Sri Lankan champion Kumar Sangakkara was this week named the greatest ODI player of all-time in a huge poll on the Cricket Australia website. As extraordinary a player as he was, Sangakkara wouldn’t get my vote.
In fact, I wouldn’t even rate him the best keeper-batsman in the game’s history – he’d trail both India’s MS Dhoni and Australian Adam Gilchrist in that regard.
The cricket.com.au poll produced some strange results. Formatted as a knockout tournament, with pairs of players pitted against each other, it saw Sangakkara win the final against Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar.
Quite bizarrely, Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya pushed into the semi-finals, making it deeper than up to a dozen patently superior ODI players. Only one Australian qualified for the final eight, with Shane Warne losing that contest to Sangakkara after knocking out fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan in the previous round.
Warne’s win prompted an outcry from Muralitharan fans who argued that his ODI record was far superior, as evidenced by his career bowling average of 23 compared to Warne’s mark of 26.
But here’s the thing – Murali’s bowling averages in both ODIs and Tests are misleading. They are skewed significantly by the huge amount of cricket he played against very weak opposition and the way he dominated in those matches.
Take Murali’s ODI career, for example. Against minnow nations Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, UAE, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Kenya and the Netherlands, Muralitharan ran amok, reaping 120 wickets at an average of 13.
Warne had far fewer matches against minnows, taking just 29 wickets at 21. We get a much more accurate picture of their careers by removing these minnow hauls, which leaves both players with a career average of 26, Murali’s from 403 wickets and Warne’s from 264 wickets.
It’s the same story when it comes to their Test records. Remove Murali’s 176 wickets at 15 against easybeats Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and his record is 619 wickets at 25, compared to Warne’s 691 wickets at 25.
Anyway, that’s a bit of a statistical diversion. I want to get back to Sangakkara who won ahead of the man who I would pick as my ODI GOAT – Sir Viv Richards.
First, let’s consider Richards’ all-round ability. He is considered one of the greatest fielders cricket has seen, possessed of agility, pace, safe hands and a deadly arm. He also was a very useful off-spinner, taking 118 wickets at 36, while offering variety to the pace-heavy Windies attack.
But, of course, it was his ballistic batsmanship which stood out. His career record of 6721 runs at an average of 47 and a strike rate of 90 look fantastic at first glance. Considered in proper context, however, they are utterly extraordinary – equivalent to a modern-day batsman averaging 55 at a strike rate of 115.
How is it equivalent? Well, that is just a rough estimation, admittedly. But in Richards’ era – from 1975 to 1991 – run-scoring was nowhere near as prolific. A batting average of 40 was considered absolutely elite, whereas today the best players average in the high 40s to early 50s.
Richards’ strike rate also was a true outlier. Compare his strike rate of 90 to other leading batsmen of that era – Desmond Haynes (63), Ramiz Raja (63), Richie Richardson (64), Gordon Greenidge (65), David Boon (65), Javed Miandad (67), Allan Border (71) and Dean Jones (72). For his strike rate to be so far above these outstanding batsmen is indicative of what a freak Richards was.
Here are my top ten ODI players of all time:
1. Viv Richards (West Indies)
2. Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
3. Sachin Tendulkar (India)
4. Imran Khan (Pakistan)
5. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
6. Adam Gilchrist (Australia)
7. MS Dhoni (India)
8. Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
9. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
10. Glenn McGrath (Australia)
My all-time World ODI XI:
1. Sachin Tendulkar (India)
2. Adam Gilchrist (Australia)
3. Virat Kohli (India)
4. Viv Richards (West Indies)
5. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
6. Michael Bevan (Australia)
7. Imran Khan (Pakistan)
8. Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
9. Shane Warne (Australia)
10. Waqar Younis (Pakistan)
11. Glenn McGrath (Australia)
Closest misses: Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Joel Garner (West Indies), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), MS Dhoni (India).
Giovanni Torre
Guest
Viv Richards is far and away the best ODI batsman I've seen. Kohli is a run machine, but Richards was just as reliable and MORE explosive in an era where, as you said, 40 av and striking at 70 was elite. When I was a kid a score of 250 was very competitive. I remember seeing Pakistan successfully defend 149 against Australia. Would be unthinkable today, absolutely unthinkable. Ganguly was considered one of the greatest OD batsmen and he averaged around 42 with a strike rate of 74, because at the time that was pretty good. Richards was a mile ahead of him during a period in which the standard for OD batting was actually lower. Richards played ODIs 1975-1991, Ganguly 1992-2007. Ganguly brought up 94 scores over 50 from 311 games. (22 centuries) Richards 56 from 187 games. (11 centuries) - but did it at a much faster rate.
Bugs
Guest
Viv is one of the few sportsman who can do everything with swagger and not be derided for being a w@nker. He was still loved because he backed it up. My brother was at an ODI game at the Gabba in the mid-80's where the Windies bowled first and got Australia out cheap (no surprise) and were in cruise control in the chase. No bonus points meant no need for speed. Someone in the stand behind deep cover called out "Have a go ya mug!" when Viv was facing. Next ball, inside out six over cover. Awesome - with swagger.
