In the latest episode of our ‘Best One-Day International XI’ we choose the man to bat at number four in our side. Having already selected our openers and number three, here we cast our eye over the best players in the world who stride to the crease at two wickets down.
The role of the fourth batsman in the team is to possess versatility in both their technique and mentality, given that they may be faced with either walking in with their team in strife at the loss of two early wickets, or, conversely, having had a good start from which they must then continue the momentum their team has already gained. They must be as technically proficient enough to fend off rampant bowlers as they are at taking on the spinners.
As always, there is a criteria to make our shortlist; here, it is a minimum of 700 runs specifically at number four since January 1 2016. Surprisingly, only ten players meet this requirement. They are: Ross Taylor (2948 runs), Eoin Morgan (2208), Mushfiqur Rahim (2019), Kusal Mendis (928), Dinesh Chandimal (865), Mohammad Hafeez (863), AB de Villiers (829), Marlon Samuels (800), George Bailey (748) and Brendan Taylor (711).
Boundary Hitting
It is no surprise to see De Villiers, the man who holds the record for the fastest ever ODI century off 31 balls, towards the top of the list when it comes to boundary striking. He is the most prolific at hitting fours with the data sample, averaging one every 11.48 balls, slightly more than Morgan (11.9) and Brendan Taylor (11.88), and sits behind only Morgan (28.47) and the evergreen Hafeez (52.89) when it comes to clearing the ropes, his average of one every 54.93 balls slightly behind the Pakistani’s in second.
Morgan’s brutal nature was best illustrated in his murderous 148 off 71 balls against Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup, which included a staggering 17 sixes – a world record. Even if we discount this anomalous individual performance, the England captain still possesses the lowest balls-per-six ratio amongst this data set (his figure rises to one every 36.27 deliveries faced), suggesting that, his assault on the Afghani bowlers notwithstanding, he is clearly the most adept six-hitter within the group.
The outlier is clearly Chandimal, who has the highest ratio of balls-per-four and balls-per-six, but the presence of his fellow countryman – the powerful Mendis -should be acknowledged here.
The fact that Sri Lanka have two representatives, both with over 1000 balls faced at number four within the time period, shows that they are both clearly comfortable and experienced in the position. Their respective skill-sets dovetail naturally – Chandimal seemingly less expansive and more reserved, Mendis more inclined to look for the aggressive option – and so, therefore, offer their side the option of sending either in depending on the situation they face and the specific skills needed at that time. 10-2? Chandimal’s the man. 150-2? In strides Mendis.
Average and Strike Rate
When comparing average and strike-rate – the amount of runs scored per 100 balls faced – with De Villiers and Morgan the pair who showed the greatest penchant for boundary hitting in the previous section, it is no surprise to see the duo at the top of the graph (below).
They are the two with the highest strike-rate amongst the group, the South African being the only player to boast a strike rate larger than 100, however his average is only the fifth highest. Looking further down the graph, the biggest trend is for those who are neither particularly aggressive in their striking nor rack up consistently weighty scores. The most consistent from a run-scoring perspective is Ross Taylor, the New Zealander enjoying an exceptionally healthy average of 61.41 – the only player whose average exceeds 50 (albeit Mushfiqur is only a fraction under at 49.24).
The weakest in this aspect is clearly Samuels who, like Chandimal in the previous section, is the lowest in both categories, the experienced Jamaican averaging 27.58 at a strike rate of 74.48.
Taking this one step further, combining both of these scores gives a clearer overall picture as to who is the strongest when taking both into consideration.
The quick-scoring De Villiers sits top in this aspect, his outstanding strike-rate accounting for his weaker average to culminate in a score of 151.45. The opposite is true for Ross Taylor, who is just behind De Villiers with a score of 147, whilst Morgan is third with a score of 145.14. Aside from the top three, Mushfiqur (133.4) is the only other player with a score above 130, suggesting a significant gap between those at the top and the rest of the field. As alluded to above, Samuels lingers at the bottom due to his meagre scores in both areas
Pace or Spin?
As already mentioned, a number four is likely to spend as much time facing pace as they are spin, given that they usually enter the fray at a time when the slower bowlers have been introduced. As a result, they are therefore in a position to be able to demonstrate their worth against both due to the higher levels of exposure they face.
