Who were the most talented batsmen ever of the last 50 years?

[Harsh Thakor]

This is my list in order of merit of the 25 most talented or naturally gifted batsmen of all time.Not considering statistical records  or technical corrrectness but level of genius  or natural ability.I apologize if my order is flawed  or my selections are highly subjective but I have attempted to do my best.

 

1=.Rohan Kanhai/Brian Lara-Just could not seperate the 2 flawed geniuses who reminded one of  a musical composer taking cricketing artistry to regions unexplored.Kanhai was the more orthodox,elegant  and correct,Lara the more explosive and dominating or powerful.

 

3.Viv Richards-Most explosive of all batsmen who negotiated a cricket ball like a tennis ball taking domination to mythical proportions.

 

4=.Majid Khan/Gundappa Vishwanath- Equivalent of magicians to the art of batting executing strokes that were surreal.No one equalled Vishy's square or late cut or combined hook,pull and flick shot.Majd's mere touches would send the ball crashing to the fence  like noone whose hooking was as majestic as Viv Richards.

 

6=.Sachin Tendulkar/Barry Richards -Both could treat even the very good balls with degree of contempt as few batsmen could ever do and in the V were simply the best ever.No batsmen were ever a scomplete or could blend technical skill wit power and innovation like Barry and Sachin.

 

8.David Gower- Ultimate epitome of elegance taming artistry to heights of the divine.No batsmen was ever so effortless.Dennis Lille ranked him only behind Viv and Sobers amongst batsmen he bowled to,harder than Barry or Pollock.Scored a big 150 against  the great West Indian pace attack at Antigua in 1981 and negotiated bouncy Australian tracks better than any batsmen of his day after Sir Viv Richards.

 

9.Martin Crowe-On his day in the class of Viv Richards who could play great paceman better than any one of his day.Wasim rated Crowe the hardest batsmen he ever bowled to which speaks for itself.

 

10.Graeme Pollock-Equivalent of a left -handed Viv Richards blending the power of a bulldozer  with the creativity of a painter or sculptor.

 

11.Kevin Pieterson-One of the greatest players of genuine pace ever who in his day reminded you of Viv Richards more than anyone.Could score at a breathtaking rate in any conditions.

 

12.Gary Sobers -Perfection in batting personified taking batting domination to its supreme height.

 

13=V.V.S.Laxman /Virendra Sehwag-Although total contrasts of each other both had natural ability of incredible proportions displaying ingenuity in terms of strokemaking creativity,surpassing even Tendulkar on their day.Sehwag was all power and brute ,VVS was grace personified.

 

15.A.B.Devilliers-Batted more like Viv Richards than any one resembling an acrobat when batting.Took batting wizardry to a new height.

 

16.Lawrence Rowe-Elegance and technical skill personified with skill in the league of Viv Richards

 

17.Alvin Kalicharan -Rohan Kanhai the other way around who could be as vociferous and commanding as any batting great.His murdering of Lillee and Thomson when scoring 78 in the 1975 world cup is unequalled till this day.

 

18.Inzamam Ul Haq In terms of skill tackled great pace with more ease and skill than any batsmen of his day .The ultimate match-winner who perfectly blended flamboyance with skill and  creativity.Imran Khan thought he was the most talented batsmen of his day who had more time to execute his strokes than anyone.

 

19.Greg Chappell -One of the closest to batting perfection blending grace with technical correctness as few ever did.

 

20.Zaheer Abbas-Artistry in regions of the sublime exuding grace of the divine.Supreme timing and best against the turning ball.

 

21.Virat Kohli-In his era taken batting craft to regions rarely traversed or explored before and a master in placing .

 

22.Mark Waugh-Talent in the class of Lara and Sachin and at his best in that league.

 

23.Saed Anwar-Rarely ever saw an opening batsmen with such timing and whose mere touches would punish the best of cricket deliveries.

 

24.Ricky Ponting-One of the most clinical and ruthless batsmen of modern times

 

25.Javed Miandad-Not elegant but a genius in his own right with his improvisation and ability to bissect a field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by Harsh Thakor

[putrevus]

I don't consider someone who averages in the low thirties a Test match batsman.

Bob Willis

 

http://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/1181417/-bowling-in-limited-overs-cricket-these-days-needs-to-come-with-a-health-warning

 

Bob is right.Stop with Majid Khan already enough.Vishy is 100 times batsman Majid ever was in his lifetime.

[Vilander]

this one is easy . Majid Khan of course.

[vvvslaxman]

"Sannath Jayasuriya" lol glad it is not sunnath

[philcric]

Surprised Majid Khan is not at #1

 

[Temujin Khaghan]

4 hours ago, Vilander said:

this one is easy . Majid Khan of course.

I voted for Majid khan too :p

tired of SRT and bcl and the usual morons..

i need some variety in my life :p

[Nikola]

Majid Khan. End of discussion here. 

 

Sorry but gave wrong vote to mark waugh instead of majid khan. 

Edited May 10, 2019 by Nikola

[vvvslaxman]

 

I pick Majid Khan as well :)

[philcric]

Redundant debate to be honest.

 

Majid is so far ahead of the rest.

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by philcric

[philcric]

Some idiots voted for Tendulkar and Sobers.

 

[zen]

8 hours ago, Harsh Thakor said:

This is my list in order of merit of the 25 most talented or naturally gifted batsmen of all time.Not considering statistical records  or technical corrrectness but level of genius  or natural ability.I apologize if my order is flawed  or my selections are highly subjective but I have attempted to do my best.

