Pick one former player to add to your current Test team

[zaremba]

If you could pick one player from your country's past to bolster the current side, who would it be?

Me, I'm working on a shortlist of Hammond, Botham, Trueman and Larwood. Maybe Botham (pre-mullet).

 

[GIMH]

 

[weeman27bob]

Strauss
Cook
Hammond
Trott
KP
Bell
Prior
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Tremlett

 

[Howe_zat]

I'd love to have Trueman but Hammond makes by far the most sense to step in given the balance of the side.

If Strauss doesn't turn it around soon, I'll have Hutton to open and captain.

 

[Howe_zat]

Strauss
Cook
Trott
Hammond
KP
Bell
Prior
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Tremlett

Bats at #3.

 

[weeman27bob]

Bats at #3.

Meant to put him there, but forgot.

 

[fredfertang]

Yes I'd go for Hammond, although as it's England presumably we could have Graeme Pollock?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Yes I'd go for Hammond, although as it's England presumably we could have Graeme Pollock?

Barry Richards, maybe?

 

[fredfertang]

Barry Richards, maybe?

... or even Mike Procter

 

[Howe_zat]

Of all the Test nations, I think only Australia has actually tried to do this.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Botham for Morgan.

 

[Jono]

Kapil Dev would slot in very nicely. Question is whether you drop a batsman or a bowler. I'd drop a bowler and bat Dev at 8.

 

[Howe_zat]

Given that Kapil would walk into the current side as a specialist bowler but probably wouldn't make it as a batsman, why is it even a question?

 

[four_or_six]

Not that I'm a fan of him in particular, but Tony Grieg in for Morgan would be quite neat.

 

[Zinzan]

Sir Dick Hadlee by the length of the Cook Strait

 

[Jono]

Given that Kapil would walk into the current side as a specialist bowler but probably wouldn't make it as a batsman, why is it even a question?

Because he's an allrounder.

It'd be a situation where you would play 5 bowlers. There are plenty of examples of allrounders who wouldn't make the team solely as a batsman but batted top 7 because they had enough batting talent and their bowling added balance to the team.

As I said, I personally prefer India with 7 batsman as I think its their strength, so I'd drop a bowler for Kapil Dev, but dropping Raina (which looked a lot more reasonable before the WI tour and day 5 of the Lord's test) for Kapil Dev would hardly be the worst move. It'd strengthen the often criticised Indian bowling line-up, and Dev is hardly a mug with the bat. You can't say Kapil Dev's batting is that much worse than Raina, Yuvraj, Pujara etc. who have played for this Indian team in recent years.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Every Pakistani would pick King Khan. We desperately need a leader who the players respect and admire and he can slap Big Butt without facing the threat of suspension. Plus he can bat and bowl and was a great captain.

 

[kyear2]

Sobers for Sammy might be a slight upgrade.

 

[zaremba]

Big bias in favour of the all-rounders here: Imran, Kapil, Hadlee, Botham, Procter, Sobers, Hammond.

 

[Jono]

Sobers for Sammy might be a slight upgrade.