Indian batsman closest to Aravinda De Silva

[rangeelaraja]

Lankans hold Aravinda in the highest regard as their greatest ever batsman ( even above Sangakkara ) not withstanding his early 30s AVG in ODIS and earl 40's average in Test cricket.

 

Lankans may be doing so more out of reverence for his WC 96 finals knock - which changed the destiny of Lankan cricket.

 

I was not even born when  GR Vishwanath retired and I presume most of us are like that.

 

But having watched some of his batting videos and heard about him  -- it seems Aravinda is Lanka's GR Vishwanath in every sense - diminutive, far better batsmen than numbers indicate, identical average and test matches, equally good against pace and spin. 

 

Fair assessment ?

Edited March 3, 2021 by rangeelaraja

[Trichromatic]

Avg of 35 in ODIs when few avg 40.

 

But main part was his SR of 81 batting at no 4

 

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	1989-2002	278	270	10	8257	189	31.75	9208	89.67	13	51	20	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
SR Tendulkar (INDIA)	1989-2002	300	291	30	11544	186*	44.22	13337	86.55	33	56	13	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
PA de Silva (SL)	1984-2002	291	281	30	8894	145	35.43	10959	81.15	11	61	13	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
Saeed Anwar (PAK)	1989-2002	242	239	18	8606	194	38.94	10635	80.92	19	43	15	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
JN Rhodes (SA)	1992-2002	236	214	50	5728	121	34.92	7106	80.60	2	31	11	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
Ijaz Ahmed (PAK)	1986-2000	250	232	29	6564	139*	32.33	8174	80.30	10	37	14	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
BC Lara (WI)	1990-2002	203	198	21	7549	169	42.64	9603	78.61	15	48	12	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
A Ranatunga (SL)	1983-1999	265	251	45	7388	131*	35.86	9484	77.89	4	49	18	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
ME Waugh (AUS)	1988-2002	244	236	20	8500	173	39.35	11053	76.90	18	50	16	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
CL Hooper (WI)	1987-2002	221	200	42	5662	113*	35.83	7393	76.58	7	29	6	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
WJ Cronje (SA)	1992-2000	188	175	31	5565	112	38.64	7277	76.47	2	39	8	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
Saleem Malik (PAK)	1983-1999	281	255	38	7170	102	33.04	9381	76.43	5	47	18	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
RT Ponting (AUS)	1995-2002	148	147	19	5274	145	41.20	6921	76.20	9	30	12	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
SR Waugh (AUS)	1986-2002	325	288	58	7569	120*	32.90	9971	75.91	3	45	15	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
MG Bevan (AUS)	1994-2002	186	161	55	5807	108*	54.78	7724	75.18	6	38	4

 

 

[rangeelaraja]

2 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

Avg of 35 in ODIs when few avg 40.

 

But main part was his SR of 81.

 

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	1989-2002	278	270	10	8257	189	31.75	9208	89.67	13	51	20	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
SR Tendulkar (INDIA)	1989-2002	300	291	30	11544	186*	44.22	13337	86.55	33	56	13	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
PA de Silva (SL)	1984-2002	291	281	30	8894	145	35.43	10959	81.15	11	61	13	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
Saeed Anwar (PAK)	1989-2002	242	239	18	8606	194	38.94	10635	80.92	19	43	15	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
JN Rhodes (SA)	1992-2002	236	214	50	5728	121	34.92	7106	80.60	2	31	11	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
Ijaz Ahmed (PAK)	1986-2000	250	232	29	6564	139*	32.33	8174	80.30	10	37	14	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
BC Lara (WI)	1990-2002	203	198	21	7549	169	42.64	9603	78.61	15	48	12	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
A Ranatunga (SL)	1983-1999	265	251	45	7388	131*	35.86	9484	77.89	4	49	18	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
ME Waugh (AUS)	1988-2002	244	236	20	8500	173	39.35	11053	76.90	18	50	16	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
CL Hooper (WI)	1987-2002	221	200	42	5662	113*	35.83	7393	76.58	7	29	6	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
WJ Cronje (SA)	1992-2000	188	175	31	5565	112	38.64	7277	76.47	2	39	8	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
Saleem Malik (PAK)	1983-1999	281	255	38	7170	102	33.04	9381	76.43	5	47	18	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
RT Ponting (AUS)	1995-2002	148	147	19	5274	145	41.20	6921	76.20	9	30	12	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
SR Waugh (AUS)	1986-2002	325	288	58	7569	120*	32.90	9971	75.91	3	45	15	http://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/guruInvestigate.gif
MG Bevan (AUS)	1994-2002	186	161	55	5807	108*	54.78	7724	75.18	6	38	4

 

 

 

Yeah he also played difficult bowlers well. But his consistency was clearly not of a 'great'  standard.

 

 

[rangeelaraja]

Jayasuriya on Aravinda compared to Sangakkara.

 

Subtitles in video

 

 

[mishra]

DeSilva Best batsman ever to come out of Sri Lanka.

