Ganguly vs Gambhir vs Dhawan -Who was the Better ODI opener ?

[sandeep]

7 minutes ago, maniac said:

Langer was a very good batsman, if anything he is underrated just like Damien Martyn because of all the other star studded names in the side. They were the right pieces in the puzzle that made Aussies what they were. 

 

Also Gambhir too played with one of the best batting line ups assembled in test history. So how did Langer have more advantages than Gambhir.
 

Firstly it is a ridiculous comparison. both were very good batsmen with different skill sets and strengths and formats.

Langer wasn't nearly half as skilled/talented as Martyn.  But was 5 times as bloody-minded.  Had that in common with Gambhir.  Gambhir was similarly limited in pure batting talent, but had the grit.  Gambhir had a much better scoring range than Langer did, and that's what made him a better white ball player.  

 

Langer played for a world-beating team with champion bowlers, and Hayden at the other end.  Followed by the Ponting and Waugh.  So you can't seriously claim that he didn't have a strong batting lineup around him.

[maniac]

1 minute ago, sandeep said:

Langer wasn't nearly half as skilled/talented as Martyn.  But was 5 times as bloody-minded.  Had that in common with Gambhir.  Gambhir was similarly limited in pure batting talent, but had the grit.  Gambhir had a much better scoring range than Langer did, and that's what made him a better white ball player.  

 

Langer played for a world-beating team with champion bowlers, and Hayden at the other end.  Followed by the Ponting and Waugh.  So you can't seriously claim that he didn't have a strong batting lineup around him.

I never said that. It’s like comparing Yuvraj with Laxman and saying one was a lesser player than the other.

 

A guy averaging 45 and scoring nearly 8000 runs opening most of his career in SENA is a very good player. From quickly glossing over Langer’s stats he has scored 100s in Pak and SL as well, don’t think he did much in India though.

 

If flamboyance has a your criteria then sure Gambhir wins that but still different players.

 

Gambhir can be compared with Hayden  and Graeme Smith the odi players or Gayle for being left handed openers.

 

In fact I would rate Gambhir ahead of Smith in odis and T20s

[sergio04]

Gautam gambhir.

[sandeep]

10 minutes ago, maniac said:

I never said that. It’s like comparing Yuvraj with Laxman and saying one was a lesser player than the other.

 

A guy averaging 45 and scoring nearly 8000 runs opening most of his career in SENA is a very good player. From quickly glossing over Langer’s stats he has scored 100s in Pak and SL as well, don’t think he did much in India though.

 

If flamboyance has a your criteria then sure Gambhir wins that but still different players.

 

Gambhir can be compared with Hayden  and Graeme Smith the odi players or Gayle for being left handed openers.

 

In fact I would rate Gambhir ahead of Smith in odis and T20s

Mayank Agarwal may end up with better numbers than Gambhir, and its going to be a function of him being a member of this world-beating Indian team.  You can stick to stats, thats your prerogative.

[Norman]

Gambhir. 

 

He won us two world trophies. Don't care about bilateral bashing. 

[Ankit_sharma03]

5 hours ago, maniac said:

Need to also take the new rules into account. But still I would take Dhawan over Ganguly in ODIs.

 

Scoring  100s in the middle order is way easier now though with the new rules but 2 new balls makes opening marginally more difficult.

I did mention those as well

9 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

 

• Ganguly had an advantage of 15 over PP, Even gambhir time had 15-20 over PP
• Dhawan as opener has faced 2 new balls but also wkts have become a lil more flatter and many sides attack have gone down

 

 

[Gollum]

Dada for 90s conditions

Gambo in 2000s

Dhawan in 2010s

 

Good thing is all 3 of them raised their game in ICC events. 

 

People underrating Dada here, he lost his magic post 2003 but what an ODI monster he was before that, esp in late 90s. So many memorable 100s in that format when we were a weak side. Sure he was a bit selfish but can't dismiss his feats altogether. Still my favorite opening pair, Sachin was Superman and Dada the Batman. 

 

Edited December 1, 2019 by Gollum

[Gollum]

14 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

About ODI WCs

 

Ganguly played 3

1999- was great in it

2003- good, got 100s against minnows 

2007- player poor innings

 

Gambhir played only 

2011 -Played well against Sa, ENG, Aus but most importantly played the most important knock in final

 

Dhawan

2015- was the highest scorer for India in that Wc

2019- he was started to have another good one before he got injured

 

(Was India's best batsman i think in Both CT as well )

Don't forget ICC mini-WC and CT.

[Ankit_sharma03]

20 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Don't forget ICC mini-WC and CT.

i did mention about dhawan, he has been a top player in all ICC events in ODI 

 

Gambhir in CT i dnt remeber

 

Ganguly i think had very good CT in 2000 .  1998 n 2002 CT didnt get more then 2-3 innings 

[FischerTal]

Dhawan is great but can never forget Gambo's crucial knock in WC Final. 

[adi B]

Dhawan and ganguly would be my pick.

Ganguly was a slow starter ,even selfish at times but he had sachin in the other end so he could afford to ,so even with dhawan he would compliment well .

