best team in world cricket right now

[SeamUp]

Correction:
3 away to Sri Lanka.

Thank you. Was going off the top of my head because I heard the other day about this stat and thought how hasn't there been a better sharing of away and home series.

So it's 17 out of 21.

 

[Motorwada]

Thank you. Was going off the top of my head because I heard the other day about this stat and thought how hasn't there been a better sharing of away and home series.

So it's 17 out of 21.

Plus 1 series before the SL series in Bang - 1 match which was a draw.

So 17 out of 25.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Correction:
3 away to Sri Lanka.

Plus 1 series before the SL series in Bang - 1 match which was a draw.

So 17 out of 25.

Both those series also in Asia. So that's 24 of their last 28 Tests in Asia? And those 4 away Tests were in slow and low WI.

How do they score a schedule like that

very interesting scheduling

 

[OverratedSanity]

Both those series also in Asia. So that's 24 of their last 28 Tests in Asia? And those 4 away Tests were in slow and low WI.

How do they score a schedule like that

very interesting scheduling

It was preceded by almost 2 full years of overseas tests from 2013-2015.

 

[TheJediBrah]

It was preceded by almost 2 full years of overseas tests from 2013-2015.

yeah pretty much

2012-2015 was 13 away and 12 at home, but those 13 away were all in a row around 2014

Still a pretty awesome schedule to get 24 out of 28 Tests in friendly conditions after that. That's a very high proportion of home (or close to home) cricket. I doubt they'll be playing their next 20 away.

 

[vitalogy83]

Coming up for Mother India
According to the FTP
https://pulse-static-files.s3.amazo...d392/ICC-Future-Tours-Programme-2014-2019.pdf


2017
Away v WI - no tests
Away v SL - 3 tests
Host v Aus - no tests
Host v Pak - 3 tests (is this for reals?)

2017/2018
Away v SA - 4 tests
Host v SL - 3 tests
Asia cup
Away v Eng - 5 tests
Host v WI - 3 tests
Away v Aus - 4 tests
Away v NZ - no tests

 

[vitalogy83]

So until the end of 2018/19 season
Home tests - 9 tests
Away - 17 tests

 

[cnerd123]

People read too much into the pitches and conditions being why India suck overseas. I think it's just the travelling and schedule that wrecks them. They've shown within India and in glimpses all around the world that their side can handle the conditions, barring one or two obvious examples (Kohli vs the swinging ball, Ashwin on flat hard tracks). Rahane Pujara Vijay all play pace well, Jaddu has a 5-fer in SA, the quicks have looked good in patches and Saha is a quality glovesman.

The defining feature of all those overseas losses to me was how they would start somewhat competitively and then give up once put on the backfoot, and how the bowlers kept breaking down and the fielding became poor. These don't have to do with pitches or conditions. India just don't like travelling

Really hope they take inspiration from Australia and Steve Smith in the coming away tests

 

[TheJediBrah]

People read too much into the pitches and conditions being why India suck overseas. I think it's just the travelling and schedule that wrecks them. They've shown within India and in glimpses all around the world that their side can handle the conditions, barring one or two obvious examples (Kohli vs the swinging ball, Ashwin on flat hard tracks). Rahane Pujara Vijay all play pace well, Jaddu has a 5-fer in SA, the quicks have looked good in patches and Saha is a quality glovesman.

The defining feature of all those overseas losses to me was how they would start somewhat competitively and then give up once put on the backfoot, and how the bowlers kept breaking down and the fielding became poor. These don't have to do with pitches or conditions. India just don't like travelling

Really hope they take inspiration from Australia and Steve Smith in the coming away tests

Not only is this not exclusive to India travelling, its probably even harder for other teams to travel to the subcontinent. For guys used to first-world living, certain standards/type of food and lifestyle etc. travelling to a place like India can be a nightmare.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult the other way around if you're used to a certain place, but it's hardly the same IMO

edit: Not trying to imply that touring teams are poorly treated in India, I'm sure they stay in nice places and don't go running around the streets with the masses

 

[cnerd123]

Yea touring sides in general do seem to struggle for more than just cricketing reasons. It did feel that the main reason we struggled overseas under MSD in all those thrashings was to do with the side just not having the heart for a fight - that the second they were pushed on the backfoot the shoulders would drop, the field would spread, and they would concede. We also had the ageing and misfiring batting lineup and our quick bowlers kept breaking down and couldn't seem to hold and good line and length for more than one spell per innings.

I'm somewhat optimistic for this current generation for their next set of overseas tours, and I think that if they do perform poorly it will be down to not showing the same fight they show at home, rather than just not having the skills to succeed.

 

[Burgey]

Yea touring sides in general do seem to struggle for more than just cricketing reasons. It did feel that the main reason we struggled overseas under MSD in all those thrashings was to do with the side just not having the heart for a fight - that the second they were pushed on the backfoot the shoulders would drop, the field would spread, and they would concede. We also had the ageing and misfiring batting lineup and our quick bowlers kept breaking down and couldn't seem to hold and good line and length for more than one spell per innings.

I'm somewhat optimistic for this current generation for their next set of overseas tours, and I think that if they do perform poorly it will be down to not showing the same fight they show at home, rather than just not having the skills to succeed.

I've another theory.

 

[stephen]

I think that this is probably the most well rounded Indian team we've ever seen. They're more likely than any team in the past to actually win overseas. They finally have a couple of fast bowlers that can take wickets and apply the screws and in Jadeja have unearthed a spin bowler who is likely (I think) to take wickets overseas. Their batting isn't as strong as in the Tendulkar/Dravid/Sehwag/Ganguly era but few batting lineups are. The problem in that era was that their bowlers were terrible and they could never defend the massive totals.

They're currently deserving of the #1 rank, though I daresay that they won't win in SA or Aus (which isn't a huge criticism).

 

[silentstriker]

Coming up for Mother India
According to the FTP
https://pulse-static-files.s3.amazo...d392/ICC-Future-Tours-Programme-2014-2019.pdf


2017
Away v WI - no tests
Away v SL - 3 tests
Host v Aus - no tests
Host v Pak - 3 tests (is this for reals?)

2017/2018
Away v SA - 4 tests
Host v SL - 3 tests
Asia cup
Away v Eng - 5 tests
Host v WI - 3 tests
Away v Aus - 4 tests
Away v NZ - no tests

Nah the Pakistan tests won't happen (and neither will Zimbabwe).

 

[Spark]

Yea touring sides in general do seem to struggle for more than just cricketing reasons. It did feel that the main reason we struggled overseas under MSD in all those thrashings was to do with the side just not having the heart for a fight - that the second they were pushed on the backfoot the shoulders would drop, the field would spread, and they would concede. We also had the ageing and misfiring batting lineup and our quick bowlers kept breaking down and couldn't seem to hold and good line and length for more than one spell per innings.

I'm somewhat optimistic for this current generation for their next set of overseas tours, and I think that if they do perform poorly it will be down to not showing the same fight they show at home, rather than just not having the skills to succeed.

This sort of thing was talked about a fair bit wrt Warner, pointing out that much of his struggles were simply due to the possibility that he might have been subconsciously unfamiliar with his surrounds rather than anything to do with pitches, particularly wrt his 1st innings dismissal in Ranchi.

 

[Zinzan]

The rankings won't reflect it, but have to say India went down slightly in my estimations in spite of winning the series 2-1, since prior to the series starting I was convinced no current side would be that competitive against them at home in anything more than a 3 test series. Meanwhile Australia went up in my estimations.

Same applies to the NZ/SA series...Thought SA were decidedly average in many aspects of their game and were obviously flattered by the 1-0 scoreline, whereas I thought NZ punched above their weight slightly, even though they were at home, remembering SA should still be very well suited to NZ wickets and normally give us a good hiding here.

 

[vcs]

Both those series also in Asia. So that's 24 of their last 28 Tests in Asia? And those 4 away Tests were in slow and low WI.

How do they score a schedule like that

very interesting scheduling

Yeah that's why I'm reluctant to read too much into the "holding all the Test trophies" thing, even though it's nice to have it. Feels like it's a quirk of the scheduling more than anything else.

Saying that, achieving complete domination at home is still an achievement and I don't recollect any side in my lifetime managing it apart from Australia in '99-'03. India broke it by drawing there in '03-'04.

EDIT : Technically, even that Australia side wasn't perfect at home at any point, were they? NZ drew there in 2001

EDIT EDIT : Australia would have had it for a brief period between 2007 and 2008, when SA beat them there

 

[Daemon]

The rankings won't reflect it, but have to say India went down slightly in my estimations in spite of winning the series 2-1, since prior to the series starting I was convinced no current side would be that competitive against them at home in anything more than a 3 test series. Meanwhile Australia went up in my estimations.

Same applies to the NZ/SA series...Thought SA were decidedly average in many aspects of their game and were obviously flattered by the 1-0 scoreline, whereas I thought NZ punched above their weight slightly, even though they were at home, remembering SA should still be very well suited to NZ wickets and normally give us a good hiding here.

I certainly felt this way until the final test. I believe India have come out looking a better side than they did vs England.

Agree with you on SA v NZ though. QdK's a gun, Elgar started off brilliantly and Maharaj showed that he's a good spinner, but otherwise the team didn't look like the one that beat Australia. NZ showed depth in bowling resources, KW is back and Southee continues to look like he's back in some sort of form. Surprised they did well despite so many injuries and no RT.

 

[Zinzan]

I certainly felt this way until the final test. I believe India have come out looking a better side than they did vs England.
.

I strongly disagree with this. Don't get me wrong, their fight was excellent, but at the conclusion of the England series I thought they were basically close to unbeatable at home with that recipe of Ashwin and Jedeja on those tracks, so I probably overestimated them slightly.

You have to feel Australia would beat them more comfortably in a 4 test series in Australia than vice versa, which I wouldn't have thought prior to this series. Credit must also very much go to Australia though.

 

[_00_deathscar]

I've another theory.

Long time lurker, first time poster. I've been mulling over this one and I think it's a combination of factors.

1. As stephen mentioned, without being better than Indian teams of the past particularly in the batting department, this team just seems more balanced and better equipped to deal, particularly in the face of adversity. The lower order is more than a handful with the bat (remember how useless the 90s and 00s teams mostly were once the keeper got out?) and are regularly adding in 50 and 100 run partnerships at rapid rates.

The bowling - the bowlers seem to be able to squeeze the opposition out of the game and put immense pressure on the other team, and capitalise on big scores by the batsmen. When the batsmen don't produce, the bowlers are capable of taking the 20 wickets required to win a match. That legendary Indian batting lineup was wasted, because for the most part, the bowling line up couldn't take 20 wickets.

Of course, we'll see the real test once this team tours abroad as for the best part, they've performed at home so far.

2. There's no truly 'great' team around at the moment so it's all a bit relative. There's no 90s/00s Australia, Sri Lanka have gone off a cliff, West Indies went off it long ago, England aren't as good as before (but have potential), Pakistan are inconsitent, and after dominating in the early 2010s, South Africa seem to be in a bit of a lull too.

 

[cnerd123]

Long time lurker, first time poster. I've been mulling over this one and I think it's a combination of factors.

1. As stephen mentioned, without being better than Indian teams of the past particularly in the batting department, this team just seems more balanced and better equipped to deal, particularly in the face of adversity. The lower order is more than a handful with the bat (remember how useless the 90s and 00s teams mostly were once the keeper got out?) and are regularly adding in 50 and 100 run partnerships at rapid rates.

The bowling - the bowlers seem to be able to squeeze the opposition out of the game and put immense pressure on the other team, and capitalise on big scores by the batsmen. When the batsmen don't produce, the bowlers are capable of taking the 20 wickets required to win a match. That legendary Indian batting lineup was wasted, because for the most part, the bowling line up couldn't take 20 wickets.

Of course, we'll see the real test once this team tours abroad as for the best part, they've performed at home so far.

2. There's no truly 'great' team around at the moment so it's all a bit relative. There's no 90s/00s Australia, Sri Lanka have gone off a cliff, West Indies went off it long ago, England aren't as good as before (but have potential), Pakistan are inconsitent, and after dominating in the early 2010s, South Africa seem to be in a bit of a lull too.

a) Good first post

b) omg another HK based poster.