I think I'm right in saying that over the last five years, AB de Villiers has been the only batsman to average more than 60 in both Tests and ODIs

Ooops,not sure of his age

Yh an is definately the best in the world without a shadow of a doubt. But I think he doesn't qualify with his age.

Steve Smith to me is the only one to perform in all conditions and is forever improving.

I'd put Williamson 2nd

Root 3rd but let's see if he has got over Johnson

1) Kohli
2) Smith
3) Rahane/Root

Mathews is overrated for some reason. His away record as a batsman is worse than Ashwin.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Defo Kohli even though he had a right nightmare in the UK last year.

Joe root will end up scoring more runs than all of em..

Smith wont get a run in England if he plays across the line like he does in Australian conditions. Its ok when the ball bounces over the stumps.. England will bowl a 4stump line at him .. and then bring the ball back now and then.

The best player across all 3 formats is Smith without question. He doesn't just score runs in run of the mill series but also performs in knock out cricket unlike a certain Kohli who goes missing in knock out cricket when the real pressure is on not to forget how woeful he was in England.

Kohli couldn't manage English conditions. England bowled very straight at him and he struggled..
Its ok playing the drives and cuts and pulls.. But when the balls full and swings late you got problems. That's why Steyn is such a deadly bowler. Its not the fact hes quick. Its the late movement that's the killer.

To be fair Kohli wasn't the only Indian who struggled last summer in England..

Root Williamson and Smith are well out ahead in terms of young and up and coming batsmen

Smith averaged 38 last time out in England and scored a century, I think most would agree he has improved since then.

I'd say he has already got a run or two in England, how did Joe Root get on in Australia? Root is obviously a very fine player and he may well end up with more runs.

Kohli couldn't manage English conditions. England bowled very straight at him and he struggled..
----------
It was his first time in england if i remember correctly, sometimes players just need to get used to the english conditions which are very difficult for newbies.

Hes done very well in India, Australia, NZ and South Africa so we can cut him some slack.

Anyway Root looked like a lost puppie in Australia what was his excuse then?

Only reason why Root might score more runs is the shere amount of test cricket england play.

hahaha you go on about it was Kohli first tour of England and use that as an excuse and forget it was Roots first tour of Australia..
Kohli was useless in England because his technique was found wanting..
Last time around in Australia the wickets were unbelievable flat.
India scored 450/500 and still lost games.. It was more the facts the pitches were flat that Kohli scored runs.
When Root played the year before.. The pitches had more pace. England couldn't cope with the trajectory and bounce of Johnson..

England batsmen like Cook/Root and Bell.. will never get the credit they deserve.. If they aint from some fair off paradise and play beach cricket.. They come from England so they cant be any good. Its England after all.
Cook will end up with 1300/14000 runs. Root will probably get 10-000 runs and Bell 9000 runs if he carries on etc.
But they are English so they are useless. Not like world beating Kohli hes indian and wow some of his innings are world class.
Bell and root have had some great innings for England. But nope they are English.

Think your going abit overboard there EnglandWhoelse.

You also have to understand batting in england is (on the whole) the hardest place to bat in the world

Well not if your from England.

My Top 3 would be -

1 - Kohli
2 - Root
3 - Williamson

I look at Steve Smith and im thinking hows he making these runs, his technique imo is very flawed but we will see in the ashes as this will be his 2nd time over here so no excuses.

comment by BO$$™ (U6401)
posted 1 hour, 51 minutes ago
My Top 3 would be -

1 - Kohli
2 - Root
3 - Williamson

I look at Steve Smith and im thinking hows he making these runs, his technique imo is very flawed but we will see in the ashes as this will be his 2nd time over here so no excuses.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Like Duncan said when Smith was last in England he averaged 38 and 4 years on he is much better. It is hard to look beyond Smith.

Agree that Smith is one of those who looks nothing special but is an absolute beast in terms of his stats. For me, it comes down to what format you place most of your merit on - I'd agree that Smith is the most rounded of the lot across all formats, but Williamson has the form card at present in tests and Root has the best average and is the most fun to watch. Don't rate Kohli all that highly in tests - obviously still good, but I think he's slightly below the other three. Mathews I haven't seen enough of, but he impressed me when SL toured England and has made some consistently good scores.

Ultimately, you could make a case for any of Root, Smith and Williamson being the best in tests and it would be both tricky to argue for and against. As for Root not doing well down under - that was before his sudden improvement; he was still potential then, but has carried the team since.