Which batsman would you select in an all-time XI facing express pace?

[Harsh Thakor]

This is my selection of batsman I would choose for a World XI to face express pace on fast track.I have not only considered statistics but also skill in playing pace,particularly short-pitched deliveries.

 

1st XI

 

Sunil Gavaskar-Ultimate embodiment of technical skill who mastered likes of Imran and Andy Roberts without a helmet.Not successful against Lillee or at his best agaisnt the Carribean pace quartet but still has to his create a double hundred and 2 centuries against them and a flawless 90 on a bad wicket at Ahmedabad.

 

 

Graham Gooch-Proved his prowess on fast bouncy tracks on the 1981 tour with a 153 at Kingston and 115 at Barbados,averaging over 57 overall.At Leeds played arguably the best tset innings ever when scoring 154 in 1991 versus West Indies.No opener played the Calypso attack better.

 

 

Rohan Kanhai-Overshadowed even Gary Sobers against sheer pace with his lightning quick footwork and infinite imagination like when scoring  a century in each innings at Adelaide in 1960-61 and 115 agaisnt Lillee at his fastest at Perth in 1972.

 

 

 

Viv Richards -Even made great paceman look like cattle walking to a slaughterhouse.No batsman treated Lillee or Thomson with such a degree of contempt or played pace with such remorseless ease as Viv.His average of 86.2 in WSC supertsest in 197-78 testify this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ian Chappell- Statistics  hardly reveal his true merit who averaged 50.94 at one down and 12 centuries and 4279 runs.One of the best ever exponents of the hook shot who overshadowed brother Greg in a crisis or on fast wicket.West Indies bowlers prized Ian's wicket more than brother Greg who scored 5 centuries in all games  against  them in 1968-69 at home ,156 out of 328 at Perth n 1975-76 and a 141 in a WSC supertest in 1977 .Michael Holding valued Ina's 449 runs against them in 1975-76 more than Greg's 702,in giving them the battering of their lives.

 

 

 

Mohinder Amarnath -In 1982-83 in the history of test cricket no batsman performed better facing express pace.1st facing Imran in Pakistan he aggregated 593 runs scoring 2 centuries at an average of 73.Later in West Indies displaying the guts of a great military commander he scored 593 runs at an average of above 66.Never seen a batsman play pace as courageously or with such skill or tenacity,resembling an army ressurecting itself from the grave.

 

 

 

Adam Gilchrist-Pounded top South African attacks in the way no keeper has ever done with the bat.The ultimate match winner who created impact of a dynamite.

 

 

 

I may have been unfair to Tendulkar and Lara or even Border and Ponting but in my personal view in terms of tenacity and pure skill against the bouncing delivery these batsman stood out.At express pace Greg Chapel often floundered against the rising delivery,often top edging them like in 1979-80 or 1981-82 .Lara and Tendulkar wee the ultimate geniuses but at times uncomfortable against short-pitched deliveries at express pace.DonBradman was also  not at his best facing bodyline while Hobbs and Hutton were not full tested.

Edited October 23, 2020 by Harsh Thakor

[Adamant]

Steve smith is miles ahead of anyone

[velu]

Hitman

[Cricketics]

Rahul Dravid. He knows how to break confidence of express pace fast bowlers and not only just play them out all day.

 

No one is immune to getting out to express pace, none of those people in the list, and neither is Dravid. But if you look from the point view from a period of time, I enjoyed watching Dravid frustrate Lee and Akhtar, two of the fastest of his era and two of the fastest till date.

 

 

[zen]

My "attacking" top 7 from those who played post 1960

 

B Richards

G Greenidge / Sehwag in Subcon and Australia

V Richards

B Lara

S Smith

G Sobers

A Gilchrist

 

[Serpico]

14 hours ago, Adamant said:

Steve smith is miles ahead of anyone

Does this mean he averages less than 40 against 130-140 balls? If not how does his average come down to 62 from 98? 

[Gollum]

12 minutes ago, Serpico said:

Does this mean he averages less than 40 against 130-140 balls? If not how does his average come down to 62 from 98? 

He also struggles (relatively) against SLA and wristies. 

[MechEng]

On 10/23/2020 at 9:20 PM, Adamant said:

Steve smith is miles ahead of anyone

 

That is not a right way to judge. I have seen Sachin Tendulkar square cutting Nantie Hayward when he was bowling wide at 152 kph, and I have also seen Sachin struggling against Steyn's late swing at 80 mph.

[Adamant]

29 minutes ago, MechEng said:

 

That is not a right way to judge. I have seen Sachin Tendulkar square cutting Nantie Hayward when he was bowling wide at 152 kph, and I have also seen Sachin struggling against Steyn's late swing at 80 mph.

I didn't get what you are trying to say. 

But playing a square cut on a 152 kph ball is actually the easiest shot one can play. 

[MechEng]

3 hours ago, Adamant said:

I didn't get what you are trying to say. 

But playing a square cut on a 152 kph ball is actually the easiest shot one can play. 

Yes, that's what I'm saying - speed is not important, but bowling sense is. Don't rate a batsman by the speed of the ball he faces.

 

If you can bowl at 150 kph and having wicket taking mindset, then great. 

 

Otherwise...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG9ozcG2KgE

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by MechEng

[MechEng]

@Harsh Thakor Graham Gooch never faced express bowling except for Waqar Younis. Wasim, Marshall, Ambrose and Walsh were fast medium.

 

Fakhar Zaman should be on the list. He smashed Bumrah and Shami like a cornered tiger in CT 2017.

Edited October 28, 2020 by MechEng

[Adamant]

2 hours ago, MechEng said:

Yes, that's what I'm saying - speed is not important, but bowling sense is. Don't rate a batsman by the speed of the ball he faces.

 

If you can bowl at 150 kph and having wicket taking mindset, then great. 

 

Otherwise...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG9ozcG2KgE

 

Agree with you but the thread was about best batsman against express pace. 

[Vijy]

Majid Khan obviously.

[mancalledsting]

Sachin

Sunny 

Ponting 

Viv

I think Sobers was very good too, see his performance vs Lillee

[mancalledsting]

Just now, mancalledsting said:

Sachin

Sunny 

Ponting 

Viv

I think Sobers was very good too, see his performance vs Lillee

Also Kohli and Rahane deserve an honourable mention, their performances vs beast Mitch Johnson in Australia 2014 and in RSA 2017 Joburg deadly wicket shows they good when the heat is really on

[Vk1]

On 10/23/2020 at 9:20 PM, Adamant said:

Steve smith is miles ahead of anyone

Many have said that Aussie speedguns show +5kph speeds than normal.  > 135 balls become >140 in Oz. 

[express bowling]

Need to have more modern day batsmen in the poll above. Most of the top modern batsmen are missing.

 

 

[rkt.india]

On 10/28/2020 at 1:18 PM, MechEng said:

 

That is not a right way to judge. I have seen Sachin Tendulkar square cutting Nantie Hayward when he was bowling wide at 152 kph, and I have also seen Sachin struggling against Steyn's late swing at 80 mph.

No one gets late swing at 80 mph. You get late swing only when ball is bowled at high speed. 80 mph will give you traditional swing.