Sachin Tendulkar Retires

[Mailman the 2nd]

Although Nige is partly right in that you can't really compare players from different eras, it still makes the poll valid as then if no one can be determined as the "best cricketer" therefore Sachin isn't the best player ever :)

While Sachin is a better batter than Kallis (obvious), Kallis actually had to put the effort in every game to bowl , whereas Tendulkar didn't have that at all. Kallis also a much better fielder.

Sachin better batsman, but I'd much rather have Kallis in a team.

See you say Sachin is obviously a better batter (which I would agree he is a better batter), but looking at stats says otherwise... Kallis average of 55, Tendulkar only 53. (Kallis better)
Kallis 44 hundreds in 164 matches, equates to scoring a hundred every 3.7 matches, Tendulkar 51 hundreds from 200 matches, equates to scoring a hundred every 3.9 matches. (Kallis better)
Tendulkar 15,921 runs from 200 matches = 79.6 runs a test. Kallis 13,140 runs from 164 matches = 80.1 runs a test (Kallis better)

Stats say that Kallis is actually the better batter as well. Which is interesting since I've always regarded Tendulkar as the second best batter of the generation (behind Ponting, but that may be bias).

My opinion is that if Kallis were to play 200 matches total as well, his average would be lower than Sachin's (just an opinion)

[nrich102]

If you were to survey everyone on the planet other than people who live in India and South Africa, see who poeploe would like more, Sachin or Kalis

[henry]

If you were to survey everyone on the planet other than people who live in India and South Africa, see who poeploe would like more, Sachin or Kalis

They would undoubtedly say sachin, as someone has mentioned before kallis is extremely underated. But that is irrelevant, this discussion is on who is the better cricketer, not who is more liked.

Bradman was in a league of his own and always will be, compare him to the players in his era, he was so far ahead of them, then compare sachin to the likes of kallis ponting and lara. Bradman is simply incomparable. I think that Tendulkar's endurance has been amazing, to play 200 tests is a feat I think that will never be repeated, can't see any nations that play often enough selecting a 16yo, so its admirable that he kept up his quality for so long. The same could be said for Kallis though, who although hasn't played as many matches has had to bowl a lot too.

[tbagrocks]

This is why stats are overrated and should have little influence on how good players were ::)

[Jay]

Sachin a great? Yes! But Nigey is out of his flowering mind if he thinks he's on the same level as Bradman. Cmon man!

I would definitely pick Kallis in my team over Sachin...

[Noz]

Some of the Don's stats

37 matches against England for an average of 89 including 19 100s and 12 50s and a 334
5 matches against India for an average of 178 including 4 100s 1 50s and a 201
5 matches against South Africa for an average of 201 including 4 100s and a 299 (not out)
5 matches against West Indies for an average of 74 including 2 100s and a 223

63 Ashes matches for an average of 89 including 19 100s and a 334
96 Sheffield Shield matches for an average of 110 including 36 100s and a 452 (not out)
93 Grade matches for an average of 86 including 28 100s and a 303
331 Second Class match for an average of 84 including 94 100s and a 320 (not out)
338 First Class matches for an average of 95 including 117 100s and a 452 (not out)
80 Tests for an average of 89 including 19 100s and a 334

Most double centuries
Most triple centuries
Most runs in one series
13 innings to reach 1000s runs thats an average of 76
The only professional batsman to smash 100 of 3 overs.

Don > Life

[Grazz]

Theres a lot of a chat about Bradman being better than Sachin which is fair enough I agree, what is surprising is nobody has mentioned Ponsford who I also think you could mount a case for him being as good as Sachin. As has been said, hard to match compare players from different era's and Sachin was a terrific batsmen and arguably the best in theres ever been but I still think Bradman was better and Bradman didn't get to play against teams as weak as Bangladesh either. Also if I was picking a team and Kallis and Sachin were available at my pick I would pick Kallis every time aswell.

[Noz]

Lara, Pointing, Dravid, Sangakkara could all mount a position saying they are a better batsman than Sachin and Kallis.

[BB67th]

Sangakkara is another who is very underrated outside of the subcontinent. Keeping for the first half of his test career really hurt his batting stats. He averages something like 60+ in the years since he has given up the gloves.

[tbagrocks]

Jayasuriya?  Anyone see Richards?

[Noz]

In 117 tests and 200 innings Sangakkara has made 10486 he is in the top 5 for highest test average of all time. If Sri Lanka had of played as many tests as say a Lara (131 tests), Sachin (200 tests), Kallis (164 tests), Dravid (164 tests), Ponting (168 tests) He would be recognised as one of the greatest batsman of all time.

Say for example of Sangakkara had of played as many tests as Kallis statically he would of gone down as the 3rd highest run scorer in test cricket. Not to mention he is only 52 runs away from cracking 12000 career ODI runs.

[me]

agree with sangakkara being right up there, amazing player and particularly in the subcontinent --- his record as a nonkeeper is unbelievable (think his average as nonwicketkeeper is nearly 70!)

[PowerBug]

I'd pick Kallis over Tendulkar as a pure batsman aswell. For me Sachin lacks that X-Factor that all of the others can bring.

[Nige]

Sachin a great? Yes! But Nigey is out of his flowering mind if he thinks he's on the same level as Bradman. Cmon man!

I would definitely pick Kallis in my team over Sachin...

[BB67th]

agree with sangakkara being right up there, amazing player and particularly in the subcontinent --- his record as a nonkeeper is unbelievable (think his average as nonwicketkeeper is nearly 70!)

I did a search on Cricinfo and his stats post-keeping are amazing!

After he gave up the gloves back in '06 he has scored

6030 runs
Average 67.75
100 innings, 11 NO
High Score 287 (first innings after giving up gloves and part of highest partnership of all time)
24 100s / 20 50s

Compare that with his while keeping record of

4456 runs
Average 46.90
100 innings, 5 NO
9 100s / 22 50s

Shows you how much of a difference keeping can make on your batting. Just imagine if he had never kept in the Test side :o
High score 270