[Sandeep99]

Easily the greatest batsman from Sri Lanka. A great achievement considering they also produced Sangakkara and Jayasuriya. I absolutely agree with the assessment that he resembled GR Vishy in many ways. Silken touch, beautiful batting and very effective at that. Players like Vishy, Aravinda make you realize that batting is not always about statistics. They played some innings which some so called great batsmen could not dream of.

[putrevus]

That is utter nonsense even from Jayasurya. Sanga then Mahela are Lanka's best batsmen.Arvinda will be third , he is not better than either Mahela or Sanga.

[zen]

De Silva was among those who made SL competitive in the pre 1996 era in ODIs ... That avg of 30 odd in MO, a relatively difficult place to bat at in ODIs, is pretty good ... I am not sure if Ind has an equivalent batsman as De Silva would walk right in the upper middle order in ODIs in an AT Ind 11 ... Add to his batting, his ability to bowl off spin 

 

In tests, he can be clubbed together with the best from the subcon but his selection for a place in an Ind AT 11 would be competitive. But you can’t go wrong with picking him 

 

[putrevus]

He would not make AT XI Indian team in odis or tests. But he would be a welcome addition to the current odi and test teams.

[SK_IH]

Aravinda Desilva makes my ATG ODI XI. His performance in 1996 semis & finals is arguably the greatest performance in any ICC event. Also, one of the most pleasing batsman to watch. No doubt the greatest Lankan batsman.

[zen]

8 hours ago, rangeelaraja said:

Jayasuriya on Aravinda compared to Sangakkara.

 

Subtitles in video

 

 

If you watch Arvinda bat, usually he is very solid and effortless. More often than not, he got out trying to go for big shots (rash at times but he was nicknamed mad max or something like that). Later on in his career, he appeared to have fixed that problem. When he was in form, you could see him avg 80+ in an ODI series or tournament 

[zen]

Jayasuriya, De Silva, Sangakkara and Murali are unique cricketers that made a tiny SL a force ... Much like you had Richard Hadlee and  Martin Crowe for NZ in the 80s

[putrevus]

Two matches in knockout stages should not define any career.Yes Arvinda did very well in semis and finals but it does not make him better batsman than Sanga or Mahela.

[Ankit_sharma03]

In terms of elegance Rohit sharma

[mishra]

4 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Two matches in knockout stages should not define any career.Yes Arvinda did very well in semis and finals but it does not make him better batsman than Sanga or Mahela.

Just because you hvent seen him, dont belittle him. He was and is greatest ever bat SL has produced.  SL were pack of cards, Opponents just needed to get rid of Desilva. Its not easy to go into match tension and scenarios. just because white ball match has changed into two 20-20 match doesnt at all be compared to what was odis/test were in his days

[mishra]

4 minutes ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

In terms of elegance Rohit sharma

Yes but Sharma needs to learn how to hit with ease, the ball in a area such that, it is not two runs but just 1.5 runs. So no one will blame you for not trying for second run or running quickly enough for first

[putrevus]

Just now, mishra said:

Just because you hvent seen him, dont belittle him. He was and is greatest ever bat SL has produced.  SL were pack of cards, Opponents just needed to get rid of Desilva. Its not easy to go into match tension and scenarios. just because white ball match has changed into two 20-20 match doesnt at all be compared to what was odis/test were in his days

Did I say I did not see him. I have seen most of his career. He is not better than Sanga in anyway in tests.He was more explosive than Mahela and Sanga in odis. I don't think he was more stylist or technically correct than either Mahela or Sanga.That statement from Jayasurya is very much similar to ignorant statement made by Yuvraj who said Kumble and Bhajji would take 1000 test wickets,

[mishra]

3 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Did I say I did not see him. I have seen most of his career. He is not better than Sanga in anyway in tests.He was more explosive than Mahela and Sanga in odis. I don't think he was more stylist or technically correct than either Mahela or Sanga.That statement from Jayasurya is very much similar to ignorant statement made by Yuvraj who said Kumble and Bhajji would take 1000 test wickets,

Compare test average of Miandad to that of De Silva and then factor in his team had no bowlers or batsmen. If its not clear , see how much Kohli averages when number 1 and 2 are back in pavilion in first 10 overs.

[Number]

Azhar ?

Both of them have similar batting record.

[putrevus]

32 minutes ago, mishra said:

Compare test average of Miandad to that of De Silva and then factor in his team had no bowlers or batsmen. If its not clear , see how much Kohli averages when number 1 and 2 are back in pavilion in first 10 overs.

Your mean to say Arvinda is better or equal to Javed Miandad. Are you kidding me.  

 

Espn did comparision between kallis and tendulkar when team lost early wickets and Tendulkar significantly average less than Kallis. Does it make Tendulkar lesser batsman than  Kallis. Arvinda was nice player for a weak team who had high point in 1996 that does not make him better batsman than either Javed, Sanga or Mahela.