Rudolph Lambert Fernandez
Roar Rookie
Richie B: thanks, I was struck by your perspective on Sachin Tendulkar - I know not many share that view. If you've not read the two articles I've posted (above in this string), you'll enjoy reading them. Both pieces encourage analysts looking at ODI history, to look afresh.
Brendon the 1st
Guest
You wouldn't find the ball after he hit it.
Richie B
Guest
I've always regarded Tendulkar as a better batsmen since his technique was superior. Viv was great but not as consistent and did fade quite a bit towards the end of his career. For the first half of his career it was Tendulkar out, all out. Imagine the continual strain that would put on a player. No other player has ever had to contend with that sort of pressure for so long - and yet do so well. Time and time again playing so many magnificent innings. Certainly not Viv, he was part of the greatest side of his day, including an awesome set of fast bowlers so he was not under the hammer all the time like Tendulkar was. Yeah, Viv played what many considered to be the greatest ODI innings but Sachin has also played many, many fantastic innings as well. Tendulkar, because of his wonderful technique did not need to rely on brute power to score at a high run rate in the way that Viv and many others like him did. In both Test and ODIs Sachin was the master of the single. So a fairer ranking is: 1. Viv/Sachin - different styles, both brilliant. 2. Daylight. 3. Some more daylight. 4. All the other greats.
Disco Stu
Guest
I was more referring to the likelihood of the person at the other end taking wickets. Australia's bowling attack was generally stronger than Sri Lanka's, so Murali was more likely to take the wickets than his teammates.
Targa
Guest
Might have to pick Kallis at 3 or 4 though - his bowling would be handy if Symonds not picked
Targa
Guest
Forgot about Clive. Good call. Lloyd for Symonds
Johnno
Guest
Clive Llloyd I'd look at 2nd XI he was damn good, was awesome in the 1975 final.
JGK
Roar Guru
Viv is clearly the GOAT. Ridiculous average and strike rate in an era where 200 was defendable.
Chris
Guest
Yeah but how good were the shield sides back then, Australia A was for years the second best team in the world. Or how bad were every other country.
Chris
Guest
Haha yeah i remember how useless fielders were in the 90s outside of the freaks like Jonty Rhodes.
Chris
Guest
I think Richards suffers in that younger viewers just cannot imagine that someone was that bloody good. They imagine a great player but merely someone who hits the ball like Warner or Gayle.
Chris
Guest
Lee is like a more fortunate Stuart Macgill, when i was growing up it was Mcgrath who has the destroyer as a fast bowler, other guys helped ofcourse (side note, the best poster i ever saw 'first come the Waughs then come the Reiffel') but it was Mcgrath who the commentators would talk about until Warne bowled. But when i look back, similar to how i now view Kallis, Lee was bloody brilliant and way better than what i remembered. He started as just this blonde guy who bowled super fast but rubbish but soon enough was just bloody good.
Chris
Guest
Wow, could you imagine the mayhem if Richards did get to play with Warners bat?
Chris
Guest
Yes Muralis numbers are not the whole picture but neither are Warnes. He played most of this career as a member of the best team around, arguably ever, which has to have a very beneficial effect on his numbers. When you are defending 500 odd and the opposition batsman have just spent a session facing Mcgrath and Lee, you are in a really good mood. I am not for a moment saying that Warne is not the greatest spin bowler ever or even the best bowler ever, he is obviously the former and will happily agree the later even if i do generally prefer fast bowlers but i feel that as soon as we say batsman/bowler A's numbers are questionable for this reason we need to also admit that so are every one elses to varying degrees. Murali is the big one because as Australians we are biased against him, not only is he the only competition for Warne but we called him for chucking and he argues with our greats and the media love beating him up wether he deserves it (usually) or doesnt. As for who is the greatest the CA poll is the same as every other poll, it tells us more about who are the guys most popular now than anything. I do like the knock out way they did it even if, as mentioned, it does allow lesser players to get lucky with the draw but how incredibly boring would a poll be if most people didnt disagree with most of the order of players.
Targa
Guest
This side would give yours a run for its money: World 2nd XI Jayasuriya Amla Ponting (Kallis unlucky but strike rate too low) Zaheer Abbas Andrew Symonds (fastest scorer and better fielder than Kallis) Dhoni (wk) Klusener Hadlee Bond Saqlain Mustaq (ahead of Murali) Garner This bowling attack is better than yours but the top 6 isn't as good.
Praveen
Guest
The sub continent players did well due to their high populations, I would give the Goat to either richards or Warne
Johnno
Guest
Ronan Viv and Carl Hooper were useful ODI spinners, both got over 100 ODI wickets from memory. Gayle over 100 wickets bowling spin too. I'd have Clive Lloyld in at 5 ahead of Hooper anyway. Grennidge was good ODI player. He has a tad better strike rate and batting average than Haynes in ODI's. Australia 3rds side might lack some batting depth. but then maybe not. random side. Dave Warner/David Boon/Steve Smith/Alan Border(c)/Glen Maxwell/Simon O'Donnell//Haddin(WK)/Mcdermott/Peter Taylor/Nathan Bracken/Josh Hazelwood
Brian
Guest
I would take all off them ahead of clarke or martyn. Any sort of pressure watson and martyn turned to water. Only bias would have your aus second xi attack on par with the west inidian one presented.