ICC Greatest Test Team

[Isura]

Gavaskar
Hobbs
Bradman
V Richards
Headley
Hammond
Sobers
Marshall
McGrath
Muralitharan

 

[silentstriker]

I am a bit disappointed with this ESPNCricinfo and ICC's system of choosing only one all-rounder. The fact that two ATG fast bowlers in Hadlee and Imran have to miss out because they were cursed with reasonable batting skills defies logic, as many posters have mentioned!

Excuse the language, but I have to show the middle finger to any system that forces me to leave out Hadlee. So, I'd go my own route and put forward my best XI:

1) Jack Hobbs
2) Sunil Gavaskar
3) Don Bradman
4) George Headley
5) Allan Border
6) Gary Sobers
7) Adam Gilchrist (Wk.)
8) Imran Khan (Capt.)
9) Richard Hadlee
10) Malcolm Marshall
11) Muralidharan

Khan, Hadlee, Marshall and Murali wouldn't be required to score too many runs given that batting line-up. And if these four men (with some magic from Sobers) can't pick up 20 wickets, I don't know who can!

I guess they think we're too stupid to just have all the nominees on one list and say 'pick your eleven.' Someone may want Warne & Murali, others may want all four fast bowlers, someone else may want only fast bowlers who can also bat, etc.

 

[kyear2]

With out restrictions my All Time Team
Len Hutton
Sunil Gavaskar
Don Bradman (c)
Brian Lara
Sachin Tendulkar
Gary Sobers
Adam Gilchrist
Imran Khan
Shane Warne
Malcolm Marshall
Glenn Mcgrath

Reserves: Jack Hobbs, Viv Richards, Wally Hammond, Richard Hadlee, Denis Lillee, Muttiah Murilitharan, Alan Knott.
Lara over Viv only to break up left handers, Mcgrath over Lillee because of proven partnership with Warne. Other wise its King Viv and Dennis in first 11.

 

[Migara]

I am a bit disappointed with this ESPNCricinfo and ICC's system of choosing only one all-rounder. The fact that two ATG fast bowlers in Hadlee and Imran have to miss out because they were cursed with reasonable batting skills defies logic, as many posters have mentioned!

Excuse the language, but I have to show the middle finger to any system that forces me to leave out Hadlee. So, I'd go my own route and put forward my best XI:

1) Jack Hobbs
2) Sunil Gavaskar
3) Don Bradman
4) George Headley
5) Allan Border
6) Gary Sobers
7) Adam Gilchrist (Wk.)
8) Imran Khan (Capt.)
9) Richard Hadlee
10) Malcolm Marshall
11) Muralidharan

Khan, Hadlee, Marshall and Murali wouldn't be required to score too many runs given that batting line-up. And if these four men (with some magic from Sobers) can't pick up 20 wickets, I don't know who can!

And on other hand those four are not sloches as well with the bat. Imran averages 37, Hadlee 25, Marshall has few fifties, and Murali is probably the best ever no 11 in the history of game when it comes to batting.

 

[ankitj]

I rate allrounders. Learn to deal, bro.

It's weird that I don't rate Imran above Bradman, but I so like the fact that you do!

 

[Bun]

Post 1920 because I don't have reasonably good knowledge of the less popular cricketers of the period before that

Herbert Sutcliffe
Jack Hobbs
Donald Bradman
Wally Hammond
George Headley
Adam Gilchrist
Kieth Miller
Malcolm Marshall
Fred Trueman
Glen McGrath
Muttiah Muralidaran

ftr. I think Imran's a better cricketer but Miller's better for the balance for the side. Pretty crappy system, It must be repeated.

Herbert Sutcliffe
Jack Hobbs
Donald Bradman
Wally Hammond
Garry Sobers
Adam Gilchrist
Kieth Miller
Imran Khan
Richard Hadlee
Shaun Pollock
Muttiah Muralitharan

would be my AT XI without restrictions.

lol sutcliffe ahead of gav and hammond (who!) ahead of srt

 

[Fusion]

My team without restrictions:

Hobbs
Hutton
Bradman
Richards
Sobers
Gilchrist
Imran
Hadlee
Warne
Marshall
Lillee

 

[bagapath]

Khan, Hadlee, Marshall and Murali wouldn't be required to score too many runs given that batting line-up. And if these four men (with some magic from Sobers) can't pick up 20 wickets, I don't know who can!

lillee, mcgrath, barnes and warne

akram, ambrose, oreilly, loahmann

neither of those attacks would need any help from a fifth bowler to bowl out the opposition.

 

[smash84]

I am a bit disappointed with this ESPNCricinfo and ICC's system of choosing only one all-rounder. The fact that two ATG fast bowlers in Hadlee and Imran have to miss out because they were cursed with reasonable batting skills defies logic, as many posters have mentioned!

