All-time Greatest Opening Batsmen in Test Cricket | Top 20 | Best Opening Batsmen ever

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Top 20 greatest opening batsmen of all-time in test cricket

[@byroncurrin227]

The greatest opening batsman was Barry Richards. I know he never played many test matches. He played against the best(bowlers) from Australia, England, India and The West Indies. In 1970-71, as an overseas player for South Australia, Richards scored 325 runs in a single day against Western Australia off an attack that included Dennis Lillee, Graham McKenzie, Tony Lock and Tony Mann In that season he hit 1538 runs in 10 matches at an average of 109.8. He scored more runs for Hampshire in one season(his first season) than any other player for 1 season opening the batting with another fabulous batsman...Gordon Greenidge!

[@arunchikodikar397]

Barry richards played against australia only 4 tests

[@byroncurrin227]

@@arunchikodikar397 Barry Richards SMASHED thousands of runs in Australia and England...you obviously do not know anything about cricket....take a look at ALL the players playing in Australia...he has more runs and better averages than the Chapel brothers....or any other player...also in England...he made more runs than every player...and had a better average than any other player playing in England....and that includes Viv Richards and EVERY West Indies batsman....and the West Indies were regarded as the BEST team in the 70's and 80's...

[@BlairBoyd-fs1xk]

When you read some of those comments they are way off track, because David Warner is a far better bat's than Greenidge, Haynes, Barry Richard. Because Warner scored triple hundreds in test cricket, plus he scores more runs and test hundreds. Than who they are comparing with Warner, and he is more reliable than those batsmen. How the hell you are going to compare Barry Richard's with David Warner and, he only played 4 test matches. Anybody who knows about cricket, it is really hard to compared certain players. Because they does not play enough test cricket, also scoring runs plus hundreds. To compared with Warner with almost 9,000 test runs with about 28 to 29 test hundreds with a triple hundreds. So it is really hard to compared apples and pears here, because David Warner is way ahead of Greenidge and Barry Richard's, ok

[@dennispicone6801]

Plenty of people won't agree with you, but Barry Richards only played four tests, because of that country's governments stance on sport. However, if you check his first class figures in South Africa, Australia and England then every person will know he more than held his own.

[@phillipjswanepoel8044]

​ Warner also a much greater cheat than any of them. He should not even be on the list. He a disgrace.

[@nevillewarner7720]

How could Warner be better than Lawry, Grenidge when you look at the kind of attacks these guy face both home and away. Even Boycott

[@AnandMishra-gb5vf]

Don't find sense here.

[@waynejackson1426]

It is based on statistics. Figures don't lie.

[@BigAmp]

He isn't its about the only anomaly on the list. I wouldn't even include him. But lets swap an Aussie for an Aussie; Victor Trumper, Bill Ponsford or Bobby Simpson would all be better.

[@dhaanushl6465]

David Warner is Home Track Bully in Tests

[@rakeshmishra679]

In the 2nd half of his career Sunny used to be a free stroke batsman. In his last 5-6 years he used to be very Stylist batsman like Vishy. In his early dayes he used to be a very watchful and slow batsman because the batting line up of India was very poor. Sunny used to be more than 50% of Indian batting. He used to be always under pressure - under pressure - under pressure -----

[@robertcameron3709]

Nice to see Herbert Sutcliffe finally getting the credit he deserved. Along with Hobbs he formed the greatest of all batting partnerships. Imagine a test side whose openers could guarantee you 118 runs every time they went to the wicket. They played on uncovered wickets with only the most basic protection, pads, gloves and box.

[@jeromeandrew5276]

No way Gordon greenidge can be rank so low .Greenidge is a top five opening batsman easily off all time.

[@thylacine1004]

The opening bowlers use to take it easy on Gordon,because they didnt want to bowl to Viv....lol

[@toddmillar4041]

And Desi Haynes didn't make the list? Marcus Trescothick joke atrocious away record. Once heard of him (I think a quote from Flintoff) he gets home sick going around the corner for a pint of milk

[@udayprakash1280]

No way Gordon can be so lowly ranked.A list without Roy Frederick's and Des Haynes is useless. Majid ,Anwar missing too.

