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[LosingNow]

I really do not think that we have yet reached the situation where one has to think of a radical overhaul in the Indian test batting order. SRT, SG, VVS have been in prime form over the last few months and RD is beginning to hopefully get back his touch. That said, I must strongly object to the assertion that Dravid is the greatest test batsman ever produced by India. He is not for the following reasons:

He never had to face the quality of bowling that SMG and Vishy faced and bested. Back in the day, when you faced the Australians, you dealt with Lillee and Thompson; when it was England, it was Botham, Willis, Snow, and Underwood; Pakistan had Imran, Qadir, Sarfraz. Even a New Zealand had a Hadlee. And let me not even bring up the West Indies. Furthermore, for at least ten years, SMG and Vishy faced these people without helmets, and often on uncovered wickets. They also did not have minnow bashing vacations. On the other hand, without taking anything away from Dravid's accomplishments, one has to agree that both he and Ponting hit the rising curve when some of the greatest bowlers of the present era -- Donald, Ambrose, Walsh, Akram, Waqar etc. were either retired or on the decline. I have statistically established this twice in prior threads, so will not do it again. Tendulkar, on the other hand, faced the above men and bested them for the first twelve seasons.

Dravid is a very determined cricketer and technically very sound, but till date no international cricketer worth his salt has ever called him the best (peer recognition I think is a very genuine test as far as this is concerned). On the other hand, Gavaskar and Pataudi have called Vishy the best batsman India has ever produced, Sir Gary Sobers has called Gavaskar the best batsman in the world, and Bradman has compared Tendulkar to himself. There is a reason for that. Dravid simply does not have the mercurial talent of a Tendulkar, the classical elegance of a Gavaskar, or the sublime, but dependable artistry of a Vishy. Dravid can frustrate and wear out bowlers, after 2001 he has perhaps been the Indian batsman to bat for your life, but he cannot make a bowler question his own fundamentals, which the other three men could.

Well said, CLRJ.
I have said this before and it was debated extensively in a thread a few months ago..
1. VVS is the best test batsman in the world today.
2. RD is the best Indian test batsman of this century.
3. SMG was the best Indian test batsman of last century.

[gouravk]

All Im saying is a little rejig wouldnt harm anybody.

Putting VVS at 3, RD at 5 and SG at 6 would be a good idea. It would give RD some breathing space and take the pressure off him while he rediscovers his form.

VVS can do a fantastic job at 3.

I have always maintained that SG is best suited to bat at 6 because when it comes to batting with the tail he can pull off the big shots at will better than VVS/RD.