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How would you rank the greatest test teams of all-time?

S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
A familiar exercise. I am listing the below top test teams in chronological order, post WW2. How would you rank your top 10 in the below as complete teams competitive in all conditions? Once we select the teams, we can do a vote off from 1 to 10.

Are there worthy teams that have missed out? I am excluding similar versions of the same team. like Viv's WI and Taylor's Aus.

Bradman's Invincibles (1940s)
Main players: Morris, Bradman, Harvey, Miller, Lindwall, Bill Johnston, Barnes, Tallon

Hutton's England (mid-1950s)
Main players: Hutton, Peter May, Cowdrey, Trueman, Stratham, Laker, Tyson

Benaud's Australia (Late 1950s)
Main players: Benaud, Bobby Simpson, Neil Harvey, Davidson, Mckenzie

Worrell's WI (Early-1960s)
Main players: Hunte, Kanhai, Sobers, Worrell, Griffith, Hall, Gibbs

South Africa (late 60s)
Main players: Graeme Pollock, Peter Pollock, Goodard, Barlow, Proctor, Richards

Chappell's Australia (mid-1970s)
Main players: Chappell brothers, Doug Walters, Lillee, Marsh, Thomo

LLoyd's WI (late 70s)
Main players: Greenidge, Haynes, Viv, Lloyd, pace quartet

Imran's Pakistan (late 80s)
Main players: Javed, Saleem Malik, Imran, Wasim, Qadir

Cronje's SA (late 90s)
Main players: Kirsten, Gibbs, Cullinan, Kallis, Cronje, Donald, Pollock

Akram's Pakistan (mid-late 90s)
Main players: Anwar, Inzi, Yousuf, Moin, Akram, Waqar, Saqlain, Mushtaq

Waugh's Australia (Early 2000s)
Main players: Hayden, Ponting, Waugh brothers, Gilchrist, Warne, McGrath, Gillespie

Vaughn's England (Mid-2000s)
Main players: Vaughn, Bell, Trescothick, KP, Flintoff, Simon Jones, Harmison

Dhoni's India (late 2000s)
Main players: Sehwag, Sachin, Dravid, Laxman, Dhoni, Harbajan, Zaheer

Strauss's England (Early 2010s)
Main players: Cook, Pietersen, Strauss, Trott, Prior, Swann, Anderson, Broad

Smith's SA (Early 2010s)
Main players: Smith, ABD, Amla, Kallis, Morkel, Steyn, Philander

Kohli's India (Late 2010s)
Main players: Kohli, Pujara, Rahane, Bumrah, Ashwin, Shami, Jadeja, Ishant

Williamson's NZ (Early 2020s)
Main players: Williamson, Taylor, Jamieson, Boult, Southee
 
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X

Xix2565

International Regular
When it comes to comparing these teams, I think more focus should go to the bowling attacks and their ratings adjusted per era. Good bowling wins you more games of Test cricket and it's not a coincidence great sides have had the best or close to the best attacks in their respective times.

Also I thought we dismissed Strauss's brief England flicker as a great side? Should have NZ of recent times over them.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Xix2565 said:
When it comes to comparing these teams, I think more focus should go to the bowling attacks and their ratings adjusted per era. Good bowling wins you more games of Test cricket and it's not a coincidence great sides have had the best or close to the best attacks in their respective times.

Also I thought we dismissed Strauss's brief England flicker as a great side? Should have NZ of recent times over them.
Click to expand...
I agree, great bowling often makes up for weaker batting.

I added NZ.

Strauss' side? I was was split between that and the mid-2000s Vaughn side actually.
 
X

Xix2565

International Regular
subshakerz said:
Strauss' side? I was was split between that and the mid-2000s Vaughn side actually.
Click to expand...
I would suggest doing a review of their records and picking the better side. At the very least it should be over a decent period of time considering some of your other choices.

subshakerz said:
Are you talking about SA or Strauss' team?
Click to expand...
That SA side with Barry Richards. 4 Tests vs one team is nowhere near consideration unless you decide potential and FC records matter in this ranking.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Xix2565 said:
I would suggest doing a review of their records and picking the better side. At the very least it should be over a decent period of time considering some of your other choices.


That SA side with Barry Richards. 4 Tests vs one team is nowhere near consideration unless you decide potential and FC records matter in this ranking.
Click to expand...
The SA team sans Richards played more in the late 60s
 
Line and Length

Line and Length

Cricketer Of The Year
Shouldn't "May's England (mid-1950s) Main players: Hutton, Peter May, Cowdrey, Trueman, Stratham, Laker" be called Hutton's England and include Tyson among the main players?
 
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