Which team is currently the best, in 2023?

[Slifer]

She’s levels above Andy Murray

If they ever played Andy would smoke Serena 6-0 6-0. Not even a serious question

 

[social]

If they ever played Andy would smoke Serena 6-0 6-0. Not even a serious question

Murray is barely in the conversation when talking about the best of his generation whereas Serena is arguably the greatest ever

Like comparing Kohli to Meg Lanning

Different levels

 

[subshakerz]

People voting for England are ridiculous. Australia will be out for blood in the upcoming Ashes, and we'll see then how reasonable that position is.

Here are the facts: England is hopeless against Australia in Australia, because Jimmy A could never swing the Kookaburra.

Australia are hopeless against India in India, which is being proven again in the ongoing series.

As the rest of the match-ups are more competitive, that only leaves one choice: India .

India is not hopeless but certainly weaker anywhere it swings.

 

[Slifer]

Murray is barely in the conversation when talking about the best of his generation whereas Serena is arguably the greatest ever

Like comparing Kohli to Meg Lanning

Different levels

Serena has achieved more in the women's game no doubt about that. But if the question is asked who's the better player, Andy no doubt. Even Serena admitted as much on the David Letterman Show.

 

[Godard]

If it is a match is in Aus: it is Aus>Ind>Eng
If it is a math in Eng: it is Eng>Aus>Ind
If it is a match in Ind: Ind>>Eng>Aus.
So, India maybe.

Edit: But since Ind is currently Pant-less, and Eng are a much better team than 1 year back, it could be much closer in Aus, still in think Ind will beat Eng in Aus.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

It is tight. I'd say Australia would win both home series as would England but India would whitewash both in India. Does that make India the best? The England results away this winter count but the sides they have played aren't that good. All in all a tough question and I guess allegiance to England would have me say them but I wouldn't argue if either of the others won the poll.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Honestly I'm just chuffed to bits that people are even considering England for this sort of thing.

Following the sport is fun again. It's hard to describe properly.

I'm pleased for you (sincerely). 2014-2021 was great as a NZ cricket fan who remembers the 90s and 2008-2012. I hope for England's and cricket's sakes that this team helps the game to grow in popularity in Old Blighty.

 

[anil1405]

This series, the Ashes later this year and Eng tour of India in a year's time should give us way more clarity on the answer to this question.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I was having a go at picking a combined side from these three countries.

I know there's a couple of key first choice injuries, but based on the standard format of top 5, all rounder, keeper, spinner and 3 quicks it's probably the below

Rohit Sharma

Khawaja

Labu

Smith

Brook

Jadeja

Foakes

Cummins

Ashwin

Starc

Anderson

ROW XI

Karunaratne (or perhaps Brathwaite)
Conway
Williamson
Babar
Chandimal (spin conditions)/Mitchell (seam conditions)
Blundell
Shakib
Jansen
Jamieson
Rabada
Afridi

* Mehidi for one of the seamers if conditions justify

 

[shortpitched713]

Our failures in Oz have been bat-driven. Not saying we’d now go there and win but we wouldn’t limp through like the last three tours.

India were ranked no.1 between 2009-11 with a bowling attack of Zaheer, Ishant, Sreesanth and Harbhajan. Many people used to point out that maintaining no.1 rank with such a bowling attack is unsustainable. These people were proven right in Eng and Aus 2011 tour .

Similarly maintaining no.1 rank with batting attack of Rahul, Pujara and Kohli is unsustainable. Our lower order will fail soon and we will keep getting bowled out for under 150 .

Weird how an Indian is cherry picking an aspect of their game to downplay his team's chances, and an Englander is doing the very same to somehow hype his team.

As I've stated before, the head to head records are very clear. I don't care if Indian fans are uncomfortable with it ( somehow would have helped if they had won the one off WTC final, although it seems pretty insignificant now in retrospect, given NZ's current woes ). By all rights they should take the mantle of the best team in the world as they are strongest in the most meaningful contests, and the greatest variety of conditions.

 

[shortpitched713]

India is not hopeless but certainly weaker anywhere it swings.

They recently won in England. I'm not bothered by any stereotypes. India is actually the team for all conditions. Not England or Australia.

 

[subshakerz]

So the teams to compare are India since 2018, Australia since Cummins and England since Stokes.

India have lost four series in Eng/NZ/SA in that time, the last one was only drawn since they were facing Root's England. Their advantage is being the only team to win in Australia and being unbeatable at home. But with such shaky batting order form and a big hole in their record, they don't compete for me.

The best team is either Australia or England.

Australia are the best team on paper, strongest batting order and all-round bowling attack. Yes, they have lost three games in SC in a row, so whether they are confirmed no.1 depends on them turning at least a victory in the remaining games and win in England.

England are on a roll and in great form, but to me they are no.2 unless they can beat Australia at home.