Good to know your list. How many of the 25 have you seen bat live? 

[bahubali]

8 hours ago, Harsh Thakor said:

This is my list in order of merit of the 25 most talented or naturally gifted batsmen of all time.Not considering statistical records  or technical corrrectness but level of genius  or natural ability.I apologize if my order is flawed  or my selections are highly subjective but I have attempted to do my best.

 

1=.Rohan Kanhai/Brian Lara-Just could not seperate the 2 flawed geniuses who reminded one of  a musical composer taking cricketing artistry to regions unexplored.Kanhai was the more orthodox,elegant  and correct,Lara the more explosive and dominating or powerful.

 

3.Viv Richards-Most explosive of all batsmen who negotiated a cricket ball like a tennis ball taking domination to mythical proportions.

 

4=.Majid Khan/Gundappa Vishwanath- Equivalent of magicians to the art of batting executing strokes that were surreal.No one equalled Vishy's square or late cut or combined hook,pull and flick shot.Majd's mere touches would send the ball crashing to the fence  like noone whose hooking was as majestic as Viv Richards.

 

6=.Sachin Tendulkar/Barry Richards -Both could treat even the very good balls with degree of contempt as few batsmen could ever do and in the V were simply the best ever.No batsmen were ever a scomplete or could blend technical skill wit power and innovation like Barry and Sachin.

 

8.David Gower- Ultimate epitome of elegance taming artistry to heights of the divine.No batsmen was ever so effortless.Dennis Lille ranked him only behind Viv and Sobers amongst batsmen he bowled to,harder than Barry or Pollock.Scored a big 150 against  the great West Indian pace attack at Antigua in 1981 and negotiated bouncy Australian tracks better than any batsmen of his day after Sir Viv Richards.

 

9.Martin Crowe-On his day in the class of Viv Richards who could play great paceman better than any one of his day.Wasim rated Crowe the hardest batsmen he ever bowled to which speaks for itself.

 

10.Graeme Pollock-Equivalent of a left -handed Viv Richards blending the power of a bulldozer  with the creativity of a painter or sculptor.

 

11.Kevin Pieterson-One of the greatest players of genuine pace ever who in his day reminded you of Viv Richards more than anyone.Could score at a breathtaking rate in any conditions.

 

12.Gary Sobers -Perfection in batting personified taking batting domination to its supreme height.

 

13=V.V.S.Laxman /Virendra Sehwag-Although total contrasts of each other both had natural ability of incredible proportions displaying ingenuity in terms of strokemaking creativity,surpassing even Tendulkar on their day.Sehwag was all power and brute ,VVS was grace personified.

 

15.A.B.Devilliers-Batted more like Viv Richards than any one resembling an acrobat when batting.Took batting wizardry to a new height.

 

16.Lawrence Rowe-Elegance and technical skill personified with skill in the league of Viv Richards

 

17.Alvin Kalicharan -Rohan Kanhai the other way around who could be as vociferous and commanding as any batting great.His murdering of Lillee and Thomson when scoring 78 in the 1975 world cup is unequalled till this day.

 

18.Inzamam Ul Haq In terms of skill tackled great pace with more ease and skill than any batsmen of his day .The ultimate match-winner who perfectly blended flamboyance with skill and  creativity.Imran Khan thought he was the most talented batsmen of his day who had more time to execute his strokes than anyone.

 

19.Greg Chappell -One of the closest to batting perfection blending grace with technical correctness as few ever did.

 

20.Zaheer Abbas-Artistry in regions of the sublime exuding grace of the divine.Supreme timing and best against the turning ball.

 

21.Virat Kohli-In his era taken batting craft to regions rarely traversed or explored before and a master in placing .

 

22.Mark Waugh-Talent in the class of Lara and Sachin and at his best in that league.

 

23.Saed Anwar-Rarely ever saw an opening batsmen with such timing and whose mere touches would punish the best of cricket deliveries.

 

24.Ricky Ponting-One of the most clinical and ruthless batsmen of modern times

 

25.Javed Miandad-Not elegant but a genius in his own right with his improvisation and ability to bissect a field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Saeed Anwar below virat kohli and zaheer Abbas below SRT.....Anyway good to see majeed in top 3, however as he makes it to most of your chart even in bowling so was expecting him at the top.

[bahubali]

Majeed for me as well voted for him.

[SK_IH]

Sad to see Mushtaq Mohammed and Asif Iqbal not in the list.

[AuxiliA]

Has to be Majid Khan, followed by Umar Akmal. 

[rkt.india]

He forgot to add the most explosive batsman of all time, Ahmed Shehzad.

[Suhaan]

Yes was about to suggest about the most obvious ie sir ahmad shehzad

[Gollum]

Came here to say Majid but fellow brithars have expressed my sentiment. 

 

Btw what are hacks like Viv, SRT, Sobers, Lara, Ponting doing in that list? No place in your heart for Ahmed Shehzad, Inzi, Butt, Umar Akmal, Imam, Sarfraz? Lala sahi kehte the, bloody Indians have small hearts unlike Pakistani momins. Bushra Bibi ki kasam, zid kar raha hai mera dil ki abhi ke abhi Indian passport jala ke Pakistan chale jaun so that I can be amidst pure hearted, handsome, talunted, silky smooth hair walleh, innocent, generous, tolerant qaum.

 

Phuck de India. Dil Dil Pakistan.

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2019 by Gollum