What is your ranking of all Country's ATG XIs?

[Jarquis]

It’s not even remotely alike. There would be thousands of instances in cricket where the number three faces before the number two.

Batting an opener at three is not too much of a stretch at all.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Same way, I don't believe in having openers in middle order as well. Like bagapath said, it is just cheating.

It is like slotting an atg spinner in a pacer's slot and asking him to bowl pace because he was a successful spinner.

Lmao you don't actually believe that surely

 

[TheJediBrah]

The extent to which some of you guys think a professional cricketer is going to forget how to bat because he's a couple of places different in the order is one of the strangest repeated forms of cognitive dissonance I've seen here.

Position is not irrelevant, especially with opening, but it's a very small difference in the grand scheme. It should be common sense but if necessary there are plenty of examples in Test cricket

Mike Hussey was always an opener but he was never getting past Hayden and Langer so did he get left out? No, he got picked to bat no. 6 and the rest is history. Langer himself became an opener because of circumstances. David Warner was a middle-order bat until his international debut.

I'm sure a lot of middle order bats might not adjust as well to opening as others but suggesting that an ATG opening bat like Hutton is going to not warrant selection at no. 3 is absurd. If Hutton was around and couldn't get in the team as an opener you can bet he would have been picked in the middle order and done just as well.

Now if you're refusing to pick players in an ATG team exercise in positions they rarely, if ever, played in because of a perceived breaking of rules like bagapath that's different and it's up to anyone to make up their own rules. But let's not pretend that Hutton would be not good enough to make the team at 3

 

[Jarquis]

It’s not even remotely alike. There would be thousands of instances in cricket where the number three faces before the number two.

Batting an opener at three is not too much of a stretch at all.

Langer, Cook, Kirsten, Strauss, Vaughan, Azhar Ali, Gibbs

 

[CricAddict]

Now if you're refusing to pick players in an ATG team exercise in positions they rarely, if ever, played in because of a perceived breaking of rules like bagapath that's different and it's up to anyone to make up their own rules. But let's not pretend that Hutton would be not good enough to make the team at 3

Yes, that's my rule too.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yes, that's my rule too.

Yeah like I said that's obviously fine and reasonable. Anyone can make up their own rules, but you shouldn't expect everyone else to abide by them

 

[CricAddict]

Yeah like I said that's obviously fine and reasonable. Anyone can make up their own rules, but you shouldn't expect everyone else to abide by them

There will not be any discussion here if everyone agrees with everyone's team

 

[Coronis]

Mike Hussey was always an opener but he was never getting past Hayden and Langer so did he get left out? No, he got picked to bat no. 6 and the rest is history. Langer himself became an opener because of circumstances. David Warner was a middle-order bat until his international debut.

Had no idea about Hussey and Warner tbh.

 

[honestbharani]

Great players adapt and prosper. Above everything else, it's what makes them great. The game wasn't the same when Tendulkar retired as it was when he started, but he adapted and prospered. Same with all the greats who had careers which spanned a long time - guys like Steve Waugh, TOTAB etc.

While I agree with this, it is also a reason why I find it hard to put anyone above Lara amongst the batsmen I have seen. The Prince just played the same way even though the game had changed so much over his career.

 

[bagapath]

Am sure I can choose an Aussie team that looks like

DG Bradman
S Smith
RT Ponting
GC Chappell
AR Border
SR Waugh
AC Gilchrist +

And this side will score 400+ Runs 8 out of 10 times

But I won’t select such a team….

 

[bagapath]

Hobbs has actually batted at 3 a couple of times.

Once

Hutton 0 times

Unless someone has batted 20% of their career in a position we should not force fit them into that role, especially in ATG teams

 

[bagapath]

I don’t think Jacques Kallis would be as good at no 6 as he would be at no 4. Down the order you need a less conventional, more innovative, less technical, more pragmatic, fighting, tail loving run stealer. No 6 is more suitable for S Waugh or Border. Yeah Kallis can bat anywhere; so can Border. But that’s not how we play this.

Hutton didn’t bat at 3 because he was not born to pad up and wait for the first wicket to fall. That was not what he was created for. He was created to be the one who walks out with his partner and then past the umpire all alone to the batting end and takes guard to face the first ball. He was an administrator/ statesman/ legend. All that came later. Before all of that he was an opening batsman. That can’t change.

 

[Jayro]

No. The most flexible side is Australia imo. Having too many all rounders in one's team either dilutes the bowling or batting quality. Example:

Smith
Kirsten
Kallis
Pollock
Nourse
Wicket keeper
A bunch of all all rounders

I'm not considering Proctor for the same reasons I don't consider Sylvester Clark for the WI, not near enough tests. Assuming you pick ARs for the remaining positions and with the likes of Pollock, Faulkner, Klusner, Hansie, etc you are diluting the bowling quality relative to other Atg teams.

I think they have enough bowlers who can bat and a great batting allrounder in Kallis , also a wicketkeeper allrounder as AbDv, a bowling Shoun Pollock, no other team can boast of such qualities, than Proctor etc.

 

[Coronis]

I don’t think Jacques Kallis would be as good at no 6 as he would be at no 4. Down the order you need a less conventional, more innovative, less technical, more pragmatic, fighting, tail loving run stealer. No 6 is more suitable for S Waugh or Border. Yeah Kallis can bat anywhere; so can Border. But that’s not how we play this.

Hutton didn’t bat at 3 because he was not born to pad up and wait for the first wicket to fall. That was not what he was created for. He was created to be the one who walks out with his partner and then past the umpire all alone to the batting end and takes guard to face the first ball. He was an administrator/ statesman/ legend. All that came later. Before all of that he was an opening batsman. That can’t change.

Correction, that’s not how you play this. Other people are ok with changing up their orders a little, and have provided sound logical reasons for doing so. There’s no need to try to force your views on everyone else mate.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Why not Federer or Messi at 3? Same number of innings as Hutton in that position, anyway.

If thats Possible, Maradona and Akram opens bowling for my team in all formats. ??

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Once

Hutton 0 times

Gavaskar played 11 innings outside opening and averaged 74.. Just saying.

Some Might consider this as a proof for superiority and versatility ?

 

[Johan]

Sunil Gavaskar avarages 39 outside 1/2/3 spots

Len Hutton averages 84 outside 1/2/3 spots

Some Might consider this as a proof for superiority and versatility ?

 

[CricAddict]

Had no idea about Hussey and Warner tbh.

Yeah I too didn't know that. I remember something like Warner was famous for being picked before playing a first class match. Or was that only for limited overs?

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Sunil Gavaskar avarages 39 outside 1/2/3 spots

Len Hutton averages 84 outside 1/2/3 spots

Some Might consider this as a proof for superiority and versatility ?

Average inflated by not outs does not count ?
Highest score 20 points less than average ?

 

[Johan]

Average inflated by not outs does not count ?
Highest score 20 points less than average ?

Headcanon