 

[GIMH]

Weird how an Indian is cherry picking an aspect of their game to downplay his team's chances, and an Englander is doing the very same to somehow hype his team.

As I've stated before, the head to head records are very clear. I don't care if Indian fans are uncomfortable with it ( somehow would have helped if they had won the one off WTC final, although it seems pretty insignificant now in retrospect, given NZ's current woes ). By all rights they should take the mantle of the best team in the world.

Eh, I’m just disagreeing with your very flimsy reasoning that Anderson is the reason for our recent failures in Oz. He averages 26 on our last two tours there. If that’s the reason we flopped so badly then it’s a tough crowd.

It’s fair enough to not put us as one yet because this iteration of England has only played full series against three teams (as well as a one-off thrashing of India….) but I didn’t cherry pick anything.

 

[Shady Slim]

Our failures in Oz have been bat-driven. Not saying we’d now go there and win but we wouldn’t limp through like the last three tours.

aside from the 2017 ashes which was just bleak tbf, and you are right that england has failed with the bat here on the regular (which isn't to stick the boot in to england particularly, mind, given a lot of tourists do [SRI LANKA]), i feel if one criticism can be levelled at the bowling in the 2013 and 2021 ashes it's that you've at key times been just one more wicket short of really being able to challenge australia.

obviously then the flip side of this argument is, we might say that england's batsman have been one key partnership short of making a real shake. you get what im saying though

 

[shortpitched713]

Eh, I’m just disagreeing with your very flimsy reasoning that Anderson is the reason for our recent failures in Oz. He averages 26 on our last two tours there. If that’s the reason we flopped so badly then it’s a tough crowd.

It’s fair enough to not put us as one yet because this iteration of England has only played full series against three teams (as well as a one-off thrashing of India….) but I didn’t cherry pick anything.

My overall point had little to do with the reason for failure (although in fairness I didn't communicate it's throwaway nature). Fact is England fails in Australia, over and over and over again. In fact, even pointing to some successes in the past doesn't help, as it's overwhelmed by the depth of historical English failure in Australia for decades now. This is more significant than the what is now outmoded criticism of India in pace friendly/swinging conditions. But if one lends even a bit of credence to that shortcoming of India, then you have to acknowledge this glaring gap for England, which imo disqualifies them from consideration in absence of a giant preponderance of evidence to the contrary.

 

[Shady Slim]

My overall point had little to do with the reason for failure (although in fairness I didn't communicate it's throwaway nature). Fact is England fails in Australia, over and over and over again. In fact, even pointing to some successes in the past doesn't help, as it's overwhelmed by the depth of historical English failure in Australia for decades now. This is more significant than the what is now outmoded criticism of India in pace friendly/swinging conditions. But if one lends even a bit of credence to that shortcoming of India, then you have to acknowledge this glaring gap for England.

can say the exact same about australia in england tbhwy

 

[shortpitched713]

can say the exact same about australia in england tbhwy

Recently sure, but in the historical context, no. No one is going to he the least bit surprised if Australia fights hard, or even wins this upcoming Ashes.

In the contrapositive case of England winning in Australia, we'd ( maybe rightfully so ) likely see parades, knighthoods, and national holidays.

 

[subshakerz]

My overall point had little to do with the reason for failure (although in fairness I didn't communicate it's throwaway nature). Fact is England fails in Australia, over and over and over again. In fact, even pointing to some successes in the past doesn't help, as it's overwhelmed by the depth of historical English failure in Australia for decades now. This is more significant than the what is now outmoded criticism of India in pace friendly/swinging conditions. But if one lends even a bit of credence to that shortcoming of India, then you have to acknowledge this glaring gap for England, which imo disqualifies them from consideration in absence of a giant preponderance of evidence to the contrary.

Why is this outmoded?

 

[Shady Slim]

Recently sure, but in the historical context, no. No one is going to he the least bit surprised if Australia fights hard, or even wins this upcoming Ashes.

In the contrapositive case of England winning in Australia, we'd ( maybe rightfully so ) likely see parades, knighthoods, and national holidays.

we're going to head into these ashes on the back of a 4-0 ass whooping in india, with khawaja and a wet piece of cardboard as our openers (unless they do still persist using trav head), and even if they do the right thing and open with travis head, question marks in the middle order (who's five then? and how is cam green going to do being his first tour?) as well as over health of the pace cartel (which admittedly is quite deep)

on the other hand, broaderson are in vintage form and ollie robinson has been imperious, and they come face to face with a batting lineup historically known to struggle against the moving ball. i concede that smith and marnus have exemplary records in england ashes, and we did see last time around that those two can carry the entire team. but i would be as surprised as anyone if lightning struck a second time!

 

[Senile Sentry]

Voted India based on quality of bowling (all round) but yeah batting wise England edges it

What to do for a Eng India series arm