On The Cricket Club show last Monday night there was a healthy debate around the power of Chris Gayle and the finesse of Michael Hussey.
The conversation then went to a consideration of who you would select if you were an owner of a franchise in the IPL or that matter, any T20 competition.
So let’s look at the statistics first before I tell you who I would select.
From the current IPL, Gayle is currently ranked number one in most runs with 484.
He is followed closely by Hussey, who sits on 450 runs.
If we dig a little deeper into those statistics we’ll see that in Gayle’s 484 runs, he did score that remarkable 175 runs off 66 balls against Pune Warriors last week.
By doing so, he broke all records while hitting a massive 17 sixes.
Gayle is also averaging 80 and his strike-rate is 166.89, which are pretty impressive figures, but he has scored that massive hundred and then only two fifties.
It seems like Gayle enjoys the Indian conditions the IPL produce as last IPL tournament he was the leading run scorer by a long way, by massing 733 runs at an average of 61 and hit a phenomenal 59 sixes.
On the other hand Hussey is currently averaging 64 and his strike-rate is 133.13. Despite have lower numbers he has scored more fifties, four in fact with one of those being a 95 against the Mumbai Indians.
Looking at both players and those statistics there would be no hesitation in selecting Gayle as he is a match winner and if on song there is no ground big enough for him to clear.
But I would actually select Hussey, why?
Although his statistics aren’t as good as Gayle I feel that Hussey is more reliable and a consistent performer.
In terms of my own coaching philosophy, I believe you need to look at more than statistics when choosing your best team, and you need to be mindful that your best players may not always have the best statistics when viewed in isolation.
Also, it’s important to also consider at what stage runs are made or wickets are taken. For example, it’s very easy to hit runs if your team isn’t under pressure.
So, when selecting players, you sometimes have to consider what else the player will bring to the group and this is where I believe Gayle and Hussey differ considerably.
Having never met Chris Gayle I can only go by what I have seen on the TV and things that I have read about or heard.
Hussey tends to be the perfect cricketer, he works hard, is upbeat around the group, seems to put the team before himself and doesn’t leave a stone unturned regarding his preparation to the game.
Then by contrast you have Gayle who certainly portrays a different character.
I am not a fan of him keeping his pads on for the rest of the batting innings if he gets out cheaply.
From my perspective, unless it is really cold what is the point?
You have had your turn and missed out, now it is your job to support the others that are going in.
Also, during the BBL 12/13 season, where he had a terrible tournament for the Sydney Thunder, there was chatter around the cricketing traps that sometimes he didn’t attend training as much as some of the other guys.
Whilst he may have had good reasons for not being there, when your team is doing it tough it is really important that everyone gives that little extra, even if it is means going over and above what you usually so in terms of preparation.
You would hope that if any designated batsman was averaging 19 and had only scored one half century during a tournament, combined with the team not performing to a consistently competitive standard, that he would know that it’s in his and the team’s best interest to be doing over and above what he usually does.
Great players have the ability to inspire and motivate their teammates.
Gayle may do so via his own performance on the field, but Hussey seems like the type of player that has the same ability but also inspires his teammates by his passion and willingness to do what he can in his power to see each and every one of them succeed.
Who would you select?
Ra
Guest
I concur 2doggy, but we're being asked to compare apples and oranges. They have different roles. Gayle with his turbo thrusters launches his team out of the blocks like a dragster and clears the debris, Hussey, the vacuum cleaner truck, steady as she goes, Mr Fix it upper, goes about the streets tidying up everyone else's mess, steady as she goes, reliable and dependable. So to the question. If I was a rich owner of an IPL club I would have to consider, how many people will pay to see a dragster in full flight, and how many want to pay to watch a rubbish truck at work. The answer is simply a matter of economics I am afraid Lisa. Then again, let's switch roles and put the jetpack on Hussey's back and hand Gayle the pooper scooper where will the good money go? Well I think the guys will go to the race track to watch the swashbuckling Mike Hussey, and the babes will lie in the gutter hoping to get swept up by the new kid on the block. So again back to Lisa's question, are we comparing apples and oranges, or are we all going bananas over something that's incomparable. As a red, or was that blue, blooded hot (yeah still hot) middle-aged Kiwi guy, I'd be going where the babes are - who really cares about jet boosters and broomsticks - put your money on babes Mr IPL man.
