Would Ponting make an Aussie all-time XI?

[The Sean]

The truth is that for all countries, there is no ATG XI, that would play in all conditions.

There's probably a core of 7 or 8 players that would be chosen but then there's 3 or 4 that would be conditions dependent.

On the SC you'd need 2 spinners and you could bat Gilchrist at 6 and pick Benaud or Grimmett. But would you want an off spinner rather than 2 leggies.

Would Border have a stronger case as he can bowl a bit of spin.

Also the ATG side would presumably be playing another ATG side so would 4 bowlers be enough - probably not.

Yeah agreed. I love selecting all time XIs, but I really think it makes more meaningful sense to pick all time 16-man squads to cover a range of conditions and opposition.

 

[Coronis]

It's a bit like saying who is the ATG male tennis player - well it depends where its being played.

On clay it's obviously Nadal but on grass or hardcourt, he clearly isn't.
I

Nah Nadal ain’t the best clay player. Just pick Laver anyway, plus he’ll smash these modern day scrubs on carpet or wood.

 

[trundler]

I'm just going to pick Ponting over Border, Chappell, Harvey and Hill regardless of the Miller debate. Leaving out Border is a big, big call but Ponting's strengths would be valuable to such a strong side. Border would be part of the squad and replace him in India obvs.

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

The truth is that for all countries, there is no ATG XI, that would play in all conditions.

There's probably a core of 7 or 8 players that would be chosen but then there's 3 or 4 that would be conditions dependent.

On the SC you'd need 2 spinners and you could bat Gilchrist at 6 and pick Benaud or Grimmett. But would you want an off spinner rather than 2 leggies.

Would Border have a stronger case as he can bowl a bit of spin.

Also the ATG side would presumably be playing another ATG side so would 4 bowlers be enough - probably not.

It's a bit like saying who is the ATG male tennis player - well it depends where its being played.

On clay it's obviously Nadal but on grass or hardcourt, he clearly isn't.
I

O’Reilly clearly no.1 choice in or against India Imo against ATG Indian batting lineup.
You can also go with Miller/Lindwall/ McGrath/ Gillespie and O’Reilly in India with no 2nd spinner or 3 quicks,1 Spinner formation.

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

Nah Nadal ain’t the best clay player. Just pick Laver anyway, plus he’ll smash these modern day scrubs on carpet or wood.

Laver’s height would put him in a huge disadvantage in modern day.
And Gonzales>Laver.

 

[honestbharani]

I'm just going to pick Ponting over Border, Chappell, Harvey and Hill regardless of the Miller debate. Leaving out Border is a big, big call but Ponting's strengths would be valuable to such a strong side. Border would be part of the squad and replace him in India obvs.

Need a leftie though

 

[Sunil1z]

Need a leftie though

Gilchrist and Hayden?

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Or you could just open with Watson and Katich and cover all bases.

At least that way Bradman gets to come in early to start dominating from the first over.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Laver’s height would put him in a huge disadvantage in modern day.
And Gonzales>Laver.

Anthony Wilding is the GOAT.
Thought I'd throw in a random Kiwi.

 

[ataraxia]

Thought I'd throw in a random Kiwi.

huh that's a change

 

[Fuller Pilch]

huh that's a change

Won Wimbledon and Oz open a few times. 1st global tennis superstar. Also won the Davis Cup several times representing Australasia. Died in WW1.

 

[ashley bach]

Anthony Wilding is the GOAT.
Thought I'd throw in a random Kiwi.

Is this the first time in history Fuller Pilch has thrown in a random Kiwi?

 

[ashley bach]

Feel it would be terribly difficult to leave Ricky out, obviously the batting order is the question here, but certainly would find it strange if players
such as S Waugh were in the team and Ponting wasn't.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Does the Davis Cup still mean anything? Used to be all the rage back in the late-90s, 2000s. Then I think the top players stopped bothering with it, or maybe Australia just stopped being good at it I don't remember

 

[Burgey]

The truth is that for all countries, there is no ATG XI, that would play in all conditions.

There's probably a core of 7 or 8 players that would be chosen but then there's 3 or 4 that would be conditions dependent.

On the SC you'd need 2 spinners and you could bat Gilchrist at 6 and pick Benaud or Grimmett. But would you want an off spinner rather than 2 leggies.

Would Border have a stronger case as he can bowl a bit of spin.

Also the ATG side would presumably be playing another ATG side so would 4 bowlers be enough - probably not.

It's a bit like saying who is the ATG male tennis player - well it depends where its being played.

On clay it's obviously Nadal but on grass or hardcourt, he clearly isn't.
I

Clay in tennis is like the SC in cricket - dusty, slow and rightly not regarded as highly as elsewhere.

 

[CricAddict]

Does the Davis Cup still mean anything? Used to be all the rage back in the late-90s, 2000s. Then I think the top players stopped bothering with it, or maybe Australia just stopped being good at it I don't remember

Yes, I did love following it in the 90s and 2000s. The woodies were amazing for the aussies and it was a great doubles battle between them and Paes-Bhupathi. Federer did continuously turn up for Davis cup too.

I think top singles players stopped playing in Davis Cup due to which it has waned.

 

[CricAddict]

Clay in tennis is like the SC in cricket - dusty, slow and rightly not regarded as highly as elsewhere.

Yes, both are highly challenging and under-rated in both sports.

 

[CricAddict]

Feel it would be terribly difficult to leave Ricky out, obviously the batting order is the question here, but certainly would find it strange if players
such as S Waugh were in the team and Ponting wasn't.

Didn't Ponting play at 6 when he started? He should be there at 6 ahead of Steve Waugh while Bradman, Chappell and Steve Smith occupy 3-5. Says how good the ATG team is when S Waugh and Border have to sit out, leave alone so many other batting greats.

If Labuschagne ends up with a test average of >55, will he find a place in the Australia ATG squad and be rated ahead of Waugh and Border? Especially since he has almost exclusively batted in the tough batting era.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yes, I did love following it in the 90s and 2000s. The woodies were amazing for the aussies and it was a great doubles battle between them and Paes-Bhupathi. Federer did continuously turn up for Davis cup too.

I think top singles players stopped playing in Davis Cup due to which it has waned.

I wasn't a big doubles follower but I do remember a match-up between Aus and India some time in the early-00s

I think Leander Paes had a decent run in the singles one year in the Aus open but I could be conflating it with doubles

 

[TheJediBrah]

Didn't Ponting play at 6 when he started? He should be there at 6 ahead of Steve Waugh while Bradman, Chappell and Steve Smith occupy 3-5. Says how good the ATG team is when S Waugh and Border have to sit out, leave alone so many other batting greats.

If Labuschagne ends up with a test average of >55, will he find a place in the Australia ATG squad and be rated ahead of Waugh and Border? Especially since he has almost exclusively batted in the tough batting era.

This is a very good point, there's no reason Ponting couldn't bat at 6

Not sure re Labuschagne though. He is a massive overachiever and nowhere near as good as the others. Can't see how he could finish with an average over 55