Bradman, Tendulkar and Smith: Who is the greatest in Tests?
Sir Donald Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Smith have dictated the show in Test cricket in three different eras. It's safe to say that Bradman and Tendulkar were perhaps the greatest names in Test cricket as they dominated the game by a large fashion. Coming to today's era. Smith has captured all imaginations of being in that company. Here's more.
There is no doubt that Bradman set the tone and the standard of batting in Test cricket with some enriching displays in an illustrious career. He was a real champion and mastered the art of batting even in the most difficult scenarios. The Aussie legend, in particular, dictated the show in The Ashes. He was different class and his impact was top notch.
In 52 Tests, Bradman scored 6,996 runs with a best of 334 at 99.94. He amassed 29 tons and 13 fifties. His Test average is something that will stay on forever. What set him apart was his impact in The Ashes. In 37 Test matches, he scored a whopping 5,028 runs at 89.78. He accounted for the most important records that are unbreakable.
Tendulkar's application and longevity were his biggest traits as a successful cricketer. He came in and went on to achieve great heights in the game in a golden era against some of the best bowling attacks. As a complete batsman across formats, Tendulkar became an icon and an inspiration for one and all. Tendulkar boasted of all the numbers in a long career.
Tendulkar played 200 Tests for India and went on to amass the most runs (15,921). He hit 51 tons and 68 fifties to at 53.78. To maintain the consistency for so many years made him a special talent. Also, he got runs everywhere.
Steve Smith has been a revelation in modern times and the records speak for himself. He has made it a habit of scoring big runs and helping Australia win matches. With 6,973 runs at 64.56, Smith has the second best Test average after Bradman. Smith contributes close to 20% of Australia's Test runs. That's a significant contribution. He has been influential for the Aussies.
In Tendulkar's time especially in the 2000s, India had the luxury of several legends alongside him like Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag to get those runs collectively. The current Aussie team is over reliant on Smith and do not have well equipped batsmen. So naturally, Smith's contributions become more important. Bradman was above everyone else in his era.
Bradman is the arguably the greatest ever to grace the game of cricket. There can be nobody that will ever reach his heights. After Bradman, there were many players that came in and made a huge impact across decades. One of them was Tendulkar, whose run-scoring delights stood out. Smith has definitely earned his name amongst the greatest Test batsmen and is special talent.
