Ponting's career - in three parts

Actually Lara also batted well as captain.

crunching the numbers for some of the prolific batsmen of recent vintage i get (for 50 test spans)

tendulkar (1997-2002) - ave 66.15, 20 100s
dravid (2002-2006) - ave 66.57, 14 100s
kallis (2001-2005) - ave 69.23, 15 100s
yousuf (2000-2006) - ave 67.67, 20 100s
sanga (2005-2010) - ave 64.58, 17 100s

ricky had a better run than all of them. though some of them had longer runs in terms of years due to less tests a year

stats links below:

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/35320.html?class=1;spanmax1=01+Dec+2002;spanmin1=01+Aug+1997;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/28114.html?class=1;spanmax1=01+Dec+2006;spanmin1=28+Feb+2002;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/45789.html?class=1;spanmax1=01+Oct+2005;spanmin1=01+Jan+2001;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/43650.html?class=1;spanmax2=31+Dec+2006;spanmin2=28+Jun+2000;spanval2=span;template=results;type=batting

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/50710.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=default;spanmin1=01+Jan+2005;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

What does Mahela average since the start of 2006?

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

skully wrote:

Henry wrote:I hope Dravid has the sense to call it a day before it becomes embarrassing and awkward for India. I'd like to see him go out on his own terms. He deserves to.

Will Drunky's ego allow him to do the same? I think he might say "this is all just too hard

IMHO thats what probably separates him from Tendulkar with whom (rather surpsingly) he hasn't been compared that often.

Except Tendulkar got sacked as captain.

Both are probably on same keel as far as leadership nous is concerned.

But at Ponting did the job without losing form.

Tendulkar got sacked because his form went to crap. Obviously not mentally tough enough.

If you don't know something then stay away from it.

Tendulkar's overall average as skipper is very healthy 51+. And when you see he led India in some of the toughest series one can get. Aus (once), SA (twice), WI (once), you'll probably know why his captaincy record sucks so bad.

In the 2 years he led India, he averaged 62 and 68 in '97 and '99 respectively.

I can't believe you got sucked in by that one, SG.

But at Ponting did the job without losing form.

Yep, what fine job he is doing!!! Hasn't led Aus to a series win for close to an year now. And that too without losing his form?

To average close to 36 over a period of 3 years isn't losing your form in your books?

So his/her posts are to be not to be taken at their face value?

OK, I learned my lesson. Will be more careful in future.

SG wrote:

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

skully wrote:

Henry wrote:I hope Dravid has the sense to call it a day before it becomes embarrassing and awkward for India. I'd like to see him go out on his own terms. He deserves to.

Will Drunky's ego allow him to do the same? I think he might say "this is all just too hard

IMHO thats what probably separates him from Tendulkar with whom (rather surpsingly) he hasn't been compared that often.

Except Tendulkar got sacked as captain.

Both are probably on same keel as far as leadership nous is concerned.

But at Ponting did the job without losing form.

Tendulkar got sacked because his form went to crap. Obviously not mentally tough enough.

If you don't know something then stay away from it.

Tendulkar's overall average as skipper is very healthy 51+. And when you see he led India in some of the toughest series one can get. Aus (once), SA (twice), WI (once), you'll probably know why his captaincy record sucks so bad.

In the 2 years he led India, he averaged 62 and 68 in '97 and '99 respectively.

Had to go look did you?

And obviously in '98 he averaged SFA.

SG wrote:

But at Ponting did the job without losing form.

Yep, what fine job he is doing!!! Hasn't led Aus to a series win for close to an year now. And that too without losing his form?

To average close to 36 over a period of 3 years isn't losing your form in your books?

Has been captain for well over 3 years

Henry wrote:What does Mahela average since the start of 2006?

mahela (2005-2010) - ave 60.62, 16 100s
hayden (2001-2004) - ave 63.01, 19 100s

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/49289.html?class=1;spanmax1=30+Nov+2010;spanmin1=01+Jan+2005;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/5616.html?class=1;spanmax1=31+Dec+2004;spanmin1=01+Feb+2001;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

taipan wrote:And obviously in '98 he averaged SFA.

a terrible 81. and he wasnt captain

you love being the clueless troll dont you?

Hussey 2005-2008 was averaging 65. A lot of not outs batting at number six, though.

SG wrote:

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

skully wrote:

Henry wrote:I hope Dravid has the sense to call it a day before it becomes embarrassing and awkward for India. I'd like to see him go out on his own terms. He deserves to.

Will Drunky's ego allow him to do the same? I think he might say "this is all just too hard

IMHO thats what probably separates him from Tendulkar with whom (rather surpsingly) he hasn't been compared that often.

Except Tendulkar got sacked as captain.

Both are probably on same keel as far as leadership nous is concerned.

But at Ponting did the job without losing form.

Tendulkar got sacked because his form went to crap. Obviously not mentally tough enough.

If you don't know something then stay away from it.

Tendulkar's overall average as skipper is very healthy 51+. And when you see he led India in some of the toughest series one can get. Aus (once), SA (twice), WI (once), you'll probably know why his captaincy record sucks so bad.

In the 2 years he led India, he averaged 62 and 68 in '97 and '99 respectively.

Was trusting your stats. According to you he led India for 2 years, 97 and 99 and averaged 62 and 68. But then again you say he only averaged 51 as captain.

Steve Waugh probably would have had a 50 test run averaging 60ish.

I think from the Headingley Test in 1993 where he had that massive partnership with AB, until the end of the terrific West Indies tour of 1999, Waugh played 60 tests and averged 63 - all against the likes of Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop, Wasim, Waqar, Donald, Pollock, Gough, Caddick and Fraser, to name a few.

Those were the 2 years in which he led India in 17/25 tests. Of course, he led India in '96 and '00 for his remaining 8 tests.

For players of the last 20 years, I think it's-

SRT>BCL>Sanga>Kallis>Ponting.

I hate the guy, but he's better than Sanga and Kallis, and Dravid is atleast equal with them.

There's no way that Kallis a better batsman than Ponting. I'd have him equal with Dravid.

I'm still making my mind up about Sanga. Since he gave up keeping he has been extraordinary although that has also coincided with the weakest ever period for world bowling and Sanga didn't even have to face one of the few good ones. And he's only played 3 tests against Aus and SAf combined in 6 years (although these days not playing Aust is a disadvantage).

BCL >SRT > Punter > Kallis > KP

Sanga is class, I have absolutely no doubt about that. He'd average 50 in any era, he's that good. Just unfortunate that he can't test himself against bowlers who are as good as he is a batsman. Dravid fits in between Ponting and Sanga/Kallis/Hayden.

IMO Sehwag may over-take all of the above. Depends on the next couple of years.

JGK wrote:There's no way that Kallis a better batsman than Ponting. I'd have him equal with Dravid.

I'm still making my mind up about Sanga. Since he gave up keeping he has been extraordinary although that has also coincided with the weakest ever period for world bowling and Sanga didn't even have to face one of the few good ones. And he's only played 3 tests against Aus and SAf combined in 6 years (although these days not playing Aust is a disadvantage).

And yet in the period where Sanga has averaged 60 against supposedly poor bowling, Ponting has averaged 42.

I know that a lot of Aussies don't rate Kallis because there's a perception that he scores too slowly, but that hasn't been true for the last 5 years. Kallis has been scoring his runs as quickly as SRT, Sanga, and Hussey in recent times.

KP? On his day there is no one better. But yesterday was his first 'day' for almost two years- Needs to be more consistent.

I'd throw Sehwag into the mix as well. Purists don't like him, but he's more consistent than people think, scores his runs at a frightening pace, and has made hundreds in every test playing country (I think?). Maybe not the Windies, because I don't think he was in the Indian side the last time India went there.

KP and Sehwag fall into the same category.
Mercurial.
When on song - brilliant, fast scoring, totally dominant to the point of disdain for the bowlng ...
When not - ugly.

Sehwag was there on India's last tour to WI in '06 and he did score a ton (180) there.

As for scoring tons in each test playing nation, he is yet to register a ton in B'desh, Zim and NZ despite playing 11 tests there.

In 90 test matches from the start of 1999 until the start of 2008, Kallis averaged 65.06 with 27 centuries. Phenomenal.

That's nine years of the highest quality batting when Ponting could only manage five years of that kind of level. If that had been Kallis's entire career, it would be hard to argue that he shouldn't be considered the next best ever after Bradman.

He had a bit of a dip in form in 2008 and 2009, but he's averaging over 70 again this year.

Kallis also suffers statistically because he had a woeful start to his test career. He was averaging 20 after his first 10 tests.