So I've got questions on how I select my XI.
There are 7 players who were selected for both the Cricinfo and Wisden XI's that also mesh with the CW XI.
They start the list.
01. Hobbs
02.
03. Bradman
04. Richards
05. Tendulkar
06. Sobers
07.
08.
09. Marshall
10. Warne
11.
The philosophy isn't only based on numbers, but also who meshes as a team and would perform well and compliment each other. I also prefer players you played and competed vs modern competition and rules or whom I would have at least seen some evidence of their play. Grace for instance is a non starter, as is Barnes. Hobbs though is a challenge because of how great he was and for how long. His peak though when he was that attacking batsman, was obviously before the first war and yeah... I don't go back that far.
No, not everyone would agree but part of it is to see how they batted, their technique, quality of opposition etc.
In any event for me Adam Gilchrist has to be next on the sheet. Besides Sobers, and as far as all rounders go, he's as evenly balanced as it comes. He was excellent to Warne and the best no. 7 in cricket.
Glenn McGrath is for me the 2nd best bowler ever and has to be Marshall's opening partner. He was the key to one of the two greatest teams in history and his style also perfectly complements Marshall's.
Finally Len Hutton was the first great modern and travelling opener. He played in what was one of the 3 toughest batting eras, especially for opening batsmen. He faced the best of his era and travelled everywhere.
So that leaves us with
01. Hutton
02.
03. Bradman
04. Richards
05. Tendulkar
06. Sobers
07. Gilchrist
08.
09. Marshall
10. Warne
11. McGrath
That leaves the two disputed spots, and the explanations, (apologies) gets longer.
But in short I want an old ball reverse specialist and an opening batsman capable of accelerating the scoring as required. If either can bat a bit and replace Warne at 1st, it's a bonus.
The bowling spot is between Hadlee, Steyn, Imran and Wasim. If we're ranking them as bowlers, that it.
Hadlee was adept at bowling with the old ball, but as it's a team where I try to cover every base and gain every possible advantage, he is lacking the ability to reverse swing the older ball.
Steyn like Hadlee was better with the new ball, and though he was adept at reverse swing and bowling with the old ball, and could be looked at as possibly the 2nd best old ball bowler... He did have a tendency to be a little more expensive than the others in contention and when attacked often seemed to lack a plan B. Also, for an AT XI there should be more than one player from the SC, especially a bowler.
It then comes down between Wasim and Imran, and there a couple factors.
8 players made Wisden and Cricinfo's all time teams, Wasim was one of them. Even Martin Crowe who would have faced them both, included Wasim in his all time squad over Imran.
Wasim was capable of conventional and reverse swing in both directions, that lends flexibility to all possible conditions, and with a viable, well brilliant cordon, he would get better results here.
And as I said a few posts back, he was the greatest ever old ball bowler. Reverse swing or not, he was capable of movement and variety with the old ball. With Sobers, Warne and himself I want them to bowl during the dog overs, keeping the openers fresh, while keeping it tight, and for the latter two, being a consistent and considerable threat. I think Wasim Akram does that better than anyone else. He was also a better batsman than his average indicated and was part of a number of crucial partnerships for Pakistan.
For the opener spot opposite Hutton, similarly with Marshall and McGrath, I want two openers who compliments each other. Hutton to be the anchor, and someone who can do that, but also capable of destroying an opening pace attack in all conditions.
The candidates for the spot would be Richards and Gavaskar. Hobbs obviously is probably the 2nd greatest batsman ever, but discussed that already, and Greenidge and Smith could be contenders, but don't think either is quite good enough for this discussion.
I want an attacking batsman, someone that has demonstrated that that they can take apart an attack. We've never seen an opening bat that can take on a quality attack like him, period.
Following on, I want that person to be able to still score in quick and swinging conditions. Barry took on the best in England, South Africa and Australia and still got massive scores vs the very best. In bowling conditions in WSC, Barry along with Viv were the best batsmen on display. Barry was also at his best vs visiting test teams, averaging 70 in those contests, including prime Thompson. Thompson & Lillee rating him as the best opener they had seen.
His peer rating, during the 70's when they both played, Barry was the higher rated batsman, ranking as the best batsman in the world into the 2nd half of the decade, with a long list including Pollock, Procter, Bird etc who proclaim him as the best batsman they'd seen.
Interns of ability, Barry Richards post war comps are Tendulkar, Richards, Lara , Sobers and Smith. That was the level of batsman he was. In addition he was also a first rate slip who prioritized the importance of that facet of the game.
So that leaves me with a team of
All Time World XI
Sir Leonard Hutton
Barry Richards ^
Sir Donald Bradman ©
Sir I.V.A Richards ^
Sachin Tendulkar
Sir Garfield Sobers ^⁵
Adam Gilchrist (wk)
Wasim Akram ³
Malcolm Marshall ¹
Shane Warne ⁴
Glenn McGrath ²
In addition to having the best and greatest batsmen and bowlers of all time, it covers all the secondary facets. It has the best ever 5th bowler, a strong tail that bats till no. 10 and a brilliant cordon. It has bowlers and batsmen who mostly performed in any and all conditions and are match winners.
There are anchors and attackers, pace, swing, seam and reverse swing, wrist and finger spin, and they can test your will and technique, body and wicket.