[@rocky49able]

Desmond Haynes is missing - the only obvious one for me. Jack Hobbs and Len Hutton were mind boggling batsmen. They would have averaged 70 in today's age. In post-1970 players, Sunil Gavaskar and Gordon Greenidge would be my openers. Sunil Gavaskar the slow and serene. Gordon Greenidge the swashbuckling. Not a bad list.

[@thylacine1004]

@vickikennedy3788 ,100%,Gordon and Sunny for me,and im an aussie...

[@damianbowyer2018]

South Africa's Barry Richards, was the Gr8est of them all, but doesn't qualify with only 4 Tests Matches Played, before South Africa was banned from International Test Cricket in 1970. His Average of 72.57, doesn't begin to tell the tale of how Gr8 a Batsman he was, Guys.....Cheers from Damo.

[@robertcameron3709]

Barry Richards was obviously a great player but its a case of maybe and if with him. Many batsmen would have beaten him on average over their first 4 matches.

[@damianbowyer2018]

@@robertcameron3709 Not Many Robert...No point putting a comment on my comment, if U can't back it up with some stats...Which Opening Batsmen had a Higher Average after 4 Tests?....In the old days, they played on uncovered wickets, so not conducive to Rookie Opening Batsmen Dominating...Even Jack Hobbs averaged 43.14 after 5 Tests, for example...The Answer is Sunil Gavaskar, who Averaged 154.80 in 4 Tests on Debut versus the West Indies in March 1971. He Scored 774 Runs in a Phenomenal Rookie Performance and it is still The Highest by a Rookie Batsman, let alone an Opener....I saw Sunil Bat and I saw Barry Richards Bat, both at The Gabba in Brisbane....Sunil in 1977 and Barry in 1978 and I can tell U Barry was Unbelievable...He thrashed Joel Garner, Andy Roberts and Wayne Daniel around the Gabba to make 92, when all the other World 11 batsmen struggled, with none getting past 30 runs in a Total of 197. The West Indies in Reply were bowled-out for 107...Their much vaunted batting line-up was not up to the task versus the South African Fast Bowler Garth Le Roux, who was Very Quick and Dangerous on a fast wicket like The Gabba. The Highest Score was All-Rounder Collis King with 25, to give U some idea how difficult it was that day....Not difficult for Barry and he was in a different class to the others at that time....I saw Sunil Bat in the 1st Test at The Gabba in 1977 and he was out cheaply in the 1st Innings against an average bowler in Wayne Clark...Jeff Thomson was the other Opening Bowler and he bowled quickly, taking 3 Wickets. Sunil got 113 in the 2nd Innings, but Thommo was off the field with an injury for most of that Innings, after Thommo had taken 3 quick wickets early to have India struggling...He left the field to get treatment and Sunil capitalized on his absence....Sunil was a Gr8 Batsman, but not at Barry's level, IMHO, Robert.....Cheers from Damo.🍻😀👍

[@robertcameron3709]

@@damianbowyer2018 so on the basis of that Richards would have maintained his average. Bowlers wouldn't have worked him out. His first class average is a better indication of his stature, and at 54 is better than most.

[@damianbowyer2018]

@@robertcameron3709 Yep Robert, Bowlers didn't work Barry out, as he had no trouble against any type of bowling on any type of wicket (good or bad), unlike virtually all Test Cricketers...Even Sir Donald Bradman had Trouble against Extreme Pace, just as Sir Garfield Sobers had trouble against Leg Spin...Sir Vivian Richards had trouble against Leg Spinners, as well and Graeme Pollock had trouble against Extreme Pace....Sunil Gavaskar had trouble against Spin, but was Gr8 against Extreme Pace....Including Barry Richards, these are the Top 6 Batters of All-Time, IMHO...Barry only Played in The Currie Cup in South Africa, County Cricket in England & World Series Cricket in OZ, because of South Africa's Ban fm Test Cricket in 1970....It is well known that he wud thrash the bowling in all these Competitions, but wud throw his wicket away, as he got disinterested, because it meant nothing and thus why his average was 54.74...Graeme Pollock has said, that if Barry was allowed to play Test Cricket during those years in the 70's, he wudn't have thrown his wicket away like he did so many times, playing County Cricket in England...He also said that Barry Richards and Sir Garfield Sobers are the Best Batters he has ever seen....I have seen them all Batting in OZ, except 4 Sir Donald Bradman of course and Barry was the Best of Them, Robert...Cheers from Damo🍻😀👍

[@robertcameron3709]

@@damianbowyer2018 sorry Damian, I think you've built a castle out of 4 bricks.

[@brianvittachi6869]

Quite a good list. I would have given honorable mention to Desmond Haynes, Barry Richards, Saeed Anwar and Glenn Turner.

[@connorduke4619]

You know cricket pretty well!

[@mellowmonsoon278]

I’d add Marvan Atapattu to the honorable mentions as well.

[@divykikani7164]

Sunil Gavaskar and Virendra Sehavag are no1❤

[@mellowmonsoon278]

Not really. A few Australian and English openers in the list had near 50 averages. Sunny and Viru played majority of their games in India.

[@PFNel]

What a pity that Barry Richards played too few test matches to be included. He was unquestionably one of the very best.

[@pedababu5075]

Agreed 100%

[@paulsheppard6816]

Saw B richards and G greenidge take on rhe aussies vs hampshire and desmantle the much vaunted attach.two of rbe greatest openers ever.

[@liamjerson9843]

What about Chris gayle 11 not outs 37 half centuries 19 centuries over 7000 runs average of 42.45 highest score 333

[@nasirkhan4661]

Although a great player and entertainer yet he lacks the seriousness and maturity of an opening batsman.

[@waynejackson1426]

@@nasirkhan4661 although I don't believe that Gayle should be on the list, seriousness and maturity has nothing to do with his success Averages and the amount of centuries determine the quality of a test batsman.

[@nasirkhan4661]

@@waynejackson1426 he is one of the few best limited over player.

[@dhaanushl6465]

​​@@nasirkhan4661 Chris Gayle is better than Michael Vaughan, Gary Kirsten. Gayle should have been there instead of Vaughan or Kirsten.

[@partylap]

That list has no merit. What happened to Gayle and the 2 greatest opening batsmen ever (Greenidge/Haynes)? No other opening batsmen faced 5he quantity of top quality bowling like those 2.

[@robertcameron3709]

Those guys never faced the greatest of all bowling attacks, which were the West Indies from the seventies to the late nineties. Boycott, Gooch and Gavaskar all did, and also faced up to the great Aussie attacks of that time. All 3 prospered and were the bedrock of their sides. The universe boss was always too slow on his feet and needed good batting strips to perform on.

[@waynejackson1426]

@@robertcameron3709 Gayle not moving his front foot the way a top line batsman should has nothing to do with his success. The amount of innings he played, his batting average and the amount of centuries should determine any batsman success. Gayle average 42 in test which is good but with only 14 test century and more than 100 test matches under his belt, surely would not make the list. Graeme Smith has a 48 average in test matches, played just about the same amount of test matches with twice the amount of centuries but was just as poor with his footwork and always playing across the line made the list. Why?

[@robertcameron3709]

@@waynejackson1426 for me neither Gayle or Smith would make the top 20.

[@infidelhindu]

Gordon Greenidge seems ranked quite low: I wouldn't rank Mark Taylor, and definitely not Bill Lawry, above him

[@MH77391]

Good list. Of course I do not agree with everything but good attempt. I would probably take out Michael Vaughan and put in Roy Fredericks I would also put Gordon Greenidge in top 10

[@MohammedAhmed-ws3ho]

How come Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad who holds the world record of staying at the wicket for more than 900 minutes and whose test career average is above 43 in 55 tests is not in the top 20 list ?

[@shanmughansubramani7837]

Desmond Haynes,Bob Simpson bill And lawry. A great Australian pair

[@swamistyle]

How did you pick these 20? It can't be by runs or averages as neither are in order. Was it just on your opinion or something else? If it's purely opinion, I would say quite a few names are missing. Ponsford, Morris, Slater, Atherton, Rohit Sharma, Wright, Saeed Anwar, Barry Richards, Amla, Gibbs, Jayasuriya, Haynes, Gayle, Fredericks, Hunte, Chanderpaul + plenty others.

[@flamingfrancis]

It should be stated that prior to 1939 there were timeless Test matches some of which lasted many days longer than today's Tests. Often played on uncovered tracks dour batsmen could dig into the trenches and hold out with innings timed with an hour glass.

