View Full Version : Matthew Hayden or Virender Sehwag
DoubleO7
4 Aug 2010, 23:18
Two of the more brutal openers of the past decade. Both these openers play an exhilarating brand of cricket; they love to take the bowlers on.
Sehwag has recently just passed 7000 Test runs, whilst Hayden amassed a total of 8625 runs over his stellar career - the most of any Australian opener.
So, if you were given the option of either Hayden or Sehwag, who would you go with?
Matthew Hayden:
Matches: 103
Runs: 8625
Average: 50.73 (S/R 60.10)
100's/50's: 30/29
Virender Sehwag:
Matches: 79
Runs: 7027
Average: 54.89 (S/R 81.62)
100's/50's: 20/23
Two of the more brutal openers of the past decade. Both these openers play an exhilarating brand of cricket; they love to take the bowlers on.
Sehwag has recently just passed 7000 Test runs, whilst Hayden amassed a total of 8625 runs over his stellar career - the most of any Australian opener.
So, if you were given the option of either Hayden or Sehwag, who would you go with?
Matthew Hayden:
Matches: 103
Runs: 8625
Average: 50.73 (S/R 60.10)
100's/50's: 30/29
Virender Sehwag:
Matches: 79
Runs: 7027
Average: 54.89 (S/R 81.62)
100's/50's: 20/23
When Sehwag gets in he rarely goes out for anything short of a 100 and from there India usually go on to win the test match or draw at worst. Stunning to watch and is pure excitment. Hayden was a super player who was butal as an opener, however Sehwag has some kind of auror around him what makes m not be able to go past him.
Belnakor
5 Aug 2010, 01:55
Both tend to be flat track bullies, so its an interesting comparison. The thing about Sehway though is he does tend to fail alot, probably too much for an opener IMHO so i'd prolly go with Haydos... but as long as Sehwag is going to get to 50, then sehwag all the way
I came on today to post a 'How good is Sehwag?' thread.
The guy is a freak. His strike rate has never dropped below 60 in his entire career.
Last 3 years - 27 tests (inc 6 against Aus), 8 hundreds, 2800 runs, avg 65, s/r 91 (91!!). As an opener.
He makes the big hundreds - he's got 2 triples, and 4 doubles and 7 other 150+. As to consistency, Sehwag has reached 50 in 32.09% of his innings, Hayden in 32.07% - so identical. Hayden has made slightly more 100s, and slightly more ducks - but the differences are too small to be significant. They are the same, consistently.
And here's the most amazing - In Sehwag's last 50 innings, only 2 have been made at less than 50 S/R. One was a duck, and the other was 0*. 18 have been made at more than 100 S/R.
Hayden had only 10 innings in his career over 100 S/R - one century and one 50 (ok, it was a 99). Sehwag has 33 - inc 4 centuries and 3 50s.
You might argue via stats that Hayden may have been more effective under some circumstances (although it's tough), but I would choose Sehwag because of the scoring rate. He can put the team into a dominating position in the game after a session.
whats_at_stake
5 Aug 2010, 15:32
Other teams tend to declare a lot later in the innings if Sehwag is playing simply due to the fact the amount of quick runs he scores.
Belnakor
5 Aug 2010, 16:53
As to consistency, Sehwag has reached 50 in 32.09% of his innings, Hayden in 32.07% - so identical.
surprising stats.
I think the thing about Haydos is people forget the rich vein of form he was in prior to his form slump. At one point he was hitting a ton every couple of innings, the highest ratio of anyone bar bradman. Unfortunately the last quarter of his career he declined a bit.
I'm surpirsed Sehway has only 6 doubles, feels like he has like 20.
bombersno1
5 Aug 2010, 18:28
Rather Hayden for my side, as he has made more runs under the pump. Plus he is better in the field, and I have to look at that component as well.
Bomber Bears
5 Aug 2010, 18:30
Justin Langer
Seriously, Sehwag. Both have a bit of flat track bully about them, but I dont think the stats do justive to how good Hayden was from about 00-04. His early years werent too crash hot either, wasnt really till he replaced Blewett that he came into his own.
Mind you Sehwag had a few woeful years up until about the time India toured Australia last. He's been awesome since then and when he gets in he's near impossible to stop.
Was there when Shewag nearly scored a double ton against Australia at the MCG in just a day.
At their best both could pulverise opposistion bowling, but i'll give my vote to Virender
A few years back I'd have said Hayden, but Sehwag has surpassed him in recent years. Hayden's fielding is more important than Sehwag's bowling, though. Even so, it isn't enough to have me pick him ahead of Virender.
Would take Hayden every time as a limited overs player, though.
Spudregus_87
5 Aug 2010, 23:57
Where's the 'Both' option? :D
Was there when Shewag nearly scored a double ton against Australia at the MCG in just a day.
At their best both could pulverise opposistion bowling, but i'll give my vote to Virender
He almost scored a triple century in a day last year, he was dismissed for 284 not out (was dismissed for 293), the scary thing was he didnt start his innings till 45 minutes into the first session :eek:....imgaine having them both open up!
the_big_sav
6 Aug 2010, 16:46
doesnt sehwag only average like 20-30 in '2nd' innings?
doesnt sehwag only average like 20-30 in '2nd' innings?
thats not a bad thing, means he makes all his runs in the first innings when it matters.
both careers have gone down the same sough of path, both looked like they wern't going to make it at one stage but they both turned it around into some really rich veins of form.
only question remains is will Sehwag have a big drop of form at the end like Haydos did?
Minotaur
6 Aug 2010, 17:13
On what basis are people saying Sehwag is a flat track bully? He has scored plenty of runs against us - probably the best attack for the majority of his career.
Hayden declined in the last part of his career - and Sehwag will too. They might end up with pretty similar averages.
The succesful parts of Hayden's carrer were based on executing two shots really well: the drive and the pull shot. That is why there were periods where good teams managed to work Hayden out. To his immense credit he re-invented himself a bit after that 2005 ashes series.
Sehwag has a greater variety of stroke play which is why he is harder to shut down and why he can score so quickly. It is also why I would take Sehwag first.
Cousin Jed
6 Aug 2010, 20:30
On what basis are people saying Sehwag is a flat track bully? He has scored plenty of runs against us - probably the best attack for the majority of his career.
The 195 he scored at the MCG our attack was MacGill, Lee, Bracken and Brad Williams. Jason Gillespie and Andy Bichel also featured in that series. McGrath and Warne never played in that series.
Only 3 times did he face an attack of Warne, McGrath, Gillespie
That said I would probably take Sehwag. Great to watch in full flight.
Sehwag has a terrible record in SA against the swinging and bouncing ball.
Minotaur
9 Aug 2010, 16:25
http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/35263.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting
He has played 5 tests in New Zealand and 5 tests in South Africa where he has struggled a bit. Otherwise, he has scored runs pretty much everywhere and against everyone. In fact his average would go up if you took out games against the Bangers.
He also scores averages close to 40 when the team loses.
He is not a flat track bully.
Ill Chicken
10 Aug 2010, 15:53
Not one match winning hundred outside of Asia says it all for me. Great player none the less.