Top 10 Test Openers Of All Time

Here are my 10 best test openers in test history.

Hobbs
Gavasker
Hutton
Sutcliffe
Trumper
Boycott
Sehwag
Hayden
Gooch
Morris

How about the criminally underrated Bobby Simpson?
Average of 55.5 when opening the innings (70 innings 3664 runs)

Good shout.

Never realised he had such a good record.

Did WG Grace open?

Stella wrote:
Did WG Grace open?

Certainly did.

Grace is a funny one.

Way ahead of his peers but a mediocre average.

Dodgy batting wickets back then I presume?

Stella wrote:Grace is a funny one.

Way ahead of his peers but a mediocre average.

Dodgy batting wickets back then I presume?

Yep.
And, although he made his debut aged 32, his last test wasn't 'til he was 50+, so his test career didn't really coincide with his prime years.

Is Sehwag really that great? He has scored runs in the sub continent but in swinging conditions against good bowlers (Eng, SA, Anderson, Steyn) he has failed. A good opener, but top 10 of all time? Not for me.

Hoggy_Bear wrote:

Stella wrote:Grace is a funny one.

Way ahead of his peers but a mediocre average.

Dodgy batting wickets back then I presume?

Yep.
And, although he made his debut aged 32, his last test wasn't 'til he was 50+, so his test career didn't really coincide with his prime years.

32?

You learn something new every day :-)

Plus he didn't always walk from what I have read on the big man.

Can't really argue with your list Stella, Grace's average would exclude him from my list.

Stella wrote:

Hoggy_Bear wrote:

Stella wrote:Grace is a funny one.

Way ahead of his peers but a mediocre average.

Dodgy batting wickets back then I presume?

Yep.
And, although he made his debut aged 32, his last test wasn't 'til he was 50+, so his test career didn't really coincide with his prime years.

32?

Test match debut, yeah.

JDizzle wrote:Is Sehwag really that great? He has scored runs in the sub continent but in swinging conditions against good bowlers (Eng, SA, Anderson, Steyn) he has failed. A good opener, but top 10 of all time? Not for me.

Yes, his record in swing friendly conditions is not good.

I have however seen a few of his big scores in the sub continent and I have not seen a batsman who is also good like him, including Viv.

Liam_Main wrote:Can't really argue with your list Stella, Grace's average would exclude him from my list.

Yet looking at averages can, sometimes, be deceiving. As I believe it is in this case.
As I've said, Grace's Test match career is hardly indicative of his ability during his prime years, as it mostly took place when he was past his best. Even then only 2 openers who played more than 10 matches averaged more than Grace during the period in which he played and both of them (Joe Darling and A.C. McClaren) didn't start playing test until the mid 1890s, by which time pitches had improved a great deal from the early years of tests.
There's little doubt that, during his prime years, he was as far ahead of his contemporaries as almost anyone in the history of cricket.

Stella wrote:

JDizzle wrote:Is Sehwag really that great? He has scored runs in the sub continent but in swinging conditions against good bowlers (Eng, SA, Anderson, Steyn) he has failed. A good opener, but top 10 of all time? Not for me.

Yes, his record in swing friendly conditions is not good.

I have however seen a few of his big scores in the sub continent and I have not seen a batsman who is also good like him, including Viv.

Difference is that Viv could do it in all conditions, against all attacks. For me Sehwag is a flat track bully, albeit a very good one. The mark of great player is being able to adapt and improve and Sehwag has never done this. I don't buy the "this is how I play" excuse, he needs to learn to play on seaming conditions to be truly considered amongst the games elite.

JDizzle wrote:

Stella wrote:

JDizzle wrote:Is Sehwag really that great? He has scored runs in the sub continent but in swinging conditions against good bowlers (Eng, SA, Anderson, Steyn) he has failed. A good opener, but top 10 of all time? Not for me.

Yes, his record in swing friendly conditions is not good.

I have however seen a few of his big scores in the sub continent and I have not seen a batsman who is also good like him, including Viv.

Difference is that Viv could do it in all conditions, against all attacks. For me Sehwag is a flat track bully, albeit a very good one. The mark of great player is being able to adapt and improve and Sehwag has never done this. I don't buy the "this is how I play" excuse, he needs to learn to play on seaming conditions to be truly considered amongst the games elite.

Fair enough comment.

JD
You are an absolutely top bloke mate.I share the same views regarding Sehwag.Cook is a more all conditions player than Sehwag.

Cook is in the form of his life but remember, he looked like a rabbit in the headlights last summer.

He will be considered a great if he keeps up his 50 average.

Stella, I can understand you ranking him in your top ten. He is a tremendous player in the sub continent, and with his average and strike rate, there is no-one like him, or has been, in Test cricket and that alone might make him top 10 of all time. The trouble for me is, re. shanky's point aswell, is that he has wasted his prodigious talent by only playing one way. All it would take is some mild ajustment to score runs in Eng/SA and then there would be no doubt about his "great" status. Someone like Cook, who is less naturally talented than Sehwag, has made the most of it and I appreciate this more than Sehwag who could be greater then he is already.

Sehwag's way is see ball..hit ball

His way did not do him any favours this summer.

Stella wrote:Sehwag's way is see ball..hit ball

His way did not do him any favours this summer.

That is because he was not in any form whatsoever having missing a substantial part of India's matches since the World Cup tournament in March/April.

He did look badly out of touch.


JDizzle

I'm going to keep him in my 10 for his unique approach as much as anything else.

He also failed in SA the winter before against Morkel and Steyn, in similar conditions to that of England...

I can see your point. There is no denying he is a special talent, but just not my cup of tea.

Also to add to your point JDizzle he's been dismissed most by Dale Steyn (7) Matthew Hoggard (6) Brett Lee (5) Makhaya Ntini (5),Glen McGrath (4) and Jimmy Anderson (4) All seamers who swing it.

Hobbs, Gavaskar, Hutton, Suttcliffe all pick themselves IMO. I'm going to stick Grace in there on the back of some excellent arguments by Hoggy. Barry Richards is another I feel is in with a shout, but only played four tests so some might not consider him...

Simpson, Trumper and Gooch also make my list. Lastly, I'm going to go with Hayden because of the way he and Langer changed people's perceptions of opening the batting.

So my list:
Hobbs
Gavaskar
Hutton
Suttcliffe
Grace
Richards
Trumper
Simpson
Gooch
Hayden

Cook vs Sehwag in countries where both have played so far average wise comparison

In England

Cook:46
Sehwag:27

In Australia

Cook:65
Sehwag:60

In South Africa

Cook:41
Sehwag:25(but that includes a century which he scored on debut in the middle order,as an opener his average in SA is 19)

In NZ

Cook:32
Sehwag:20

In West Indies

Cook:55
Sehwag:51

In Bangladesh

Cook:114
Sehwag:35

In India

Cook:43
Sehwag:59

In SL

Cook:46
Sehwag:69


So it can be seen that in 6 out of the 8 countries where both these 2 have played(Cook hasnt played in Zimbabwe and Pakistan) Cook averages higher than Sehwag.Sehwag's overall average is 2 runs greater than Cook purely bcoz he averages higher than Cook in SL and India.

Sehwag averages below 30 in 23 countries and below 40 in another.Cook doesnt average below 30 in any country and averages below 40 in just one.

So Cook is more of an All Conditions player than Sehwag.

Is Sehwas's S/R really so important in Test Cricket?Its great to have a quick scoring opener but I would rather have a slower scoring opener but someone who is more reliable in Test Cricket.And I am sure Geoff Boycott will agree with me.

not in any order...just wanted to number them not sure why..

1)Jack Hobbs
2)Graeme Pollock
3)Sunil Gavaskar
4)Len Hutton
5)Herbert Sutcliffe
6)Virender Sehwag
7)Graham Gooch
8)Geoffrey Boycott
9)Matthew Hayden
10)Alistair Cook

cricketfan90 wrote:not in any order...just wanted to number them not sure why..

1)Jack Hobbs
2)Graeme Pollock
3)Sunil Gavaskar
4)Len Hutton
5)Herbert Sutcliffe
6)Virender Sehwag
7)Graham Gooch
8)Geoffrey Boycott
9)Matthew Hayden
10)Alistair Cook

Graeme Pollock was never an opener.

At this early stage, I wouldn't say Cook is in the top 10...yet.

Liam_Main wrote:At this early stage, I wouldn't say Cook is in the top 10...yet.

Nor should Sehwag.

If Sehwag is,then Cook should be in as well for the reasons I have stated above.

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

cricketfan90 wrote:not in any order...just wanted to number them not sure why..

1)Jack Hobbs
2)Graeme Pollock
3)Sunil Gavaskar
4)Len Hutton
5)Herbert Sutcliffe
6)Virender Sehwag
7)Graham Gooch
8)Geoffrey Boycott
9)Matthew Hayden
10)Alistair Cook

Graeme Pollock was never an opener.

Yep, Pollock batted at 4.

Cook > Sehwag

That is all.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:Cook > Sehwag

That is all.

cricketfan90 wrote:not in any order...just wanted to number them not sure why..

1)Jack Hobbs
2)Graeme Pollock
3)Sunil Gavaskar
4)Len Hutton
5)Herbert Sutcliffe
6)Virender Sehwag
7)Graham Gooch
8)Geoffrey Boycott
9)Matthew Hayden
10)Alistair Cook

so you could count to 10

Seeing as I haven't actually named the 10 in my list yet:

Hobbs
Hutton
Sutcliffe
Grace
Boycott
Trumper
Morris
Simpson
Gavaskar
Richards B.


Honourable mentions:
Dennis Amiss, Sehwag, Hayden, Graham Smith, Glenn Turner, Greenidge, Bill Woodfull, Bill Ponsford, Bill Lawry, Ali Cook and a number of others.

B Richards played four tests only.
He COULD have been a great test player but we will never know.

my mistake thought pollock opened, never mind.

Stella wrote:B Richards played four tests only.
He COULD have been a great test player but we will never know.

I remember watching him play vaguely.
Reckon he would have been one of the best test openers of all time.

Well, he could well have been. I thought Hick was going to be a great player but look what happened.
In Richards' defence, he did average 72 in his four tests and was successful in World Series Cricket.

Anyone questioning Barry Richards' greatest knows nothing about cricket. The guy was a genius, he may have only played 4 Tests, but in those 4 Tests he dismantled a powerful Australian side.

The argument between Cook and Sehwag is laughable as well. Up until The Ashes, Cook could barely hit the ball of the square. and since he's been through a purple patch. He has to back that up for 4-5 years. During his good run, Cook has faced some terrible attacks, so did he merely just get some cheap runs? Australia, SL and India's attack during Cook's decent patch are hardly Earth shattering.

Whether Sehwag bats on flat pitches or not, he's smashed great bowlers around. Guys like Murali have rarely been pummelled in their own back yard.

Might I add Hayden gets rated as a great opener, yet his record aside Australia isn't too flash.

We Are Number One
I'm not questioning whether he was a good bat or not but this thread is about TEST Cricket.

Stella wrote:We Are Number One
I'm not questioning whether he was a good bat or not but this thread is about TEST Cricket.

That's what I'm saying, anyone who witnessed that series vs Australia will tell you how good Barry was. Even the Australian players said he was excellent.

We Are Number 1!!! wrote:Anyone questioning Barry Richards' greatest knows nothing about cricket. The guy was a genius, he may have only played 4 Tests, but in those 4 Tests he dismantled a powerful Australian side.

The argument between Cook and Sehwag is laughable as well. Up until The Ashes, Cook could barely hit the ball of the square. and since he's been through a purple patch. He has to back that up for 4-5 years. During his good run, Cook has faced some terrible attacks, so did he merely just get some cheap runs? Australia, SL and India's attack during Cook's decent patch are hardly Earth shattering.

Whether Sehwag bats on flat pitches or not, he's smashed great bowlers around. Guys like Murali have rarely been pummelled in their own back yard.

I dont know how a player could average over 40 and score 13 Test Centuries up until the Ashes without hitting the ball off the square.

He does have a point though, Cook was in terrible form before the Ashes.

Liam_Main wrote:He does have a point though, Cook was in terrible form before the Ashes.

But barely hitting the ball off the square??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????



And do you think Sehwag is better?I thought you said otherwise

Anyone can go through a bad patch.

No not at all, some of what he says is true though.

Are there any other current openers who could make the list, maybe once they've retired?

G Smith is a very good player but not quite top 10 standard.

Gambhir is good but again not quite up there with Gavasker and co.

Going back in time. Not too many mentions for the great Greenidge and Haynes combo.

Stella wrote:Are there any other current openers who could make the list, maybe once they've retired?

G Smith is a very good player but not quite top 10 standard.

Gambhir is good but again not quite up there with Gavasker and co.

Going back in time. Not too many mentions for the great Greenidge and Haynes combo.

Cook?

Any other ones, shanks.

it's a myth that Cook was going through a terrible run of form before the Ashes I'm afraid. He had two poor series (Bangladesh at home - hardly important, and then the Pakistan one where just about everyone struggled anyway, Trott excluded). In the series before that in Bangladesh he averaged over 100, and before that he averaged 41 in SA (which is prob more than Sehwag has ever averaged over there).

For some reason, on the back of that poor series against Bangladesh everyone started calling for his head, and then when he struggled against Pak it got worse, but he wasn't actually in that poor form (you DON'T drop an established player after four bad tests)