The data for this area shows a wider spread than seen in previous categories in the article, suggesting a wider range of individual skill-sets and preferences.
It is quite clear to see De Villiers’ proclivity for taking on the quicker bowlers in comparison to spinners. His average against pacemen is 8.45 runs higher than Mushfiqur in second, but remarkably he is also the worst-performing player against spin, with an average of 19.71. For a world-class player such as he, known as one of the pioneers of 360-degree batting, to possess such a paltry return against the slower bowlers is surprising indeed.
At the other end of the spectrum, Bailey’s position towards the top left-hand corner of the graph indicates his taste for facing spin. Just like De Villiers, he is one of the stand-out performers in one field whilst also being one of the worst in the other – although he is slightly ahead of Hafeez when it comes to averaging against pace.
Bailey’s case is an interesting one. All of the data gathered around him was collected in 2016, as his last ODI appearance came on December 9 of that year against their trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand. He clearly hit a purple patch that year, with only eight men surpassing his run total in the three-and-a-bit years since.
Much like when analysing respective averages and strike-rates, combining a batsman’s average against both bowling types gives a clearer indication as to the overall picture of their respective ability – as can be seen below.
When doing so, it is Ross Taylor who comes out on top, his average of 88.22 almost 11 runs clear of Chandimal in second. The ability to be equally as good against both disciplines is demonstrated by Mendis’ position in fourth – taking us on to the final analysing metric in this section.
A batsman’s Overall Average is worked out by taking away their difference between respective averages against pace and spin from their overall cumulative total – thereby rewarding those who, like Mendis, are as good against both, and punishing those who show a clear differing levels of ability against one form of the other – such as De Villiers and Bailey. The table of results can be seen below.
Again, it is Ross Taylor who reigns supreme here with Chandimal in second and Mendis in third, with previous high-flyers De Villiers and Bailey brought down owing to their overwhelming inclinations against pace and spin respectively. In fact, the legendary South African sits in the penultimate position, his score – 39.42 – greater than Hafeez’s of 38.42 only. Zimbabwean Taylor is a player well represented here, his score of 63.82 resulting in a very respectable fourth place.
Length of innings against run rate
In order to analyse a player’s impact over the course of the game, runs scored per ball (RpB) and balls-per-dismissal (BpD) can be used to take a look at both how long they occupy the crease and then how quickly they score whilst doing so. With RpB a more immediate version of strike-rate, it measures a player’s overall impact on the match in a ball-by-ball capacity. The graph is displayed below.
De Villiers’ powerful game is well illustrated again with his position in the upper half of the graph, although his risky nature is the reason for his lower BpD in comparison to others. The standout when it comes to batting time is clearly Ross Taylor, although honourable mentions should go to Chandimal and Mushfiqur too for their time spent at the crease whilst also scoring at a respectable RpB. Taylor’s conscientiousness is clearly one of the reasons he is able to possess the highest average of the group. Morgan, meanwhile, is more of the De Villiers ilk given his quicker scoring rate and shorter time at the crease, whilst Samuels’ overall approach looks somewhat questionable in comparison to those around him.
Selection…
When taking into account all of these metrics, we have produced an overall Batting Index to objectively select the best player to fill the number four slot in our side – and there is a clear winner.
Using our unique metric New Zealander Taylor is the conclusive selection, his index of 228.06 belittling those around him given that he is the only man to pass a score of 200. When combining his scoring rate, average and proficiency against both bowling types he is the clear stand-out, streets ahead of Chandimal (192.73) in second place and De Villiers (190.85) in third, who just pipped Morgan (190.46) to a place on the podium.
He may not be one of the most powerful or eye-catching players in the game, but there can be no doubting Taylor’s quality, as he has shown time and time again for his nation via his 21 centuries. He is a shining example for how, when combining a proper technique with a modern-day mindset, you do not have to be the most powerful player to be one of the world’s best.
Current side
- Rohit Sharma (India)
- David Warner (Australia)
- Virat Kohli (India)
- Ross Taylor (New Zealand)