Without sharing the formula, I can explain that my formula combines both the rate at which runs are scored (or conceded), and how often wickets are lost (or taken). As scoring rates vary across the three formats, this makes comparisons across formats largely irrelevant: Angelo Mathews scores 404 points for his Test batting, but 419 for his ODI batting; this doesn't mean that he's a better ODI batsman, simply that scoring rates in ODI cricket are faster and that ratings are therefore higher as a result.
It does, however, mean that you can directly compare batsmen and bowlers. Because they are calculated using the exact same formula, my ratings show that Mitchell Johnson (Test bowling rating 99) diminishes the average batsman to the effectiveness of Kiwi tail-ender Trent Boult (Test batting rating 100).
Every month, hopefully. I will archive old tables.
My formula highlighted some of the players that you would absolutely expect (AB de Villiers as the best ODI batsman in the world, for instance) and others that you certainly wouldn't (Thisara Perera as the leading T20 batsman). However, in both cases, these are the players who have performed their respective roles most effectively over the last two years: Perera has been Sri Lanka's most reliable Twenty20 finisher, averaging 55 and scoring at nine runs per over. It is a completely impartial system, which does not discriminate between opposition. This means that performances against, for instance, Australia and Nepal get equal weighting, but if I am to retain a formula which produces more than just a standardised number, it is necessary.
None better than Jos Buttler, who currently comes in at 21st in the world.
There are some Associate players who make appearances in the upper echelons of my tables. They include four who make the top ten in the world:
- Hamid Hassan, Afghanistan (ODI #2 bowler)
- Majid Haq, Scotland (T20I #4 bowler)
- Josh Davey, Scotland (ODI #8 bowler)
- Collins Obuya, Kenya (T20I #9 batsman)
Mudassar Bukhari, Alex Cusack, Ahsan Malik Jamil, Samiullah Shenwari and Shapoor Zadran also make the top 20 Twenty20 bowlers.