta no one can cash it in like Sanga that's why I give him the edge

 

 

On which minefield Dravid scored runs? 

 

On contrary, Sanga did score 144 when our team was bowled out in 250s

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/13961/scorecard/343731/Sri-Lanka-vs-India-3rd-Test-india-in-sri-lanka-test-series/

 

I don't recall many half-centuries from Dravid in conditions when spinners were wrecking havoc. Max he would do is to survive for 100 balls, score 25 runs and get out.

 

Dravid was massive success in England where Sanga couldn't do much. However, Dravid failed regularly in SA. In fact apart from scoring in 1 match (229 runs), Dravid did nothing in any other match, his batting was pretty match like a lower order batsman managing 1 fifity in 10 matches. His overall avg of 29 in SA shows that.

 

Sanga wasn't very successful in SA, but he averaged 39 in first 2 tours and scored a century in last tour to return with overall avg of 35.

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/14488/scorecard/251486/New-Zealand-vs-Sri-Lanka-2nd-Test-sri-lanka-in-new-zealand-test-series/

 

This counter attack by Sanga scoring 150 at SR of 80 is probably one of the best inning played by batsmen on swinging track in last 10 years. SL managed to score 260 and NZ were bowled out for 130. Doubt there are many innings like this. 

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/14488/scorecard/251485/New-Zealand-vs-Sri-Lanka-1st-Test-sri-lanka-in-new-zealand-test-series/

 

Or his 100 against Bond and co, when both team struggled to score runs. SL were bowled out for 154, 170, NZ 206 and 119/5. 

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/11497/scorecard/749779/New-Zealand-vs-Sri-Lanka-2nd-Test-sri-lanka-in-new-zealand-test-series/

 

His double hundred. 

[kira]

Dravid is easily better than sanga

[Trichromatic]

4 minutes ago, kira said:

Dravid is easily better than sanga

On what basis?

 

Sanga has much better record,  proved to do well in all types of conditions. 

[mancalledsting]

13 hours ago, jusarrived said:

Sanga was only better statistically , just like Kallis he played some good knocks towards end of his career and ended his career on a relative high which goes in his favour . 

Kallis like M Hussey quit at the first sign of his decline hence preserving his average. Unlike Ponting, dravid, SRT and other greats before them who dragged their careers out causing a dent in their averages 

[vvvslaxman]

8 hours ago, Trichromatic said:

On what basis?

 

Sanga has much better record,  proved to do well in all types of conditions. 

Did they play together in any test match? If not your claim has very little ground.  India was all out for 100 & 66 at Kingsmead on one of the liveliest track i have ever seen . Donald was breathing fire that day. Not many could survive on that pitch. Dravid remained not out 27 . It was only 27. But on a deadly pitch.

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/16126/scorecard/63736/South-Africa-vs-India-1st-Test-india-in-south-africa-test-series/

[vvvslaxman]

Dravid's 180 at the Eden Gardens, 233&70 at  the Adelaide oval, 270 at Rawalpindi, twin centuries at the Eden Gardens, Two of the toughest fifites on a dodgy pitch in Windies all resulted in India winning a test match.  It is not just his individual performance. He is one of the king of partnerships. If you look at his career he is one of the very very best in getting the best out of his partner. Even in ODIs he has 2 triple century partnership. Also he has massive partnership with so many guys. Even with Dinesh Karthik when he was 19 had a match winning partnership. Who can forget that 400 plus with sehwag, 376 with Laxman.  Sanga is a selfish dude. 

Edited October 21, 2017 by vvvslaxman

[Trichromatic]

6 minutes ago, gharampaani said:

Sanga had a lot more to his game. He was more fluid, more pleasing on the eye, more attacking when needed, more technically sound and better against pace and spin across formats. If I needed to pick one to bat in a tight situation, it would be Sanga.

 

I think the best test number 3/4 batsmen that I saw in my life time were Ponting, Khan, Sanga and Dravid. Probably in that order. 

 

Maybe Root/Kohli/Williamson will join that list one day. 

Who is that Khan after Ponting?