[@karlmylnere5712]

Hobbs and Sutcliffe , on all wickets the ultimate openers.

[@connorduke4619]

Hobbs, Hutton, Gavaskar and Barry Richards were actually the top four openers according to most experts.

[@pintudas8040]

for any list there will be counter for favourites .and if is for all time .

[@rohitpratap4174]

Great list again. Agree Hobbs Sutcliffe and Hutton were mind boggling and probably would have averaged 60+ today. Interested in rationale of choice of Mitchell at 4th best with a 26 Test body of work that too in a (relatively) batting friendly era..?

[@rohitpratap4174]

Hobbs and Gavaskar my all time opening pair (in agreement with the late great Richie Benaud) in greatest Test XI

[@satishsoman66]

गावसकर हे एक नंबर चे सर्वोत्तम होते, आहेत, आणि राहतील. गोरी कातडी आणि श्रेष्ठत्व ह्या भिन्न गोष्टी आहेत.

[@robindonnell816]

Bob Simpson Ave over 55 as an opener

[@arnabkumarmukhopadhyay2536]

What about Barry Richards of S. Africa and Hanif Mohammad of Pakistan?

[@thexxxpostman]

gordon greenidge and barry richards should make anyones top 5 and they played in the same county side as well hampshire 😎

[@dalewolf1126]

Crazy what happened to so. Much West indes open batsman

[@alandaniel1082]

Very hard to judge from era to era all g8 players in there time. Do not envy the batsmen now. Repays analysis) to find any faults that bowlers can utilise and skippers can set fields to limit scoring much harder for them now.

[@rajeshshirwaikar9276]

Sunil Gavaskar's total runs are more than 10,000, here mentioned figures are wrong!!!

[@rajeshchawla1130]

Dear Freind Sunil is always in Top 5 if not top 3, He scored his Heigist Score 236 batting at No 4, So may his 9690 runs as an opener is Correct

[@jagannadhveluvarti]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT UP TO THE MARK. THEY MISSED ALOT OF GOOD PLAYERS.

[@gingerwoods616]

Vaughan batted at three for most of his career.

[@srinivasraosreekantapuram9837]

Gavaskar should be at one 1. You cannot compare a batsman who has played 50 or 60 tests or Mitchell who has played 100 test matches or 95 test matches. Just don't go by averages. I have enormous respect for Sutcliffe, Hutton Hobbs etc. They were legends no doubt

[@rajeevsehrawat5383]

Figures are wrong. Sunil gavaskar scored 10134 But in this video there is 9600 something

[@kaushleshshukla9609]

Bill Ponsford, Arthur Morris... two great openers

[@georgesingh5714]

Say and pick who you like, the fact remains Sunil Gavascar faced the most fierce bowing from Austraila ( Lillie and Thompson) he then faced all of the West Indian bowlers at the top of their game, plus England and Pakistan ...after all of this he ended up retiring with the most test runs in the history of the game...so yes, he will always be the greatest opening batsman in test cricket for me.

[@vietnguyen4312]

And just think, Langer average 48 and Hayden average 50 opened together 122 times. They had a partnership average of 51 facing the new ball, what a combination. Greenidge and Haynes a close second.

[@AnkitSingh-xl6pt]

Just an opinion:- 1. Sir Jack Hobbs 2. Sir Len Hutton 3. Sunil Gavaskar 4. Herbert Sutcliffe 5. Victor Trumper 6. Bill Ponsford 7. Gordon Greenidge 8. Arthur Morris 9. Graham Gooch 10. Matthew Hayden 11. Geoffrey Boycott 12. Virender Sehwag 13. Saeed Anwar 14. Bob Simpson 15. Graeme Smith 16. Michael Vaughan 17. Justin Langer 18. Vijay Merchant(His FC average of 71.22 is second only to Sir Don Bradman) 19. Barry Richards(in his only 4 tests, against a full strength Australian attack he averaged 72 and continued the same form into the World Series Cricket) 20. Alec Stewart(in 51 tests as a specialist opener, he scored almost 4k runs@47 with 9 tons). HONOURARY MENTIONS: Bruce Mitchell, Bill Lawry, John Edrich, Desmond Haynes, Gary Kirsten, Michael Atherton(he had guts you can't deny that).

