Team of the Year 2017

[morgieb]

Strictly not the end of 2017, but given the only Tests left are the 4-dayer (which shouldn't really count) and a dead rubber, now's a fair time to start I feel.

1. Elgar
2. Rahul
3. Pujara
4. Smith
5. Williamson
6. Shakib
7. de Kock
8. Philander
9. Rabada
10. Lyon
11. Anderson

Lot of toss-ups for mine this year. Picking an opener for Elgar was hard. Dhawan averaged more than Rahul (and Elgar) but only played against Sri Lanka...who pretty much every Indian batsman feasted on. Similar thing applies to Vijay - whereas Rahul at least scored lots of runs against Australia. Could also consider Warner despite him having a bit of a down year by his standards.

Pujara and Smith locks in the middle order. Kohli on stats is too but he failed in the biggest series that India played, whereas at least Big Daddy Kane scored runs against South Africa. Shakib gets the all-rounder spot with Stokes falling victim to drunken boorishness.

Keeper was tricky this year. Mushfiqur had the best average but a lot of the wickets he scored runs on were roads, and he kept poorly. So de Kock it is, despite not being particularly outstanding this year.

On paper Anderson, Rabada, Lyon and Jadeja should be the attack, but that means only two seamers...something I want to avoid in hypothetical situations. Morkel and Hazlewood probably the next in line for seamer #3, but that means a long tail. Suppose I could just pick Jadeja over Lyon but Jadeja loses points for not playing outside of the subcontinent this year. So Philander gets the gig, who showed some strong all-round performances when fit this year.

 

[Athlai]

Neil Wagner

 

[Spark]

I get the rationale, but it just feels weird to not pick Kohli.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Just pick Kohli instead of Shakib. 5 bowlers is not necessary, especially when the team you're picking isn't actually playing . . . pick the guys that deserve to be there.

 

[vcs]

Harsh on the guy with 3 double centuries and 2 more tons!

I would have him ahead of Kane.

EDIT : Oh yeah, Shakib should definitely miss out for chickening out against SA

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah Shakib's not far off a disgrace this year in my books

Harsh but fair

 

[cnerd123]

Yea I'm a big Shakib fanboy, but he should be left out for missing the hardest series of the year. I don't know what goes on in the dressing room and between Shakib and the BCB, and maybe that's the only series they would let him skip (instead of all the meaningless ODIs), but it's not a good look.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Shakib out, Kohli in. Let them draw straws for batting positions 4-6.

 

[randycricfreak]

Karunaratne over Rahul.
tbh, dhawan had a better year than Rahul.

Rahul FYI doesn't have a single 100 this year.Not sure why he shoould be even in contention.

Kohli over Williamson surely

 

[OverratedSanity]

Karunaratne over Rahul.
tbh, dhawan had a better year than Rahul.

Rahul FYI doesn't have a single 100 this year.Not sure why he shoould be even in contention.

Dimuth had a good year but Rahul should get in for that Australia series he had imo. No tons but he had several very good innings that series in very tough conditions.

 

[morgieb]

Dimuth had a good year but Rahul should get in for that Australia series he had imo. No tons but he had several very good innings that series in very tough conditions.

Yep.

Plus Dimuth's innings all seemed to be in situations where Sri Lanka had already lost (apart from the 196). Harsh admittedly but still...

 

[Gnske]

Elgar
Dhawan
Pujara
Smith
Kohli
de Grandhomme
de Kock
Rabada
Wagner
Lyon
Anderson

My only gripe is that I can't place Anderson any lower, and can't rate Shikhar "Never enable the disableds" Dhawan any higher.

 

[OverratedSanity]

de Grandhomme's a great shout. Definitely a better candidate for an allrounder spot than Shakib.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Think it is safe to say that this year we could pick any combination from about 8 bowlers and make a good case for all of them but the batting seems easier with an openers slot all that appears up for debate and the keeper would seem a pretty obvious choice.

 

[Gnske]

de Grandhomme's a great shout. Definitely a better candidate for an allrounder spot than Shakib.

Shakib skipping South Africa like a schmuck then deciding to take the captaincy all-together should disqualify him.

Nothing personal, I like his cricket, I just don't like him.

 

[randycricfreak]

Yep.

Plus Dimuth's innings all seemed to be in situations where Sri Lanka had already lost (apart from the 196). Harsh admittedly but still...

what about the 90 odd run out in the 1st Test?

Plus easily SL's best bat vs India (home series)

Can't do much when the rest of your players aren't performing.

But having Rahul instead is obnoxious. Big knocks are part and parcel ofthe game

 

[Second Spitter]

Not sure how anybody can pick Smith, tbh.

 

[SeamUp]

Yeah it's a nice pick CdG - blown us all away really.

 

[OverratedSanity]

It's a shame because before that pissweak move, Shakib had had a brilliant year. He won them their 100th test and gave them their first win vs Australia with amazing all round performances. I'd actually have picked him even if he'd just toured SA and done nothing of note. Most cowardly move since Steyn and Philander chickening out of a world record runchase against an attack led by Ishant Sharma.

 

[randycricfreak]

Dean Elgar
Dimuth Karunaratne/Dhawan
Pujara
Smith
Kohli
Shakib
Dickwella (wk)
Ashwin
Rabada
Anderson
Morkel