2018 World Test XI

[trundler]

Yeah forgot about him. Led from the front and crushed Bangers at home but then got crushed in Bangladesh and India. Can't really say much since a good captain won't make a difference when you've got Powell opening.

 

[Daemon]

Holdaa ftw!

Holder is comfortably one of the worst I've ever seen tactically. Seems like a great leader though.

 

[trundler]

How could I forget Paine?! Those 3 troll wickets down the leg side off Cummins.

Inconsequential but smart.

 

[Dendarii]

That's a season and not calendar year though. (I realize there is nothing special about a calendar year compared to any 12 month period)

But it was Philander's first year of test cricket. If you restrict debut year to calendar years then you rule out anyone who made their debut at the start of a Southern Hemisphere summer as it wouldn't have been possible for them to play enough matches by the end of December to come into the reckoning.

 

[vcs]

Has Kane been the best captain this year? He did a largely exemplary job in the UAE. Maybe shouldn't have picked Sodhi in the first test but I think he captained very well. Didn't watch the series Vs England but NZ won.

Kohli is disqualified because of the selection blunders. No one thinks of Sarfraz as a good captain. Chandimal disqualified because of the ball tampering fit. Faf has it easy at home and in hindsight dropping Philander in SL maybe wasn't the right call. Again don't remember anything horrible. Root comes across as a weak leader but hey, they must won 3-0 in SL and his tactics did pay off. #BatDeep still trolling its way to victory.

Yep, definitely Kane. Extra points for batting too.

 

[ankitj]

But it was Philander's first year of test cricket. If you restrict debut year to calendar years then you rule out anyone who made their debut at the start of a Southern Hemisphere summer as it wouldn't have been possible for them to play enough matches by the end of December to come into the reckoning.

Yeah, so those stats being circulated are mostly useless. Could just as well compare wickets taken in first 10 games. Or may be fastest to 50 wickets. That will tell you had best debut.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Holder is comfortably one of the worst I've ever seen tactically. Seems like a great leader though.

Didn't like him with his inexperienced captaincy early on. But he have great leadership qualities, and probably because of the number of Bajans in the test team. Idk.

He got the team more fired up than a Kraigg Brathwaite.

Shimron is (will be) our future test captain.

 

[ankitj]

 

[morgieb]

Updated team:

Karuaratne
Latham
Williamson
Kohli
Nicholls
Azam
Paine
Holder
Cummins
Maharaj
Abbas

 

[ankitj]

No Rabada?

 

[OverratedSanity]

I'm tempted to put bumrah in after the Melbourne test. Shockingly consistent all year. The only test he didn't actually bowl well was his debut and even there he managed to get away with good figures.

 

[trundler]

Abbas and KG are locks. Bumrah vs Cummins is the battle for the third pacer spot. I'll take Cummins because of his superior batting.

 

[srbhkshk]

For those who pick Holder, the spinner should be one of Jadeja / Ashwin to compensate in the batting department.

 

[Hicheal Michael]

Would have Shaw over Latham, personally.

 

[Spark]

For those who pick Holder, the spinner should be one of Jadeja / Ashwin to compensate in the batting department.

holder is good with the bat though?

 

[Prince EWS]

holder is good with the bat though?

I think he meant for those who pick Holder in the top seven.

 

[Bolo]

Jadeja 46 with the bat and 23 at 5wpm with the ball, and has been really good away. I'd endorse this idea whole heartedly, but how do you put a guy into a world Xi who can't make his own team most of the time? Ashwin 20 with the bat and 25 with the ball at 3.8 wpm. How do you pick this guy ahead of Jadeja? I'd (probably) rather see him playing for India though. Logical circuits are shutting down.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I would take Holder over Ashwin on batting personally, his runs have generally came in tougher situations

 

[Prince EWS]

Jadeja 46 with the bat and 23 at 5wpm with the ball, and has been really good away. I'd endorse this idea whole heartedly, but how do you put a guy into a world Xi who can't make his own team most of the time? Ashwin 20 with the bat and 25 with the ball at 3.8 wpm. How do you pick this guy ahead of Jadeja? I'd (probably) rather see him playing for India though. Logical circuits are shutting down.

"Who has the better year?" and "who is the better player?" are ultimately just different questions. I'd definitely think about Jadeja in the 2018 Team of the Year but I wouldn't consider him at all in a World XI. The thread title seems to blur the lines a bit but we've been more or less working on the former I believe.

 

[trundler]

Maharaj not getting the respect he deserves here.