We've got to check their stats in Asia and outside Asia, records/averages in ICC tournaments etc. I think all 3 were pretty clutch in major tournaments

[putrevus]

11 hours ago, rahulrulezz said:

Gambhir. The most underrated south paw we have had. 

 

T20 wordcup final He single handedly scored all the runs

 

50 world up final. New swinging ball, Sehwag and Sachin out, Malinga bowling with new ball, guess who took us from 16-2 to 180-3, it was Gambhir

 

Underrate him as much as you want, but the guy has his heart bleedfor India. Donates his salary for war martyrs families

 

 

in short, Gambhir over both Ganguly and Da1

I once rated Gambhir on par with Cook.But he lost it completely after world cup 2011.He should have become test captain but his form was so bad that instead of becoming captain, he was out of the team.Dhoni played a large part in his decline too.

Edited December 1, 2019 by putrevus

[rkt.india]

10 hours ago, sandeep said:

Langer wasn't nearly half as skilled/talented as Martyn.  But was 5 times as bloody-minded.  Had that in common with Gambhir.  Gambhir was similarly limited in pure batting talent, but had the grit.  Gambhir had a much better scoring range than Langer did, and that's what made him a better white ball player.  

 

Langer played for a world-beating team with champion bowlers, and Hayden at the other end.  Followed by the Ponting and Waugh.  So you can't seriously claim that he didn't have a strong batting lineup around him.

Strong or weak batting line doesn't matter to an opener.  He still has to start at 0/0  against the new ball. Opener doesn't start at 300/2.

[maniac]

4 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

i did mention about dhawan, he has been a top player in all ICC events in ODI 

 

Gambhir in CT i dnt remeber

 

Ganguly i think had very good CT in 2000 .  1998 n 2002 CT didnt get more then 2-3 innings 

Dhawan failed in CT 2017, Semis of WC 2015 was dropped in 2 WT20’s towards the knockout stages.

 

Gambhir on the account of his knocks in Wt20 2007 and wc 2011 is hands down the greatest clutch batsman ever. Also add to the knock he played in Nz to help draw the game and win the series where as Dhawan is a dud overseas in tests.

 

If speaking solely on white ball cricket then Gambhir,Dhawan and Ganguly

 

 I tend to give most weightage to test cricket because test cricket is the real cricket, I would go with Ganguly, Gambhir and Dhawan.

 

Obviously Ganguly didn’t open in tests but just from the 3 names in the thread.

 

 

[Ankit_sharma03]

2 hours ago, maniac said:

Dhawan failed in CT 2017, Semis of WC 2015 was dropped in 2 WT20’s towards the knockout stages.

What????

Dhawan was our best batsman in 2017 CT as well 

 

Top 10

POS	PLAYER	CURRENT TEAM	INN	RUNS	AVG	SR	4S	6S
1	Shikhar Dhawan	India	5	338	67.60	101.81	44	4
2	Rohit Sharma	India	5	304	76.00	86.86	29	7
3	Virat Kohli	India	5	258	129.00	98.85	26

 

 

 

We are not talking about t20s at all

Quote

 I tend to give most weightage to test cricket because test cricket is the real cricket, I would go with Ganguly, Gambhir and Dhawan.

 

Obviously Ganguly didn’t open in tests but just from the 3 names in the thread.

 

 

dont mix format we are just talking about ODI

Ganguly didnt open in test nor did he play t20 cricket

its just about odi cricket 

Edited December 1, 2019 by Ankit_sharma03

[Vijy]

2 hours ago, maniac said:

Dhawan failed in CT 2017, Semis of WC 2015 was dropped in 2 WT20’s towards the knockout stages.

 

Gambhir on the account of his knocks in Wt20 2007 and wc 2011 is hands down the greatest clutch batsman ever. Also add to the knock he played in Nz to help draw the game and win the series where as Dhawan is a dud overseas in tests.

 

If speaking solely on white ball cricket then Gambhir,Dhawan and Ganguly

 

 I tend to give most weightage to test cricket because test cricket is the real cricket, I would go with Ganguly, Gambhir and Dhawan.

 

Obviously Ganguly didn’t open in tests but just from the 3 names in the thread.

 

 

It's rather interesting that ganguly averaged 57 (home avg of 61 and away avg of 53) at nos. 3 and 4 compared to his career avg of 42. if not for dravid and SRT, in a weaker team, he may have played more in that position.

[maniac]

1 hour ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

What????

Dhawan was our best batsman in 2017 CT as well 

 

Top 10

POS	PLAYER	CURRENT TEAM	INN	RUNS	AVG	SR	4S	6S
1	Shikhar Dhawan	India	5	338	67.60	101.81	44	4
2	Rohit Sharma	India	5	304	76.00	86.86	29	7
3	Virat Kohli	India	5	258	129.00	98.85

I meant in the final 

[Soorma_Bhopali]

Ganguly..no contest ..and he was a handy medium-pace swing bowler also.

[putrevus]

Ganguly also showed up in big spots that is his big plus.He was very handy bowler.