best team in world cricket right now

[jonbrooks]

I'd say it would be pretty close between South Africa and India. India purely for its dominance at home in recent times (7 wins from 9 games). South Africa for being the only team which has won an away series, let alone an away test.

 

[jonbrooks]

Thankfully we won't have Abbott to deal with this time

I think it's pretty sad Abbott has chosen to play County cricket instead of playing for South Africa.

 

[Zinzan]

I think it's pretty sad Abbott has chosen to play County cricket instead of playing for South Africa.

It is sad, but can't blame him. Unless you're one of the absolute front-line rock-star white players like de Kock & AB, I'd be looking elsewhere too. If a you can't play regular internationals, you need to ensure you're looked after financially.

I mean even Faf's place looked dicey had AB been fit in the last 5 months, before he was confirmed as permanent skipper recently.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

One reason why I support the idea of 4-day tests is that it increases NZ's chances of playing longer test series.

 

[Tec15]

Bump. Is India still the number one team? Waiting for the usual reactionaries to now say Australia after their win.

 

[OverratedSanity]

SA and England got stomped by this team. Unbelievable.

 

[Shri]

Yeah OS, especially SA, who played like total muppets and got flogged so hard.

 

[vcs]

Pretty big comedown for India. Will need something really special to get anything out of this series. And that would make Australia the best team right now. Though SA might change that this summer..

At least our reign lasted longer than Pakistan's lol

 

[OverratedSanity]

At least our reign lasted longer than Pakistan's lol

Hey you know what I actually feel a little better

 

[Slifer]

Any type of series win by Oz would see them as number 1 but realistically I'd say they'd be parity at number one between: India, Oz and RSA with England not far behind. Of course, this match and series are a long way from being over, so anything can still happen.

 

[honestbharani]

Nah.. this match and series are both gone from India really. And I think ICC rankings will have it right as Australia should be #1. Sure, they lost at home to RSA but so have England and I think NZ might too. Ind are winning at home against everyone bar Australia and therefore, that should mean a lot more to the ranking of Australia, the fact that they have achieved what nearly no one else has achieved recently.


Aus
RSA
Eng/Ind
Pak/NZ
rest


IMO

 

[S.Kennedy]

I'd have to have England way behind India to be honest. Their red ball stuff has been on the ropes for awhile now: piss poor spinners; dreary captaincy in Cook; terrible selectors and administrative set-up; suspect batting order. I'd go,

Australia
India
South Africa
England
NZ/Pak

 

[vcs]

I'd have to have England way behind India to be honest. Their red ball stuff has been on the ropes for awhile now: piss poor spinners; dreary captaincy in Cook; terrible selectors and administrative set-up; suspect batting order. I'd go,

Australia
India
South Africa
England
NZ/Pak

England have a very talented side but the past half-year or so has been forgettable for them.

Australia are on a nice little 5-match winning streak and are on track to make it 6, after having lost 5 in a row. I think it really doesn't take much for the pecking order to change among the top-4 teams right now, which are India, Australia, SA and England.

 

[S.Kennedy]

In regards to England, hopefully Root is a better skipper than Cook. It could go 50/50 that, as with any new captain. The South African series in the summer will be massive for England, bigger than it has been talked about. At least they have openers now - three of them!! That is one good thing to take from the Indian disaster!

I do not know what the hell has happened to India. The players themselves look far less animated to be honest. I think they have the first session to save their series. They could theoretically bowl the final wickets cheaply and cling on there in the match with a 70 - 80ish deficit and sort the mess out in the second innings. Unlikely as that sounds but that is the best they can hope for.

 

[Slifer]

What's happened to India is that Australia is out fielding, out bowling and out batting them. Before Australian teams would've tried to smash everything in sight and would've gotten bowled out cheaply. But in this series they've been very very patient which is what's needed on these indian wickets and facing these bowlers (especially jadeja and ashwin).

 

[srbhkshk]

Need to give India credit for coming back so strongly in a series many would have thought lost on the first day of the second test. The final test also showed that they can compete in lively pitches too.

India >= SA >= Aus >
Pak >= Eng >= NZ >
SL >= Ban >= WI

I am not quite sure about SA/Aus and Pak/Eng.

 

[Slifer]

As of right now regardless of what happens in the NZ/Rsa test : india>rsa>oz>eng>nz>pak>sl the rest dont matter.

 

[indiaholic]

Surely SL isn't that far away from BD for them to not matter?

 

[S.Kennedy]

None of the teams are really that consistent sans India at home - and they have just clung on to that v Australia. Australia were beaten by Sri Lanka and South Africa but walloped a Pakistan who drew away in England; Australia then took India to the wire in India (where everybody else has failed hopelessly). For all we know England could get whitewashed by SA (possible) and draw against the Windies in the summer but wallop Oz in the Ashes, or the reverse, whitewash SA but be whitewashed by Australia.

Trying to find any clear winner among that lot is clearly futile.

 

[vcs]

Pretty big comedown for India. Will need something really special to get anything out of this series. And that would make Australia the best team right now. Though SA might change that this summer..

At least our reign lasted longer than Pakistan's lol

Never doubted us.