How long before Pietersen is number 1?

[John]

How long before Pietersen is regarded the best batsmen in the World? Because surely the likes of Tendulkar, Lara, Ponting and Inzy will go downhill over the next three years. Are there any other contenders to challenge him in the medium term? Maybe Yovraj Singh? Hussey? Are there any other contenders who will be round in two to three years time?

[Rachael]

We've yet to see how Pietersen copes when he's not in top form and surely need to see a rather more sustained run before talking of him in those terms... but that said... he appears to have more about him than Hayden ever did... and Hayden's best took him to the top for a while!

In terms of rivals... it's surely too soon to say.... but I'd still back Michael Clarke to be the real giant of the next decade.

[John]

It's just my educated (??) guess. He is showing great form and of course he has to put in longer run. But there would be no surprises to me if in two years time he is on top and as a South African that gives me no pleasure.
I read an article in one of the quality papers by an ex crickter ( can't remember whom) saying Pietersen reminds of Viv Richards because his batting is all built around a solid defensive technique.

[mudney]

Well at the minute he's batting like a number one, but at the moment he is also not batting against a top quality attack (Vaas is a good bowler, but he hasn't done very well in England in the past). Of course I discount Murali in this assessment, but he even seems to be treating Murali with disdain!!
He has also done it against the best in the world (Australia) so it won't be long I think. How many innings does he have to play to have a full rating in the world ratings?

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by John

I read an article in one of the quality papers by an ex crickter ( can't remember whom) saying Pietersen reminds of Viv Richards because his batting is all built around a solid defensive technique.

The accounts I've read suggest Viv Richards made great use of the fact that he was a big bloke: like Hayden, he was tall enough to play anything but stupidly short balls off the front foot... so he generally used his frame to get that big front pad a long way forward and used that to protect his stumps knowing that he was not really risking LBW dismissal. In that respect I understand that the two players are very comparable.

Of course.. other big blokes (like Hayden) use the same basic tactic... but what seems to set Pietersen and Richards apart from the majority of big men is how light they are on their feet: it's not as if either are rooted to wherever they take their guard.... and the defensive advantages of that were all too apparent when McGrath exposed every other England batsman at Lords last summer.

Add in the supreme confidence in their ability to handle short balls (based on a genuine swivel pull and use of the bat rather than a Hayden/Tresco flat-footed "swat" or a Langer-style bit of ducking and weaving) and I can the case makes a bit of sense - the inclination to dominate might grab the headlines but this parallel is perhaps more significant.

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by mudney

How many innings does he have to play to have a full rating in the world ratings?

40 I believe. I'm going to calculate - if I can - what Pietersen's ranking would be if he had a full rating.

[Lemming]

Pietersen has played 23 innings before this test match. You can only have 70% of total points when you begin your career, this increases (it's not linearly, but it no longer says what it is exactly) to 100% when you complete 40 innings.

So Pietersen has now acheived 70 + (30/40)*23 = 87.25% of his rating which is 678. (Still before this test match).

So if he had his full rating, he would have a rating of approximately 678/0.8725 = 777. This would currently place him at number 10 in the world, edging out Trescothick.

This century, on a low scoring pitch in what could be an English win, would bring up a rating of over 800 probably. This would take him to around number 5 or 6. We will see him go to about 12ish after this match - possibly.

[greg]

Obviously when KP has a full ranking he will be a top 10 player,how high he is ranked among the rest of the world will always be up for discussion because if you take Inzamam as an example he has been constantly forgotten over the last 10 years when people have named their top 3 but he is good enough to be included with the likes of Lara,Waugh and Tendulkar.

I guess it will all depend on your nationality and the type of player you appreciate most.

However he is regarded i am just glad he is English (allegedly ) and we don't have to bowl at him.

[Vrock]

KP is currently in excellent touch, and just like Mike Hussey has (and problem will continue to do), he needs to cash in now whilst his bat is hot and score lots of runs.

I think there will be a few batsmen in three years contending for world number one:

KP
Ponting
Hussey

These three for me look like they could be the most consistent performers over the next few years and once Ponting is out of the frame I see no reason why KP can't get to the top spot.

[Mongoose]

As Rachael said earlier, we need to have a longer look at KP. But he has had a very good first year in test cricket, and it is amazing to think that he was being criticised in the winter.

As for possible challengers, Ponting has 5 years or more left at the top, as has Kallis. Pietersen will need to up his game to match these two. Mohammed Yousuf continues to be an excellent player, although he will also have to improve if he is to reach the very top.

Of the younger players, I'm not sure. I have been impressed by Salman Butt, but we will learn more about him when he plays on English wickets. Sehwag still has time on his side, and could recapture his scintillating form of 2-3 years ago.