Chasing Bradman
As you might guess the highest ever batting rating (http://www.lgiccrankings.com/test/batting/all-time-ranking.php) belongs to Bradman (961). Two men are, however, closing in on the record: Ponting (940) the current number one, and Yousuf (933) the current number two. The highest rating for anyone apart from Bradman is 945 and certainly under threat. This begs the question are Ponting and Yousuf really that good? They are now number five and number ten on the best ever rating list and their batting averages are fast approaching sixty. Taking Bradman and Hussey (who has currently only played 12 tests) out the highest batting averages in the history of the game are around sixty (http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/TESTS/BATTING/TEST_BAT_HIGHEST_AVS.html) for players who have more than twenty innings to their name and there are only three of them.

So are Ponting and Yousuf really that good or is it that sixty is the new fifty. With the number of current players with averages above fifty one can argue for the latter. Others who are close are Dravid (58.75), Tendulkar (55.39), Kallis (55.78) while Lara sits at a measley 52.88 and Inzamam at a forgetable 50.36. One year ago no one would have seriously considered Yousuf in the company of the rest of these men. Now, even though he is still not considered in the same class people have begun to speculate whether he can get there. Lara and Tendulkar are considered batting geniuses, Dravid and Kallis have the concentration, the will, the technique, and a knowledge of their limitations, Ponting may have all the qualities but certainly was the most underated player of the last few years. Yousuf as impressive as he was this year still has not won as many games as Inzamam and has dismal records against Australia and South Africa, two teams with probably the best attacks in the game. Pakistan next tour South Africa and Yousuf can clear one of the two major blights on his career. After that there is the world cup. In the next few months, if Yousuf can keep himself going, he can further his case against the best batsmen of this generation. If everything goes as planned in about a little over a year Pakistan will meet Australia and Yousuf will get his chance to prove himself against the best.