There are many factors why todays batsmen are so poor and there are such a lack of quality options.

Technique - so many have a poor technique.

Seemed to start around the 80s when so many adopted that ludicrous upright stance with the bat in the air. Its not baseball FFS.

Hick adopted this and it found him out at Test level. He did then alter his technique though.

The current crop are desparately poor though.

Ramprakash had a First Class average in the low 50s , Maynard low 40s , there are very few now with these sort of averages in the County game.

Talking of technique though Smiths is about the worst and hes doing ok.