Excuse the language, but I have to show the middle finger to any system that forces me to leave out Hadlee. So, I'd go my own route and put forward my best XI:

1) Jack Hobbs
2) Sunil Gavaskar
3) Don Bradman
4) George Headley
5) Allan Border
6) Gary Sobers
7) Adam Gilchrist (Wk.)
8) Imran Khan (Capt.)
9) Richard Hadlee
10) Malcolm Marshall
11) Muralidharan

Khan, Hadlee, Marshall and Murali wouldn't be required to score too many runs given that batting line-up. And if these four men (with some magic from Sobers) can't pick up 20 wickets, I don't know who can!

That is such a gun team.

It really is such a pity that Imran and Hadlee get penalized for being able to bat a bit.

It's weird that I don't rate Imran above Bradman, but I so like the fact that you do!

 

[PYADAV]

I think Gary Sobers, Imran Khan and Richard hadlee should be allowed to be picked as specialist batsman or bowler as well as allrounder.
An average of 99.94 Bradman performance should be considered equal to two all time great middle order batsman. Bradman in his own eleven only picked 5 batsman.
I will pick Sobers as specialist batsman and Imran Khan as allrounder.

My team will be

Jack Hobbs
Len Hutton
Bradman(C)
Tendulkar
Sobers
Gilchrist
Imran Khan(VC)
Marshall
Glen Macgrath
Shane Warne
Muralidaran

I have picked Macgrath over Lillee, because he did everything(Average, Strike rate, Bowling on flat pitches, Succes against great batsman of his time) better to him without wasting too much energy.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Not this year. Trueman taking his spot.

I'll be watching you. If Barnes makes it to any of your AT Teams until 31/12/2011, you'll have hell to answer for.

 

[bagapath]

I went for

hobbs
hutton
bradman
lara
richards
sobers
gilchrist (wk)
marshall
warne
barnes
lillee

pretty happy with it actually.

 

[Bun]

Sir Jack
Sunny
Bradman
Tendulkar
Lara
Sobers
Gilchrist
Warne
Marshall
Mcgrath
Murali

 

[Debris]

Interesting to look over the teams selected. Looks like

Hobbs
Bradman
Gilchrist
Marshall

are almost consensus picks. Also interesting to note the number of sides which have Tendulkar missing. Mine goes

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
G. Pollock
Sobers
Gilchrist
Akram
Warne
Marshall
McGrath

Akram gets in over Imran Khan purely on basis of variety. I have tried to pick best team rather than purely best 11 cricketers - difference is fairly subtle.

 

[weeman27bob]

Interesting to look over the teams selected. Looks like

Hobbs
Bradman
Gilchrist
Marshall

are almost consensus picks. Also interesting to note the number of sides which have Tendulkar missing. Mine goes

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
G. Pollock
Sobers
Gilchrist
Akram
Warne
Marshall
McGrath

Akram gets in over Imran Khan purely on basis of variety. I have tried to pick best team rather than purely best 11 cricketers - difference is fairly subtle.

Sobers seems to be in most of them too.

 

[Debris]

Sobers seems to be in most of them too.

True, consider my post appropriately edited.

 

[Bun]

Interesting to look over the teams selected. Looks like

Hobbs
Bradman
Gilchrist
Marshall

are almost consensus picks. Also interesting to note the number of sides which have Tendulkar missing. Mine goes

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
G. Pollock
Sobers
Gilchrist
Akram
Warne
Marshall
McGrath

Akram gets in over Imran Khan purely on basis of variety. I have tried to pick best team rather than purely best 11 cricketers - difference is fairly subtle.

mate, not picking tendulkar - oh am so cool in cw....

 

[Teja.]

lol sutcliffe ahead of gav and hammond (who!) ahead of srt

Both were pretty borderline calls tbf. Sutcliffe easily replaced by Gavaskar/Hutton. Sobers and Hammond replaceable by two of Headley, Tendulkar and Border. Pretty much everyone else is sealed though, for me.

Fielding was a factor in picking Sobers and Hammond.

 

[triangle]

Hobbs and Hutton are so overrated.Just scoring runs at snails pace and remaining not out and boosting average is what they did throughout their career.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Sehwag averages same as them against the best bowlers of last decade with a ridiculous strike rate. Just because he doesn't have SIR title , doesn't mean he is not great.Not a single Indian batsmen average 50 last decade against best bowlers.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Sehwag is not rated on this forum because he is not English.

 

[triangle]

Here is the average of Gilchrist against those bowlers. Most over rated batsman of all time is Adam Gilchrist. Averages less than Dhoni.Gilchrist was a weak bowling bully
Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo