Rank current test teams

[Gob]

With SA losing in India it seems as if they will be dragged back to the pack soon. Obviously this might sound bit harsh for SA cos this is their first series defeat in an away series in like a decade which is nothing short of phenomenal and teams like Australia,England and India has been losing away regularly but since the retirement of Smith and Kallis, SA looks much more comparable to other teams so how would you rate teams?this is my take on each team and they aren't listed in any particular order since its pretty close right now

Engurland: Two world class batsmen and two world class bowlers but rest are largely unproven. Stokes,Rashid and Moeen has potential
Estraya: Two world class batsmen. Pace attack is not yet proven with the retirements in recent times but has some heavy artillery fire power and could be scary good in couple of years plus a good spinner
SA: Two world class batsmen and three world class bowlers.
NZ: Two world class batsmen and two world class bowlers. Would've probably called the 2nd best team in the world before the Aust series.
India: Probably the only team to have more than two great batsmen in Virat-Rahane-Vijay. Quality spin attack in home conditions and can be close to unplayable but not much at the seaming front although Sharma seems to have improved a bit
Pakistan: Win a lot in UAE and won in SL.Dont fancy much out side the sub continent. Has two world class batsmen who are aging
SL: Holding up better than i thought post Murali. One great batsman in Mathews

my definition of world class is some one who can or is close to making the current world xi.How would you rate teams?

 

[cnerd123]

Bangladesh are definitely better than the West Indies now.

 

[kiwiviktor81]

Wouldn't say we (the BCs) were 2nd. Challenging for 3rd with India seems about right to me.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

1. Pakistan: Got everything covered. Don't think Pakistan will do too badly once they step outside SC now with Azhar, Shafiq, Misbah and Younis. Formidable in UAE and even if they are offered rank turners in India (hypothetically), they have all the arsenal to beat India at home. Amir (like him or not) and as his return is inevitable will only strengthen the bowling. If Misbah retires, there will be a shift in balance though.

2. England: Won the ashes, had potential to do much better in UAE but came close to winning one nevertheless. There are some issues in the middle order apart from Root.

3. South Africa: A bit skeptical at this stage about the batting order. Brutally exposed in India but going to give them benefit of the doubt. The series against England will decide a lot.

4. New Zealand: Despite not being up to the mark in Australia, this team has a lot of potential to do much better. Have shown in England. The concern is that this team to function well, they need fully fit Boult and Southee all the time.

5/6. Australia & India : Can't separate them atm. Both beast at home but not so sure once they step out. This being said, I believe the current Indian crop is better suited to play in away conditions where the ball has carry and pace. Not convinced on Australian batting line up despite showing some good performance vs NZ. Bowling attack will have to carry the team.

7. Sri Lanka: Finding it tougher as some of the key players retired. It was predictable though. Lost 2 Test series against Pakistan and India recently.

 

[Spark]

There is no way in hell England, who on any given day have four players who show up at a Test standard level, are 2nd.

 

[OverratedSanity]

It's difficult to say how much of a decline SA are actually on, but until it's proven more conclusively, they're still the best.

After that, it's a toss up between NZ, Aus, Ind, Eng and Pak for 2nd. They're all very flawed, strictly alright teams.

 

[CricAddict]

SA are still number one. Once they go out of India, Faf, AB, Amla and others will start performing. The fearsome threesome will be back from injury and all will be well for them.
Nothing to choose between the other teams. They will all win at home and lose away.

Edit: OS beat me on writing almost the same content.

 

[Howe_zat]

If a world class player is someone close to a world XI then you can't then say that there are 14 world class batsmen. Rahane for example has no chance of being in one right now.

 

[GotSpin]

England second? What

 

[G.I.Joe]

If a world class player is someone close to a world XI then you can't then say that there are 14 world class batsmen. Rahane for example has no chance of being in one right now.

Yeah, and furthermore to flip the classic argument on it's head, Rahane needs to do something significant at home before being considered India class, letterlone world class.

 

[Athlai]

SA, Australia, India, England and New Zealand are all pretty close. You'd probably back them all to win at home against their opposition. SL and Pakistan aren't exactly far behind either.

Decent era in terms of competition.

 

[CricAddict]

SA, Australia, India, England and New Zealand are all pretty close. You'd probably back them all to win at home against their opposition. SL and Pakistan aren't exactly far behind either.

Decent era in terms of competition.

I hope the doing away with toss rule comes up in internationals as well. Will help balance the home-away results a bit.

 

[Valer]

I hope the doing away with toss rule comes up in internationals as well. Will help balance the home-away results a bit.

The major problem with this is I can see too many groundsmen going the "safe" route producing draw wickets off this -- obviously with the county scoring system this is less on an issue.

 

[Flem274*]

There is no way in hell England, who on any given day have four players who show up at a Test standard level, are 2nd.

This is brutal and unfair on Stokes and (to a lesser extent) Wood.

With the bar you just set, no one has more than half a team of test class players.

I think in a few decades when the 10s become "back in my day when men were men, snow, starving millions in Africa" etc we'll realise this was a fun, unpredictable era where the acceptable batting averages of the 00s were no longer applicable.

 

[cnerd123]

I hope the doing away with toss rule comes up in internationals as well. Will help balance the home-away results a bit.

If you are reliant on the toss to have home advantage then it isnt really home advantage.

 

[Spark]

This is brutal and unfair on Stokes and (to a lesser extent) Wood.

With the bar you just set, no one has more than half a team of test class players.

I think in a few decades when the 10s become "back in my day when men were men, snow, starving millions in Africa" etc we'll realise this was a fun, unpredictable era where the acceptable batting averages of the 00s were no longer applicable.

I didn't name the players though. Just saying that England are ridiculously reliant on individual performances from a few players and have to suffer through ****-all from a good portion of the rest. When was the last time they strung three Tests in a row without a massive collapse?

 

[Flem274*]

I didn't name the players though. Just saying that England are ridiculously reliant on individual performances from a few players and have to suffer through ****-all from a good portion of the rest. When was the last time they strung three Tests in a row without a massive collapse?

when was the last time anyone did?

 

[Black_Warrior]

With SA losing in India it seems as if they will be dragged back to the pack soon. Obviously this might sound bit harsh for SA cos this is their first series defeat in an away series in like a decade which is nothing short of phenomenal and teams like Australia,England and India has been losing away regularly but since the retirement of Smith and Kallis, SA looks much more comparable to other teams so how would you rate teams?this is my take on each team and they aren't listed in any particular order since its pretty close right now

Engurland: Two world class batsmen and two world class bowlers but rest are largely unproven. Stokes,Rashid and Moeen has potential
Estraya: Two world class batsmen. Pace attack is not yet proven with the retirements in recent times but has some heavy artillery fire power and could be scary good in couple of years plus a good spinner
SA: Two world class batsmen and three world class bowlers.
NZ: Two world class batsmen and two world class bowlers. Would've probably called the 2nd best team in the world before the Aust series.
India: Probably the only team to have more than two great batsmen in Virat-Rahane-Vijay. Quality spin attack in home conditions and can be close to unplayable but not much at the seaming front although Sharma seems to have improved a bit
Pakistan: Win a lot in UAE and won in SL.Dont fancy much out side the sub continent. Has two world class batsmen who are aging
SL: Holding up better than i thought post Murali. One great batsman in Mathews

my definition of world class is some one who can or is close to making the current world xi.How would you rate teams?

Funny that Pakistan is reduced as 'win a lot at UAE' but Australia who of course win everywhere else have proven to have heavy artillery power and could be scary good

 

[Gob]

Funny that Pakistan is reduced as 'win a lot at UAE' but Australia who of course win everywhere else have proven to have heavy artillery power and could be scary good

Yes its funny and as soon as i saw your post i expected to read something totally horse ****.

Not disappointed

 

[Black_Warrior]

when was the last time anyone did?

I have to agree with Spark here about the batting at least. Yes we can say that not many teams have more than 2 world class batsmen in the team either but there is a considerable gulf between the second tier of other teams Pujara/Shafiq/Latham/Vogues and Taylor, Bairstow, Ballance.

The bowling if Wood and Stokes are fit is formidable. Wood is a special one. Hope guy gets fit soon.