most test runs

If you are not fit, then it means your careless, unlucky. In order to be a good player, you need to be able to last long and talent/hardwork does the rest. All those players you mentioned Sledger were very good but they must have lasted long enough for them to be recognized even today. My knowledge before the 90s and for that matter even 2000s is a little limited and the fact that I know who you are talking about shows how good and fit they must have been. If you make your debut at 34 and play until 37 but with consistency, you will be remembered but in that same time if you were injured for the most part, you would not be remembered or considered great.

On a side note, Kallis can change gears and so can Dravid. They wouldn't have lasted long if they could not. Just check their T20 records and it says enough about their adaptability.

Originally posted by spin wizard Guys like Dravid and Chanderpaul can change games but they played in a team where it was really required.

You mean not required. Sachin, Yuvraj, Sehwag, Dhoni, Lara, Gayle, Sarwan. All of them are top class players with a very good strike rate in all formats. This forced Dravid, Chanderpaul to slow down as someone was needed to anchor and keep the innings steady. No one other than them could do it perfectly so they had to keep their speed limited unless needed.

I agree about the weights but I'm sure the players know what they are doing and they must have really good physios so I don't think weights would be too much of a factor. They tend to injure themselves a lot on the field or right after a game or just before a big series. I think they are just not being careful enough.

Now that I look back at it, it was a petty mistake I should have overlooked.

Ponting has a few more games to make some more runs. Don't think Rahul will overtake him DF I'm afraid. Dravid's been the most solid player for India for a long time and those 2 tons would have done a heck of a lot for his confidence. How much longer you reckon he's got? I think he never wants to retire but I don't think he'll want to be dropped and never picked again either. I reckon 1-2 years max, as there's some nice talent in India at the moment and the rest of the batsmen are doing well.

make that 7 more.

Originally posted by zuhair_abbasi ... to be on the stage for so long does indicate you have to be a very fine player. Fitness and longevity have to be given their due share when judging players.

 Agreed . Hunger goes a long way as well and I've a sneaking feeling that the top blokes quite like playing the game !

Key word you have used to describe Sachin is hunger. He hasn't stopped playing cricket for probably 30 years now , since he was a kid and top level cricket for 20 years. I suppose even if he only played 60 tests he'd still be up there and the fact that the very best , Bradman, stated that Sachin was the one batsman he saw that was most similar to him (and Bradman saw all those played you mentioned above) then that's a big claim on his part. Sachin is in my top 5 batsmen ever that's for sure and I'm not a huge fan of his, although it might come across that way.

He's not the same since those tennis elbow and other injuries. Probably since 2001 or 2002 he's just a different player. I think for the sake of his legacy he should have retired, but obviously that means little to him. 

Look, as far as I'm concerned, Tendulkar hasn't done himself no harm by continuing playing.  He has still maintained a very good average in both Tests and ODI's and has even adapted to the T20 format for Mumbai in the IPL - it just shows how good he is.

No batsman has ever played under the pressure that Tendulkar has had to endure. The expectation has never dropped , especially when playing at home.  I'm amazed that he's maintained such a level of excellence and managed to sleep at night !

That is captaincy , not his batting. No one rates him as a captain. And it was not Aussie Media, it was one former cricketer who said that.

Yes. I agree look at my posts. He said himself he'd quit captaincy and just play as a batsman. For mine that would be great for Aust cricket.

Originally posted by Sledger I'm amazed that he's maintained such a level of excellence and managed to sleep at night !

Yeah,the sleeps the important bit!

Yes I agree Ponting isn't the greatest captain in the world but he maintains that side and I cant see anyone else doing a better job of that then him. And yes MalhotraRaj84 I think the aus media will certainly be the end of Ponting now if he has a slight off patch. I actually can no longer see him making the 2013 ashes and think tendulkar is now uncatchable by ponting or anyone else in terms of test runs. Tendulkar is just a bit too far in advance and as you said the indian media wont jump on him if he goes through a bad patch the way the aus media will with ponting. I dont understand the media obsession with negativity over older players out of form. Id like to see ponting go on to the 2013 ashes but unless he plays at his peak till then I think its an impossibility. I think next summer could be the end of ponting. But as milk said ponting has the desire to stay on as a batsmen regardless of captaincy but I think an attempt will be made sooner rather then later to rid this team of ponting and that is a sad thing.

Edited by punterrulz - 17 December 2009 at 12:36pm