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The Better Player: Ravi Ashwin vs. Shaun Pollock

The Better Player

  • Ravi Ashwin

    Votes: 11 21.6%

  • Shaun Pollock

    Votes: 40 78.4%
  • Total voters
    51
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
I'm glad I looked back at the 2004 series. I just assumed Australia beat a lineup of : Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, SRT, Laxman and Ganguly. But nope Chopra and Pathan were in and out of the batting lineup and SRT missed two tests. Still, kudos to Australia for achieving what they did. That 2004 batting from India edges current India at home. That's assuming India goes with Rohit, Pujara, Kohli, Pant, Jadeja, Ashwin etc. The bowling on the other hand, is night and day, which imo is the crucial factor. India are not going to prepare anything outside of turners given the strength of their spin bowling. Australia '04 has Warne but when has any wrist spinner done well in India?? Neither team would sweep the other but I can't see anything but an Indian win. 5 tests either 2-1 or 3-1. And for all those bringing up 04 as some sorta proof, well then maybe this Indian team could beat the Oz team that drew with India at home and had to scrap to draw the last test (2003).
 
A

Arachnodouche

International Captain
The current Indian lower order is far more nuggety than the one from the "golden era", especially at home. I'd bet on them getting the side to a par score on Indian wickets against any opposition from history. 250-300 is plenty for the present crop of bowlers to work with.
 
h_hurricane

h_hurricane

International Vice-Captain
In my time of watching active cricket (1990-2021), I would go with the below Indian team in asian conditions. I have only watched Kapil, my favorite cricketer in his last 4 years, so he is unlucky to miss out. Same for Gavaskar,whom I haven't watched. Pujara just about beats Dravid. Srinath has a better record in Asia than Zaheer and Ishant. Kumble is another one not picked for team balance.

Sehwag
Rohit
Pujara
Tendulkar
Kohli
Laxman
Dhoni
Jadeja
Ashwin
Shami
Srinath
 
sunilz

sunilz

International Regular
h_hurricane said:
In my time of watching active cricket (1990-2021), I would go with the below Indian team in asian conditions. I have only watched Kapil, my favorite cricketer in his last 4 years, so he is unlucky to miss out. Same for Gavaskar,whom I haven't watched. Pujara just about beats Dravid. Srinath has a better record in Asia than Zaheer and Ishant. Kumble is another one not picked for team balance.

Sehwag
Rohit
Pujara
Tendulkar
Kohli
Laxman
Dhoni
Jadeja
Ashwin
Shami
Srinath
Click to expand...
So, basically 3 players from 04 side made the combined team and 1 of them didn't play 2 tests because of injuries.
 
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
h_hurricane said:
In my time of watching active cricket (1990-2021), I would go with the below Indian team in asian conditions. I have only watched Kapil, my favorite cricketer in his last 4 years, so he is unlucky to miss out. Same for Gavaskar,whom I haven't watched. Pujara just about beats Dravid. Srinath has a better record in Asia than Zaheer and Ishant. Kumble is another one not picked for team balance.

Sehwag
Rohit
Pujara
Tendulkar
Kohli
Laxman
Dhoni
Jadeja
Ashwin
Shami
Srinath
Click to expand...
I was about to ask where is Bumrah but then I realized he'd only played 3 tests at home.
 
honestbharani

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
h_hurricane said:
I always knew Shami had a great record in Asia. When I looked up today, found that he has the best average among any active player. Solidifies his position in my team. On the other hand, his overseas record is worse than I thought.

stats.espncricinfo.com

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com stats.espncricinfo.com
Click to expand...
Yeah, we have this assumption about both him and Umesh that just because they are fast bowlers they are always good away from home. They both kinda suck in SENA, especially in ENA. Both seem a bit more ok in South Africa. Shami especially.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
ma1978 said:
I also don’t think this batting is any worse than 2003/2004. Yes you had the big dogs but it really fell off from there and the opening batting was weaker with no real partner to Sehwag. I would take Sharma on present form over Sehwag in any case.

Ashwin, Jadeja and Pant at 6, 7 and 8 create an X factor the 2003/2004 team didn’t have.
Click to expand...
Well if form is the issue then Kohli sucks atm.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
honestbharani said:
Lol.. In the 2004 series and straight after, Ganguly was removed from the team, Laxman took another year to find his form, Sachin was at his lowest with the tennis elbow and Dravid was laid low by all the off field issues with the captaincy. Harbhajan was past his purple patch. Sehwag was the only one who was in form and we had ****ing Yuvraj Singh opening for us, but batsmen were at their peak according to statshakerz. Sure, whatever lies help you sleep at night, I guess. :laugh:

Also, when TJB is the one agreeing with u in CC, its usually clear how poor those posts are.
Click to expand...
Dravid was in the form of his life entering that series.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
honestbharani said:
I honestly think the RSA sides of the noughties were always the most difficult for us. Steyn blew away our best batting line ups on patta wickets. I think they would be far more of a challenge as they had a line up full of good players of spin AND good fast bowlers for our conditions. Australia, not so much.
Click to expand...
Yet Australia actually won a series which SA with Steyn didnt.
 
Nikhil99.94

Nikhil99.94

School Boy/Girl Captain
honestbharani said:
It's never a great way to compare players coz otherwise ((I think Gilly s ahead of the next wk-bat by more than The Don.))


And Pollock s definitely underrated simply because he did not do well against an ATG Aus side, which I feel s a tad unfair at times.
Click to expand...
The difference between Ames and gilchrist as a batsman will be less than bradman and hobbs.Or say bradman and sobers ,1050 odd runs more for sobers but a average less by 42.2.Andy flower as a wk batsman was arguably better than gilchrist.
 
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sunilz

sunilz

International Regular
subshakerz said:
Dravid was in the form of his life entering that series.
Click to expand...
It has been well established by now that Dravid struggled against McGrath/Warne unlike Pujara in current team who has played a crucial role in winning series against Aus 3 consecutive times ( Aus had their full strength attack in all the 3 series). So, only Sehwag , Tendulkar and Laxman of that 2004 side will make a full strength current Indian side .
 
sunilz

sunilz

International Regular
A combined side of 2004 + Current( assuming playing Aus)

Sehwag
Rohit
Pujara
Tendulkar
Kohli
Laxman
Pant
Ashwin
Jadeja
Bumrah
Umesh ( was excellent in 2017 series )

Against

Hayden
Warner
Smith
Martyn
Clarke
Lehmann
Gilchrist
Lyon
Gillespie
Cummins
Mcgrath
 
Nikhil99.94

Nikhil99.94

School Boy/Girl Captain
sunilz said:
A combined side of 2004 + Current( assuming playing Aus)

Sehwag
Rohit
Pujara
Tendulkar
Kohli
Laxman
Pant
Ashwin
Jadeja
Bumrah
Umesh ( was excellent in 2017 series )

Against

Hayden
Warner
Smith
Martyn
Clarke
Lehmann
Gilchrist
Lyon
Gillespie
Cummins
Mcgrath
Click to expand...
McGrath+Cummins would destroy India in Australia.Ashwin+Jadeja would destroy Australia in India.
 
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