Remember the best wicket-keeper batsman in the world is Matt Prior!!!

[Crookbond]

hes speculating' date=not saying it defintely would.I'm not saying it defintely wouldnt,but so far it hasnt as proved by those damned averages

Obviously, no one can know for sure. It's wise to listen to Ian Healy on WK matters. I would rather trust Healy than anyone out here even if Healy is just speculating. However, that's not what happened. He's not speculating but rather almost making a prediction. Highlighted the relevant part -

While Healy said there is no reason de Villiers cannot become a specialist keeper-batsmen, he will only be convinced of his ability in the dual role once de Villiers has proved himself in a tough situation. "My jury is out until we see how good he is when the pressure is on," Healy told ESPNcricinfo. "I am going to really have a good look at him and see. But I do think it's going to take some effectiveness out of his batting."

[Crookbond]

^ That article is dated Nov. 15' date=' 2012. Will Firdose Moonda write the same thing today after de Villiers blasted Australia at Perth and then Pakistan twice at home?[/quote'] Will she make him the BEST WK batsman after that article? No. The article was posted in the context that his batting was affected by his WK duties which was the issue under discussion. Someone just posted averages as a measure which is kind of missing the point. Post that he has bucked up a bit but he has benefited from the breaks he has got as well. He gave up WK gloves in the ODI series against NZ. Just to be clear - I am not saying ABDV is not a good WK batsman, he is damn good than probably most going around in the world today. My point is that despite the good performances it is premature to label him as the BEST by a couple of series.

[The Outsider]

^ Even if keeping does effect his batting it's not going to make him go from a 50 average batsman to a 35 average batsman. Might cause a drop of a few points, which still leaves him comfortably ahead of Dhoni.

[Crookbond]

LOL :hysterical: How does MS Dhoni even entered the thread is beyond my understanding! I don't know how much WK may affect ABDV's batting - that is in the future and no one can predict it. But, yes it is highly unlikely that it will drop from 50 to lets say 35. So yes, I would bet on him ending up better than Dhoni's batting average. Will that affect is keeping? IDK. However, ABDV doesn't warrant a nomination as a WK batsman based on 14 Test matches. It is rather unfair on WK's like Prior that you're removing the aspect of 'longevity' out of the equation because it is a very important factor to decide the BEST WK batsman. In the past, WK gloves have affected even very good batsmen. So once ABDV has kept in around 40 odd Tests we can put his name down and make him the BEST. Currently, in my books Matt Prior is w/o a doubt a the best WK batsman in the world.

[The Outsider]

LOL :hysterical: How does MS Dhoni even entered the thread is beyond my understanding! I don't know how much WK may affect ABDV's batting - that is in the future and no one can predict it. But, yes it is highly unlikely that it will drop from 50 to lets say 35. So yes, I would bet on him ending up better than Dhoni's batting average. Will that affect is keeping? IDK. However, ABDV doesn't warrant a nomination as a WK batsman based on 14 Test matches. It is rather unfair on WK's like Prior that you're removing the aspect of 'longevity' out of the equation because it is a very important factor to decide the BEST WK batsman. In the past, WK gloves have affected even very good batsmen. So once ABDV has kept in around 40 odd Tests we can put his name down and make him the BEST. Currently, in my books Matt Prior is w/o a doubt a the best WK batsman in the world.

Maybe next time you should read the OP before starting to post in a thread? :hmmm:

Yea right and I'm the king of Siam! It is now know beyond doubt who is the best wicketkeeper batsman in world. The best in Tests, the best in ODI and certainly the best T20. Remember Sangakarra doesn't keep in Test and his record in ODIs and T20 is not comparable to MSD. And Matty Pryor is ok but he could never play the inning MSD did today - on whatever pitch, no longer is thought good enough in ODI cricket and is ineffective at T20

[Crookbond]

Maybe next time you should read the OP before starting to post in a thread? :hmmm:

Thanks for pointing out. Lost that somewhere in the ABDV as a WK batsman theories. I never made a point about MS Dhoni in my entire posts on this thread though. I don't think he's the BEST. I vote for Prior.

[Lord]

In other words' date=' there is toiso much on his plate. At any time when you drop something, it means that you want to focus on one particular aspect because the other one may be affecting the thing you want to focus on. They didn't drop ABDV down the order, neither did they strip him off captaincy rather they decided to take off the gloves. Chalk and cheese! [/quote'] Its a question of interpretation.If the load was indeed too much,I see no reason why he'd be back as WK Batsman after that series of 3 ODIs.They'd do that permanently.What I felt is that they were trying a few things in what they though was an easy series. ABDV saying he wasnts to be the best batsman in the world means he didnt want to keep as he though its affected his batting?I cant quite get the connection:hmmmm2:

[Lord]

Obviously' date=' no one can know for sure. It's wise to listen to Ian Healy on WK matters. I would rather trust Healy than anyone out here even if Healy is just speculating. However, that's not what happened. He's not speculating but rather almost making a prediction. Highlighted the relevant part -[/quote'] Yes hes predicting,but so far it seems to be going wrong.as good as WK he was,I'd rather listen to someone like Flower or Gilchrist when comes to keeping having effect on batting issues.Still I wont take thier words as gospel

[Crookbond]

ABDV saying he wasnts to be the best batsman in the world means he didnt want to keep as he though its affected his batting?I cant quite get the connection:hmmmm2:

Team management wants ABDV to keep. ABDV refuses and cites that he wants to concentrate on his batting.