Ra
Guest
I wanna trade places with Gayle then Yawhoa. He's got the mix just right.
Brian
Guest
Gayle easily. In the WC semi last year he batted a lot more for the team then Hussey. I don't consider Hussey a team man at all having spent the last 2 years of his test career at 6 denying a young batsman an opportunity
cricketfan
Guest
Over a series of 10-12 games hussey is the better man. He will score 5-6 50s at a consistent strike rate of 130 or so and the other half of his games he will contribute with a few handy 20s and 30s with maybe the occasional low score. Gayle will produce a couple of freakish 100s at a strike rate of 200-250 and score maybe 1 more 50 with 5 scores under 20 at a strike rate of 110 or below. In a tournament consistency is the key and hussey is exactly that.
Deep Thinker
Guest
Not sure I agree in Hussey's case. He's been a great finisher for Australia in limited over cricket for a long time. Also - given that both Hussey and Gayle are at the top of the order, I'd imagine there are few opportunities for them to play the finishing role. I guess put it this way, how often have Gayle and Hussey been not out at the end of the second innings in a losing cause? If you can show there is a clear trend that the team loses when they are not out, I'd agree with you.
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
Gayle seems like the sort of bloke you'd get as icing on top of the cake. You'd have to have reliable performers, like Hussey, around him to make sure you don't end losing most of your games (case in point; the past BBL with whatever Sydney team he played for). So yeah, I'd go for Hussey too. But if I had to choose between Mike and Dave, I'd go Dave everytime.
Nudge
Guest
I'd go with Hussey as well. Just an absolute consistent gun. Outstanding batsman in all conditions his fielding is underrated but brilliant best runner between wickets the world has seen and his passion to perform and passion to win is great to watch. Compare that to gayle who only seems to enjoy his cricket when he is batting well ( remember the tail between the legs attitude for the entire big bash last summer) and to me it's a no brainer. Give me Hussey any day
Aaron
Guest
Chris Gayle T20 - Avg 45.76, SR -155, 11 Hundreds, 35 Fifties. This is guys is so far ahead of the pack in T20, you would have to be brain dead to choose anyone else ahead of him. Mike Hussey is one of my favourite cricketers and easily in the top 10 T20 players in the world, but any honest objective analysis of T20 cricket ability puts Chris Gayle miles ahead. The only valid point to this argument might be the off field stuff. But considering the facts that we have Chris Gayle is the man I'd pick.
twodogs
Guest
Unfortunately, T20 will always be about the ball sailing over the fence. Which will put bums on seats and eyes glued to the pay tv screen. In that respect, Gayle's always a shoe-in. Hussey in my view probably worlds best all round cricketer of last decade.
Yawhoa
Guest
Gayle is just one big hussy, it is cricket and chicks for this guy!
Harsh Sinha
Roar Guru
The man can finish an inning with a 6 (last 3 innings), he can score 50 odd in 18 or 20 balls and can be the only man in the world , you can bank upon when one needs 20 off the last over with 2 wickets left. M tokin about M.S. Dhoni! The most important player in the market today! I would choose him above Gayle and Hussey! So will Michael Vaughan!
Harsh Sinha
Roar Guru
+1
gav
Guest
Still choose MS DHoni above both of them. Neither Gayle or Hussey can finish an innings as well as MS Dhoni can.
James
Guest
all of the reasons the author has against gayle are from second hand sources, i dont see how someone can compare someone they know and someone they do not know and pretend to be objective. they are both great t20 players but gayle has that terrifyingness about him, he can take a game away from bowlers in a more spectacular fashion than hussey can and for that and the fact that he scores more runs at a faster rate youd have to go with gayle if looking for simply a great t20 player who can also bowl and not a batsmen captain type.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I think it depends on what exactly you are looking for. You looking for a leader / captain then Hussey hands down. However if you already have strong leadership then I would go for Gayle on the back of his ability to just take a game away from the opposition. He can also get through a couple of overs with his spinners. Hussey would never ever get near the bowling crease in T20 cricket.