[@AnkitSingh-xl6pt]

@Vicki Kennedy it's about the GREATEST, not who was the QUICKER in scoring runs. Even Sir Don Bradman looked upon Sir Hobbs as the textbook of batting. Had the likes of Hobbs, Hutton or even Vijay Merchant played in Sehwag's or Cook's era, they'd have compiled twice their final tally. And it's not me who says so, commentators from Wisden have mentioned that if batsmen are technically correct against all kinds of bowling and have at par fitness(like Sachin, Gooch, Allan Border), they can score faster in tests than in ODIs.

[@connorduke4619]

Not bad, but you need to insert Barry Richards into about 4th place.

[@AnkitSingh-xl6pt]

@@connorduke4619 had he ended with atleast 20 tests just like fellow Protea great Graeme Pollock and continued averaging 60, he'd definitely be there.

[@asadjandurrani5676]

Hanif Muhammad, Saeed Anwar and Majid Khan are missing.

[@DKS_London]

The best opening batsman in test matches has to be Sunil Gavaskar. The reason is simple he batted in the era of some of the best fast bowlers the game has seen without a helmet.

[@slydog35pad21]

This should of been your favorite picks of all time not the best openers of all time I disagree with this list poorly done but never the less thanks for trying

[@mellowmonsoon278]

Pre 60s era opening batsmen faced pretty much the same opposition all the time with limited variety of fast bowlers.

[@satyajitmanakkadan6624]

Why wasn't Bill Ponsford included?He played on uncovered wickets with no protection, and only batsman with 2 400s for long time. Where is Glen Turner?and why include John Edrich,who in later years played at one down. Lawry lacked the spirit of the game and should have made way for Desmond Haynes. Sanath Jayasurya also deserves to be in.

[@robindonnell816]

Jayasurya only Ave 40. hes not in the top 40

[@robertcameron3709]

Ponsford should have been included although he was susceptible to very fast bowling.

[@irfanshah9877]

For me Sunil Gavaskar is number one... Bcz he played more dangerous bowlers likes Marshall, holding, garner, Peterson, Roberts, Imran , Sarfaraz, Qadir, Botham , Lilly, Thomson, Headley, etc etc & scored tonnes of runs in their territory... Without any support from other end.... As far as opening is concerned Nobody can be better than him.

[@rickynaicker7313]

Great list

[@shanmughansubramani7837]

What about Conrad hunte,Glenn Turner,Stephen Fleming

[@surendrapatnaik9735]

SirJack Hobbs,Bert Surtcliff,Desmond Hayens,Simpson,should have found places.

[@infidelhindu]

Hobbs was #3 in the above list

[@subodhkundap9186]

Deshmond Haynes......Chris Gayle.....Sanath Jayasurya......

[@rogerhinds6583]

Some of these guys avg may be good but they dont have enough runs

[@sachinsharma-cz4lf]

Whoever is composing this list is only going by batting average without giving any regard to the kind of fast bowlers the batsmen faced. Gavaskar should be ranked at the top. Haynes and Gordon Greenidge should be featured more prominently. Frankly not a very well thought out list

[@maqsoodmalik4925]

Why Hanif Mohd is not in the list, much better than many mentioned

[@raymondporter2094]

Impossible to judge accurately throughout the ages but I believed it would be Herbert Sutcliffe at No 1 and Leonard Hutton not far behind.

[@connorduke4619]

At the time, Hobbs was always rated higher than Sutcliffe.

[@raymondporter2094]

@@connorduke4619 Both Hobbs (the first cricketing knight) and Sutcliffe were Greats of the game.

[@muslehuddin110]

Greenidge was the best Also Michael Slater should be included in the list

[@laydelawtrotman6026]

Imagine Haynes name isn't on the list of opening batsmen, Gayle who made two times triple centuries in test cricket names is missing too. Them bias minded people that select some names that people don't knows of and with the least runs for a opening batsmen like Gayle. Them selection always different from the statistics.

[@kiannahom]

I appreciate that everyone can have differing choices, but when you put forth a "Greatest" list for public consumption there needs to be something more than just total numbers to justify a ranking - maybe an analysis or other criteria or a supporting commentary to uphold the choices. Even so, if plain numbers are the criteria, then I am not sure if Bruce Mitchell (who scored only 2390 runs - most of it against one country) can justifiably be put at number four especially if you excluded, in the list, the likes of Desmond Haynes, Chris Gayle, Jayasuria, to name a few, all of whom piled a huge number of runs at a high strike rate against several teams. If total number of runs is not the only criteria, then one could include players like Barry Richards, whose sublime destructiveness and class was rated most highly by all his peers - but suffered from being able to play only 4 tests (Still, where he averaged 72)

[@rajendrasingh-nj3bb]

Didn't know about bruce mitchell from south africa.

[@tusharshinde7109]

I Think Viru Is No1 Best Opnar Batsman Oll Formats He Is Denjaras Batsman

[@saumyesharma6746]

I don't understand the ranking system. What are the basis?

[@dupreemottley7320]

Absolute comedy this..David Warner ahead of Gordon Greenidge lolololol

[@trevissobers6764]

That list is a bush wak put out by the ecb

[@seshadrisrinath9120]

Hey man, Gavaskar's highest score was 236 in Chepauk against the West Indies. Not 221 (which he made against england at the oval). Never mind, he made 236 not as opened, though he walked in at 0 for 2 in the 2nd over.

[@satishb17]

Gavaskar scored more than 10000 runs and hit 34 centuries. Update your records

[@seshadrisrinath9120]

@@satishb17 I think he's counting only the runs/centuries/HS etc etc scored as opener. Gavaskar's HS is 236 in chepauk against WI. But he was not an opener in that match.

[@saadbhojani1059]

Where is Hanif Mohammad?

[@adhirajdutt9143]

You have Sunil gavaskars figures wrong..He has more than 10 thousand runs in tests.

[@originaldjlecturer]

Bull shit two of the greatest openers in cricket are Desmond and Grindige

[@akalyanaraman9780]

Some of the best operners of India, Pakistan and srilanka and new zealand are missing

[@nkosiwilson9179]

How the hell a man that has 3 triple centuries is not on this list shameful

[@kannanr2981]

Virender sehwag.is the only opening batsman.2 triple hundred and strike rate 82

[@user-je1sr9wl5x]

Sunil Gavaskar's career figures are wrong. He is the first batter to score 10000 runs

[@tvmraf]

Barry Richards was easily the most prolific and technically correct of all those listed.. Start talking about who were the second best ..

[@shanmughansubramani7837]

Ii think des hàynes and Conrad hunt deserve a place instead of Mitchell and graeme smith.

[@stewartdavies929]

Arthur Morris, Bob Simpson, Desmond Haynes, Roy Fredericks, Lawrence Rowe, even Michael Slater….all ranked below Marcus Trescothic? Lmao

[@usmanahmed8027]

From thumbnail looks like Randy Orton 😂😂😂

[@ashleymey3144]

Is that Graham Gooch

[@connorduke4619]

Yes, the bunny of Terry Alderman. Lbw for a duck about 10 times to Alderman.

[@markbaston8147]

Wasn't Andy Flower an opening batsmen?

[@jungleking1376]

Chris Gayle and Desmond Haynes should be on that list. Not Justin Longer. Cook should be in top ten. Michael Artherton better opener that Vaughan

[@manoharmarandi7205]

Sunny was the best.

[@kanchansarkar7527]

For Sunil Gavaskar statistics is wrong. I am sure Gavaskar scored over 10000 runs and the first batsman to score 10k in test cricket. Please check before circulating wrong information.

[@ajaykulkarni3842]

Runs counted as an opening batsman not total runs scored at other position 😊

[@rubadubsoldier1419]

I only watch this to see how many English and Australian players would be featured. Surely if you had gone back to 1066 more English players would have featured. You miss a trick there.

[@PaulA-bv1rt]

Keith Stackpole / Ian Redpath.

[@user-zt2ez1sx6e]

सुनील गावस्कर 125 टेस्ट खेले हैं और 10000 से ज्यादा रन उन्होंने बनाया है,

[@MAliChauhan]

Saeed Anwar has scored runs with 45.5 % average in Test Matches and played 55 test matches. I disagree and it’s white opening batsman’s list. Not the top 20 Openers of the world.

[@connorduke4619]

Top 20 English country cricket openers. ;)

[@waynemarchel9667]

Jack Hobbs and len Hutton play only against two or three countrys,to me and I say for a lot of people Gorden Greenwich/Desmond Haynes and Mathew Hayden/Justin langer,were obvious the greatest opening batsma,you can throw in Alistair Cook too,the others are a long way away

[@robertcameron3709]

You're talking nonsense, and by your own standards you've left out Gavaskar and Sehwag who both averaged over 50.

[@waynemarchel9667]

@@robertcameron3709 mate gavaskar was boring to watch he was so slow he would watch start his innings in the morning by the afternoon he would be 30 or 40 runs

[@robertcameron3709]

@@waynemarchel9667 you don't get points for entertainment. The very greatest batsman of all time, and the man who developed the modern game, stated the case quite clearly, " its a batsmans job to score runs, not to look pretty." By the standard you seem to have applied how could you exclude Sehwag?

[@waynemarchel9667]

@@robertcameron3709 sewage is there up with the others I mention

[@robertcameron3709]

@@longjohn5322 never seen points for entertainment value on a scorecard. People like an entertainer but they prefer a winner.

[@wayneelliott7011]

The 2 best opening batsmen I saw were Gavaskar & Barry Richards, I obviously never saw the Top 4. Lawry was a better batsmen than Cook so should be higher than him.

[@eddiedass]

stats are not updated..according to this video Gavaskar is yet to score his10,000 test runs...

[@knowitall6677]

Other runs where scores whilst not playing as an opener.

[@crickstats]

@@knowitall6677 Correct

[@MyPaddy2011]

No Bobby Simpson?

[@rogerhinds6583]

Desmond haynes and godon grenidge the greatest opening pair and haynes missing ...bias

[@jagannadhveluvarti]

WHERE IS SACHIN ? HOW ABOUT GANGULY.

[@richardthompson9127]

Sachin never opened in test cricket, ganguly once and scored 11 runs, how can either be in a list of best test openers?

[@robertcameron3709]

Duh!

[@paulmcenery4828]

No Michael Slater? or Desmond Haynes. I don't think so, Justin Langer no way and David Warner rated far too high averages under 30 overseas - rethink please :)

[@subramanismani3109]

Waste list , many top players not considered like Cris Gayle , sunil Gavaskar under rated. At least he should place top three positions.

[@dr.arunavachattopadhyay2399]

Desmond Haines not there ?

[@ashoknair8840]

Desmond Haynes not in this list?

[@captainamerica5945]

This is a sick joke 🤣😂🤣😂

[@sirajchandratalukdar9629]

Sunil Gavaskar 's statistics are wrong. First batsman to score 10000 runs.

[@trilokpandya9748]

Not go through only figure, Sutclif & Jack hobbs you can put above Sunil. Other had not played sufficient matches. Either you consider minimum 5000 runs or minimum 50 test matches.

[@williambarnett4255]

Gooch got 8,900 test match runs, not 7,811

[@robindonnell816]

dont know how they come up with this list. not on averages thats for sure

[@shayj2550]

Wasn't Sachin Tendulkar an opener? Did i miss his name?

[@connorduke4619]

Only in ODIs.

[@nabamishra2710]

The all time greatest should be sunil gavaskar not anyone other than him

[@gavinscott8903]

Sid Barnes ?

[@adwait73]

What a stupid post, Sunil Gavaskar total runs 10133, Highest 236* . Where is Desmond Haynes, Jeff Marsh, David Boon, Conrad Hunt, Vinoo Mankad, Pankaj Roy, Saeed Anwar ???

[@richardthompson9127]

That top score was batting at 4, not opening

[@adwait73]

@@richardthompson9127 that was the only time Sunil Gavaskar asked Kapil to send him in middle order because of continuous slip position. He wanted rest and recovery. Unfortunately India lost early wickets and Gavaskar had to go to bat within first 3 overs. Viv Richards taunted Gavaskar "hey no matter no matter when you come to bat, score is till zero". His rest double hundreds 220 in debut seris against Windies, 221 against England, 205 against West Indies were all opening

[@richardthompson9127]

@@adwait73 but it was as a no. 4 batsman NOT as an opener, so it is irrelevant to his performances as one of the greatest opening batsmen ever