Also just noticed that Wasim and Ponting probably better candidates for captaincy than Pollock. Remember him to be woefulFor me, it would have to be:
Tendulkar
Gilchrist (w)
Viv
Ponting
Lara
Bevan
Pollock (c)
Wasim
McGrath
Murali
Garner
Tendulkar, Richards, and Bevan between them can take care of the 10 overs. Also Ponting can be asked to take an over or two as well. So 5th bowler shouldn't be too much of a problem IMOWell, I would rather have 5 complete bowlers rather than another specialist batsman at 7th. My rule has always been: if 6 couldn't do it, the probability of the 7th doing it is pretty slim. Plus, Pollock and Wasim can bat a bit, right? And they are all such tight bowlers.
Maybe you could replace Pollock with Watson/Klusener to bolster the batting. And smali, if you do take Hayden ahead of Jayasuriya, do you think Tendulkar and Bevan can take care of the remaining 10 overs?
I think in ODIs Dhoni definitely has an edge. Comes lower down the order, scores very briskly, and very cool under pressure. Great finisher. Possibly the best since BevanI really think Gilchrist and Dhoni are probably both in the top 6 All Time ODI batsmen tbh. If you're just picking a top XI then I'd probably select them both but if it's a team who'd actually play a game at a hypothetical higher level I think Gilchrist would be the way to go.
Dhoni certainly one of the best ever at what he does. I just think if you had to choose one of the two then Gilchrist is better value. Bevan or Hussey, while arguably not as good as Dhoni, still offer you fairly similar qualities.I think in ODIs Dhoni definitely has an edge. Comes lower down the order, scores very briskly, and very cool under pressure. Great finisher. Possibly the best since Bevan
Yeh, replace Pollock with Kapil or Imran, and you lose little in bowling but gain a lot in batting.Well, I would rather have 5 complete bowlers rather than another specialist batsman at 7th. My rule has always been: if 6 couldn't do it, the probability of the 7th doing it is pretty slim. Plus, Pollock and Wasim can bat a bit, right? And they are all such tight bowlers.
Maybe you could replace Pollock with Watson/Klusener to bolster the batting. And smali, if you do take Hayden ahead of Jayasuriya, do you think Tendulkar and Bevan can take care of the remaining 10 overs?
And wait till Ikki finds out that someone considers Dhoni better finisher than Bevan
Imran added a lot of value in terms of captaincy. Also his batting average was significantly higher than other great all rounders of the 80s in ODIs but Kapil was the more explosive batsmanI am usually for listening to advice if more than one knowledgeable person argues the same thing. So, going for Kapil ahead of Pollock. Thought Kapil was a slightly better one-day all rounder than Imran.
Both Gilchrist and Dhoni cannot be in one team. Dhoni is a much better ODI batsman that Gilly and is one of starting picks of ODI XI. The better assessment would be Gilly vs Jaya, bot are all rounders, but in a team which has MSD in it, Gilly's keeping abilities will be less of a use. So I'd go for Jaya, with his impact with ball, bat and in the field, and is not the worst captain as well. In fact Jayasuriya is one of the most successful SL captains to date.I really think Gilchrist and Dhoni are probably both in the top 6 All Time ODI batsmen tbh. If you're just picking a top XI then I'd probably select them both but if it's a team who'd actually play a game at a hypothetical higher level I think Gilchrist would be the way to go.
Yeah that's what I was saying. If it was ever a team that'd actually play a game you couldn't pick both of them. But if it's just a nominal 'Best XI' then you can have Gilchrist as one of the openers and Dhoni in the middle order as you don't need to consider how they'd actually go as a team.Both Gilchrist and Dhoni cannot be in one team. Dhoni is a much better ODI batsman that Gilly and is one of starting picks of ODI XI. The better assessment would be Gilly vs Jaya, bot are all rounders, but in a team which has MSD in it, Gilly's keeping abilities will be less of a use. So I'd go for Jaya, with his impact with ball, bat and in the field, and is not the worst captain as well. In fact Jayasuriya is one of the most successful SL captains to date.
Gilchrist has Jayasuriya covered in the batting stakes completely.Both Gilchrist and Dhoni cannot be in one team. Dhoni is a much better ODI batsman that Gilly and is one of starting picks of ODI XI. The better assessment would be Gilly vs Jaya, bot are all rounders, but in a team which has MSD in it, Gilly's keeping abilities will be less of a use. So I'd go for Jaya, with his impact with ball, bat and in the field, and is not the worst captain as well. In fact Jayasuriya is one of the most successful SL captains to date.
The difference in SR b/w Dhoni and Gilchrist is small while the difference in average is huge.Gilchrist has Jayasuriya covered in the batting stakes completely.
And Gilchrist has Dhoni covered as a batsman too. Dhoni has a higher average, but Gilly opened and had a much higher strike rate.
Opposing captains would MUCH prefer to see Dhoni listed at #5 than to see Gilchrist walking out for the first over, knowing the opposition could quite easily be 0/100 after 8 overs.
An all time ODI team should have Gilchrist in the first 3 picked, as an all-rounder.
As I said, Gilchrist opened, while Dhoni generally bats at #5. Opening is a tough gig in ODIs. Guys who open generally don't end up with large averages because they rarely get the opportunity to be not out. None of Hayden, Sehwag, Mark Waugh, Smith, Jayasuriya etc have massive averages. It's because of the fact that if they're not out by the 25-35th over, they really have to have a crack, because the team is in a good spot, and they'll be called selfish if they don't.The difference in SR b/w Dhoni and Gilchrist is small while the difference in average is huge.
Dhoni easily the better ODI batsman. I really don't understand how Gilchrist has Dhoni covered in the batting dept?