Forget number 3s.

Ponting IS the best batsmen of the ERA.

That includes Lara, Tendaulkar, Richards, Chappell,etc....

When all the arguments subside about quality of opposition, how they look, technique, etc. The only true indicator is averages. And i mean averages against countries that can actually play cricket...

His average is comparable with Tendaluker, Dravid and Kallis(All up around the mid 50s). However, look at Tendaulker, Kallis and Dravid's averages against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. That combines with the number of innings played against these minnows, has bumped their averages up by app. 2-4.

Conversely, ponting has played only a couple of innings against both countries with a surprisingly modest average.

Take out averages against these 2 countries and Pontings still stands at around 58, whilst the others drop back down to about 52-53.

yet another century for ponting... he has now scored 557 runs in just 3 test matches this year, awesome effort....

Also he became only the second person ever to score Centuries in both innings of a test match on 3 occasions....

he has also scored 1238 runs in his 9 test matches since last years ashes series... 7 centuries & 5 half-centuries included... in doing so he has also moved up to fifth on the all-time test century makers list..

these stats alone surely must convince all of you that he is without a doubt the best no.3 and best batsman in the world....

i didn't say that dravid didn't have the ability to change his temperament... i know full well he does.. and i know full well he can score quickly in the One day version of the game...

my point was in Tests dravid tends to anchor the innings, and you surely must agree that in at least 85% of his test innings he doesn't dominate the bowlers in the same fashion tha ponting does.... he most likely does have the ability, but he rarely shows it in the longer version of the game... as i said though, both are fantastic, 2 of the greatest (big call, but i'm willing to make it, as i beleive both players would have been successful in any era) its just personal preference really

Some stats for batting at No. 3 in tests....

Ponting (105 innings) has scored 5882 runs at an average of 65.35 with 21 centuries and 21 half centuries... (this is excluding the test he is currently playing in, which he scored another century)

Dravid (126 innings) has scored 6818 at an average of 61.42 with 17 centuries and 34 half centuries....

Malik... according to Statsguru on Cricinfo has never batted at no.3 ??? which in effect rules him out of this argument of the best 1st down....

Anyway, with the stats above for ponting and dravid, both are equally fantastic players and as i said before, a pretty much inseperable except for 1 thing...

the fact that ponting has the ability to change the game in an instant and can take any bowling attack in the world apart... or by the same token batten down the hatches if required (his 156 in the ashes, 103 in the current test against SA, and 104 from 290 balls against a WI attack including Walsh and Ambrose)...

but really when it all comes down to it, both are great... it's just a matter of personal preference... mines ponting

well thanks for givng me this title, if supporting your team is being biased,then i think all of us are biased........!

i still say shoab malik is the best No 3 player in the world right now....

hawk eye is one of the most biased persons i have ever seen. he is comparing malik with the likes of ponting and dravid.

they r the dons of cricket whereas he is still a kid who has to learn a lot to match the likes of the above two.

if he had said inzy i wouldn't have mind as he is also a very good player but shoaib mailk?

hmmm nice to see that some more well balanced and highly intellegent individuals have joined the forums to lower all of our IQ's.....

will you please explain how on earth either Shoaib Malik or Kumar Sangakkarra are better than Ponting or Dravid ??? how about making a logical decision and explaining why than just raving on with a whole load of crap just because they are a player from your country...

honestly how the hell is shoaib malik "by far the best onedown batsman at the moment"... since the start of Australia's series against WI Ricky Ponting has scored 1022 runs in 7 tests (excluding the current test) at an average or 85.... please show me the figures that support your statement or malik being better than ponting....

and hawkeye u not knowing who munaf patel is, proves that either u watch only pakistan games or u r a kid who has just started watching cricket.so pls keep your biased comments with u only.