[Crookbond]

Yes hes predicting' date='but so far it seems to be going wrong.as good as WK he was,I'd rather listen to someone like Flower or Gilchrist when comes to keeping having effect on batting issues.Still I wont take thier words as gospel[/quote'] I am not taking anyone particular person's word as gospel. Just stating that multiple people have questioned the fact. I have not yet brought ABDV's chronic back problem in to discussion. Fitness and temperament is very important if you want to become a Flower or Glichrist. Lets see how long ABDV goes in Test matches.

[Lord]

Sort by "Average" (which is your criteria for ABDV) and MS Dhoni is the next BEST Test match batsman in the last year' date=' Gambhir and Ashwin are better than Tendulkar. Agree? :winky: I hope you get the drift now.[/quote'] Dhoni has batted better than GG,SRT,Sehwag over the last year.I totally agree. to answer your question,It is possible but only if there are lot of dropped catches and wrong decisions going his way.Its unlikely to happen over a series.Anyway I wont discount averages n SR as easily as you are doing. I watched the matches myself,not sure why I have to listen and read various articles giving thier versions of the same matches I watched. The bolded part mentions that the audaciousness was last seen v SL.What happened in NZ tour?Why was AB defensive there when he wasnt even keeping wickets?Its clear that his approach in the Eng series n first two matches has more to do with his form than keeping as he proved later by returning to his audacious ways.

[Lord]

Team management wants ABDV to keep. ABDV refuses and cites that he wants to concentrate on his batting.

Please give me links to that where he refused it.I am unable to find Thanks:hatsoff:

[Crookbond]

Dhoni has batted better than GG,SRT,Sehwag over the last year.I totally agree.

:ohmy: I actually don't think so to be very honest.

to answer your question,It is possible but only if there are lot of dropped catches and wrong decisions going his way.Its unlikely to happen over a series.Anyway I wont discount averages n SR as easily as you are doing. I watched the matches myself,not sure why I have to listen and read various articles giving thier versions of the same matches I watched. The bolded part mentions that the audaciousness was last seen v SL.What happened in NZ tour?Why was AB defensive there when he wasnt even keeping wickets?Its clear that his approach in the Eng series n first two matches has more to do with his form than keeping as he proved later by returning to his audacious ways.

You know what - the bold part sounds like a very good argument. It's quite possible that there may have been a slight dip due to batting form. However, I would still like to think it is a "causation" than a "correlation".

[Crookbond]

Please give me links to that where he refused it.I am unable to find Thanks:hatsoff:

It was believed that there were series were the team management (specially Mickey Arthur) wanted to play him as a WK batsman due to Boucher's poor form with the bat. http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/10918/de-villiers-not-interested-in-wicket-keeping

"I don't want to keep wicket, I want to bat at number four for my country and take the responsibility of scoring hundreds," De Villiers, who kept wicket at the start of his test career, said on Tuesday. "If I took over the gloves I would have to bat six or seven, and you're not going to be the world's best batsman playing in that position. I want the opportunity to score double hundreds and push my average to 60."

ABDV acknowledging that taking the WK glove would affect his batting position which in turn implies that affects his batting contributions.

[Old guy]

I still have my doubts. The problem is that we have to define the constraints. Personally' date=' I am not at all ready to compromise ABDV as a batsman. Given this - I will not have him keep wickets, personal opinion. [/quote'] Cool then.. But i would have atleast this year:--D

[Old guy]

Im still reading all the comments but nore then keeping it was technique of abdv which was effecting his batting For some reason he stopped moving his feat... It was bad move he was trying something new lol

[Old guy]

Come on why ignore what he is saying now? Now he is saying that he will keep... Why does it even matters what he said before as now he is experienced as keeper and knows he can do the job.. Also i will say again i remember commenting in match thread during australian tour i think vvs was also the there and it was easy to see he messed up his technique and was working on it then and now he is back to best even with gloves...

[Lord]

It was believed that there were series were the team management (specially Mickey Arthur) wanted to play him as a WK batsman due to Boucher's poor form with the bat. http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/10918/de-villiers-not-interested-in-wicket-keeping ABDV acknowledging that taking the WK glove would affect his batting position which in turn implies that affects his batting contributions.

Thanks.:hatsoff: So he categorically refused it.But it seems like he refused it because he thought he couldnt get big hundreds at 6,7.He wasnt ready to compromise on his batting and wanted to be first be a better batsman.I dont think he refused it due to increased workload. He now bats at 5 despite being WK.and may move to 4 after Kallis retires.lets see if he keeps the gloves

[Crookbond]

Thanks.:hatsoff: So he categorically refused it.But it seems like he refused it because he thought he couldnt get big hundreds at 6,7.He wasnt ready to compromise on his batting and wanted to be first be a better batsman.I dont think he refused it due to increased workload. He now bats at 5 despite being WK.and may move to 4 after Kallis retires.lets see if he keeps the gloves

Well, he says if he takes up the WK gloves he has to bat at 6 and 7 not at 4. That's a decent enough indicator for me.

[Lord]

Well' date=' he says if he takes up the WK gloves he has to bat at 6 and 7 not at 4. That's a decent enough indicator for me. [/quote'] but hes batting at 5 now as he was before:hmmm: