PaulLennon
U19 Debutant
Kohli's India better than Smith's.
Strauss's England not even close - That's comparable to the 07-11 India.
Let me compare the 4 sides within time periods extremely favorable to them all. I will choose the starting and ending periods to be as generous as possible (but will have to encompass whole series).
You cannot use the 0-8 against India 2007-11 if you are not using the 0-1 in WI and 0-5 in Aus for the 09-13 Eng side (same personnel). Similarly SA's 2006 losses to Sri Lanka and Aus or on the other end the 0-3 in Ind 2015 will also be omitted even though a lot of their main personnel was common (Amla, Steyn, Morkel, ABDV, Faf, Philander etc). India's current team coincides nicely with Kohli taking over as full time captain.
England 2009-13 -
Starting point - 09 home series against West Indies won 2-0
End point - 13 home Ashes won 3-0
W/L ratio - 2.727
Home W/L ratio - 5.250
Away W/L ratio - 1.285
Home series won - 9 (WI X 2, Aus X 2, Ind, NZ, Pak, SL, Bang)
Home series lost - 1 (SA)
Away series won - 3 (Bang, Aus, Ind)
Away series drawn - 3 (SL, SA, NZ)
Away series lost - 1 (Pak)
Ind 2007-11 -
Starting point - 07 away series against Bang won 1-0
End point - 11 away series against WI won 1-0
W/L ratio - 2.625
Home W/L ratio - 5.500
Away W/L ratio - 1.666
Home series won - 5 (Australia X 2, England, SL, Nz)
Home series drawn - 2 (SA X 2)
Away series won - 5 (Bang X 2, Eng, NZ, WI)
Away series drawn - 2 (SL, SA)
Away series lost - 2 (Aus, SL)
So right away we can see that 09-13 England is overrated by most English fans (like they do to everything). They were a good side with a 4 year peak who collapsed pretty badly right after similar to the 07-11 Ind side. 07-11 Ind had a better home and away W/L ratio. Overall is lesser because England played more at home while India played more away. Definitely not in the contention of being in the "best since Waugh's Australia".
SA 2006-14 -
Starting point - 06 home series win against Ind 2-1
End point - 14 home series win against WI 2-0
Rather than 08-14 (Smith retirement) extending both ways to capture their win in Pak and SL plus some home wins.
W/L ratio - 2.687
Home W/L ratio - 2.272
Away W/L ratio - 3.6
Home series won - 10 (Ind X 2, Pak X 2, WI X 2, NZ X 2, SL, Bang)
Home series drawn - 3 (Ind, Aus, Eng)
Home series lost - 2 (Aus)
Away series won - 10 (Aus X 2, Eng X 2, NZ, Pak, SL, WI, Bang, Zim)
Away series drawn - 4 (Ind X 2, Pak X 2)
Ind 2015-present -
Starting point - 15 away series win against SL 2-1
End point - ongoing
W/L ratio - 2.933
Home W/L ratio - 13![Cool :cool: :cool:](/forum/images/smilies/original/cool.gif)
Away W/L ratio - 1.384
Home series won - 12 (Eng X 2, NZ X 2, SA X 2, Bang X 2, SL, WI, Afg, Aus)
Away series won - 6 (Aus X 2, SL X2, WI X 2)
Away series lost - 3 (SA, Eng, NZ)
Away series either won/drawn - 1 (Eng)
That SA team had an 8 year period. This Indian team is currently a bit above 6 and a half years. Right now I think they are relatively equal depending on preference. SA were really good away with the highest away W/L ratio of the four teams but had a very poor home W/L ratio (less than half of that England side who is next). Current Ind are good away (better than the England side) but the best home side ever in history (0 series drawn/lost).
Considering that Ind have home fixtures in the next few years and "easier" away fixtures I expect both the home and away W/L ratios to grow further. If Ind win both the SA series and Eng series I would place them over SA. Really good away record plus the best home record in history. Also it will be a similar timeframe to the SA side (8ish years).
Also England belongs nowhere in the conversation. They were (slightly) inferior to 07-11 India (1 test mace to 2 for that Indian team) and nowhere as good as the SA or current Ind teams.
Strauss's England not even close - That's comparable to the 07-11 India.
Let me compare the 4 sides within time periods extremely favorable to them all. I will choose the starting and ending periods to be as generous as possible (but will have to encompass whole series).
You cannot use the 0-8 against India 2007-11 if you are not using the 0-1 in WI and 0-5 in Aus for the 09-13 Eng side (same personnel). Similarly SA's 2006 losses to Sri Lanka and Aus or on the other end the 0-3 in Ind 2015 will also be omitted even though a lot of their main personnel was common (Amla, Steyn, Morkel, ABDV, Faf, Philander etc). India's current team coincides nicely with Kohli taking over as full time captain.
England 2009-13 -
Starting point - 09 home series against West Indies won 2-0
End point - 13 home Ashes won 3-0
W/L ratio - 2.727
Home W/L ratio - 5.250
Away W/L ratio - 1.285
Home series won - 9 (WI X 2, Aus X 2, Ind, NZ, Pak, SL, Bang)
Home series lost - 1 (SA)
Away series won - 3 (Bang, Aus, Ind)
Away series drawn - 3 (SL, SA, NZ)
Away series lost - 1 (Pak)
Ind 2007-11 -
Starting point - 07 away series against Bang won 1-0
End point - 11 away series against WI won 1-0
W/L ratio - 2.625
Home W/L ratio - 5.500
Away W/L ratio - 1.666
Home series won - 5 (Australia X 2, England, SL, Nz)
Home series drawn - 2 (SA X 2)
Away series won - 5 (Bang X 2, Eng, NZ, WI)
Away series drawn - 2 (SL, SA)
Away series lost - 2 (Aus, SL)
So right away we can see that 09-13 England is overrated by most English fans (like they do to everything). They were a good side with a 4 year peak who collapsed pretty badly right after similar to the 07-11 Ind side. 07-11 Ind had a better home and away W/L ratio. Overall is lesser because England played more at home while India played more away. Definitely not in the contention of being in the "best since Waugh's Australia".
SA 2006-14 -
Starting point - 06 home series win against Ind 2-1
End point - 14 home series win against WI 2-0
Rather than 08-14 (Smith retirement) extending both ways to capture their win in Pak and SL plus some home wins.
W/L ratio - 2.687
Home W/L ratio - 2.272
Away W/L ratio - 3.6
Home series won - 10 (Ind X 2, Pak X 2, WI X 2, NZ X 2, SL, Bang)
Home series drawn - 3 (Ind, Aus, Eng)
Home series lost - 2 (Aus)
Away series won - 10 (Aus X 2, Eng X 2, NZ, Pak, SL, WI, Bang, Zim)
Away series drawn - 4 (Ind X 2, Pak X 2)
Ind 2015-present -
Starting point - 15 away series win against SL 2-1
End point - ongoing
W/L ratio - 2.933
Home W/L ratio - 13
![Cool :cool: :cool:](/forum/images/smilies/original/cool.gif)
Away W/L ratio - 1.384
Home series won - 12 (Eng X 2, NZ X 2, SA X 2, Bang X 2, SL, WI, Afg, Aus)
Away series won - 6 (Aus X 2, SL X2, WI X 2)
Away series lost - 3 (SA, Eng, NZ)
Away series either won/drawn - 1 (Eng)
That SA team had an 8 year period. This Indian team is currently a bit above 6 and a half years. Right now I think they are relatively equal depending on preference. SA were really good away with the highest away W/L ratio of the four teams but had a very poor home W/L ratio (less than half of that England side who is next). Current Ind are good away (better than the England side) but the best home side ever in history (0 series drawn/lost).
Considering that Ind have home fixtures in the next few years and "easier" away fixtures I expect both the home and away W/L ratios to grow further. If Ind win both the SA series and Eng series I would place them over SA. Really good away record plus the best home record in history. Also it will be a similar timeframe to the SA side (8ish years).
Also England belongs nowhere in the conversation. They were (slightly) inferior to 07-11 India (1 test mace to 2 for that Indian team) and nowhere as good as the SA or current Ind teams.
Last edited: