Dominic Cork and Marcus North are in agreement...
Sunday 17 May 2015 12:03, UK
AB de Villiers or Chris Gayle – who is better?
It’s some question but one that Sky Sports experts Dominic Cork and Marcus North pondered in the #IPL studio.
Both Royal Challengers Bangalore batsmen have smacked centuries this term – De Villiers creaming 133 from just 59 balls against Mumbai Indians and Gayle thumping 117 from 57 deliveries versus Kings XI Punjab.
But our pundits were in agreement that De Villiers’ has the edge…
“I'd go for De Villiers because, as a bowler, I would feel I am in the game early on against Gayle and could get a wicket.
“It’s never going to be easy but if the ball swings against Gayle you have a chance, and if you go with spin from a decent spinner you have a chance.
“I also think having a bowler with a good bouncer gives you hope against Gayle because he doesn’t like it around shoulder or head height. De Villiers, meanwhile, plays the short ball so well. He plays everything so well!"
“Gayle and De Villiers are powerful, world class and thrive on competition, but De Villiers is more of an intelligent cricketer, something I say respectfully.
"I don't think anyone is close to him in terms of innovation, presence and moving through the gears at the crease.
“Gayle comes out and is in one gear and one gear only, which is perhaps why he is a little bit more inconsistent, whereas De Villiers reads the game and gets himself into it.
“De Villiers bided his time before he went after Mumbai's attack but if Gayle hasn’t scored many runs early on it’s usually because he’s out of sorts. Gayle is a master blaster, De Villiers is an all-round player."
So you’ve read what Dominic and Marcus think but who YOU believe is the better batsman out of Gayle and De Villiers? Let us know using the feedback form below (skysports.com only).
