Best all time XI for each country

[Xuhaib]

There aren't even many Balochi cricketers to have represented Pakistan, are there?

Baluchistan regularly plays domestic cricket but the team is quite poor the small population is really a hindrance though one or two like WK batsman Bisnmillah Khan are doing well these days.

 

[Xuhaib]

As far as I know, only one East Pakistani has represented Pakistan in cricket. I forgot his name though, the Pakistani fans here would know.

East Pakistan wing was very poorly treated no wonder the breakup happened.

 

[weldone]

Gavaskar
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar
Merchant
Kirmani
Kapil Dev
Zaheer Khan
Amer Singh
Gupte
Bedi

Should win every Test in India. Can substitute a batsman for Bedi overseas.

Are you sure you want to have Merchant bat at no. 5? Or, do you mean Hajare?

And, shouldn't Kapil bat above Kirmani?

All of Kapil, Zaheer and Amar are/were primarily swing bowlers. I would prefer to replace one of Zaheer and Amar with either Nissar or Srinath (who depended more on pace than on swing) just for variety. That's my personal opinion though.

 

[ankitj]

Vinoo Mankad should walk in an all time India XI. He was a unanimous choice in Ciricinfo's experts' XI.

 

[weldone]

Vinoo Mankad should walk in an all time India XI. He was a unanimous choice in Ciricinfo's experts' XI.

There's no denying the fact that Vinoo Mankad was an excellent all-rounder.

Having said that, our country has produced a superlative all-rounder named Kapil Dev. I'm sure you wouldn't want 6 bowlers in a test team. So, sacrificing either Sehwag or Laxman/Vishwanath for Mankad (who was a lesser batsman, undoubtedly) doesn't make much sense. The only other alternative is playing only 3 specialist bowlers (Srinath/Nissar, Zaheer/Amar Singh, Kumble/Bedi/Gupte/Chandra/Prasanna) and 2 all-rounders Kapil and Mankad. This is certainly a better idea, but since bowling of an all-time India XI is a much weaker discipline than batting, I'd rather go with 2 specialist spinners dropping Mankad.

All I'm saying is that one could choose Mankad in the team, but he's not the one who 'walks in' the XI. The only players who should 'walk in' an all-time India XI are Tendulkar, Kapil, Gavaskar, Dravid and probably Sehwag. Other places will depend on individual choices, team composition etc.

 

[ankitj]

There's no denying the fact that Vinoo Mankad was an excellent all-rounder.

Having said that, our country has produced a superlative all-rounder named Kapil Dev. I'm sure you wouldn't want 6 bowlers in a test team. So, sacrificing either Sehwag or Laxman/Vishwanath for Mankad (who was a lesser batsman, undoubtedly) doesn't make much sense. The only other alternative is playing only 3 specialist bowlers (Srinath/Nissar, Zaheer/Amar Singh, Kumble/Bedi/Gupte/Chandra/Prasanna) and 2 all-rounders Kapil and Mankad. This is certainly a better idea, but since bowling of an all-time India XI is a much weaker discipline than batting, I'd rather go with 2 specialist spinners dropping Mankad.

All I'm saying is that one could choose Mankad in the team, but he's not the one who 'walks in' the XI. The only players who should 'walk in' an all-time India XI are Tendulkar, Kapil, Gavaskar, Dravid and probably Sehwag. Other places will depend on individual choices, team composition etc.

Yeah, I just walked in and said 'walk in' This is debatable.

I will use the second combination. 2 all-rounders with 3 bowlers. And the 2 all-rounders are actually not inferior bowlers compared to the specialist bowlers that India has to choose from. I am not sure why Bedi/Chandra/Prasanna should be considered much better compared to Manakad to overlook the extra advantage that Mankad brings as a batsman.

Besides, Mankad is somewhat under-rated. He must be ranked among India's greatest 5 cricketers. He has some notable achievements to his name - fastest to complete the double of 1000 test runs and 100 test wickets in his day, and also one of only 4 cricketers (AFAIK) to have scored a double hundred and taken a 10-wicket haul over their careers.

 

[ankitj]

Oh and Dravid and Sehwag have competition from the 2 Vijays. They would have definitely achieved more if they played more tests. In their limited opportunities they did admirably well. And their rivalry in Indian domestic cricket is legendary.

 

[weldone]

I am not sure why Bedi/Chandra/Prasanna should be considered much better compared to Manakad to overlook the extra advantage that Mankad brings as a batsman.

India has produced 7 good spinners in the form of Kumble, Bedi, Gupte, Chandrashekhar, Prasanna, Harbhajan and Mankad. However, I feel the last 2 are not in the same level as the first 5. I'm not suggesting that the first 5 are 'much' better than the last 2, but that they certainly are better.

However, Mankad was a very good batsman too. So, if I were selecting a South African XI for instance, I wouldn't hesitate to drop someone of Gupte's calibre to bring in someone of Mankad's calibre. But the problem with India is that we've never had superlative pace bowlers. If you compare our all-time team with Australia's, or West Indies', or England's, or South Africa's the real difference is in pace bowling. So, we desparately need a better bowler than a better batsman. Mankad will not add HUGE plus points in a batting lineup of (say) Sehwag, Gavaskar, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Engineer and Kapil. But choosing someone like Gupte over Mankad might give us the slight edge in bowling department that might be crucial for us taking 20 wickets per match consistently.

 

[weldone]

Oh and Dravid and Sehwag have competition from the 2 Vijays. They would have definitely achieved more if they played more tests. In their limited opportunities they did admirably well. And their rivalry in Indian domestic cricket is legendary.

Dravid versus Hazare is a non-competition, really. Laxman versus Hazare, or Vishy versus Hazare might be an interesting one.

However, Sehwag and Merchant was an interesting case till a few years ago (in fact, I was tilted in favor of the later). But Sehwag has done enough now to claim that spot (undoubtedly, for my likings). SJS wrote a nice piece a few months ago regarding this comparison, and why he thought it was over by then (in favor of Sehwag, of course). SJS knows a zillion times better than me about the history of Indian cricket. And he is certainly not one who would choose a current player over someone from the past without strong (may I say, very strong) reasons.

 

[Teja.]

Dravid versus Hazare is a non-competition, really. Laxman versus Hazare, or Vishy versus Hazare might be an interesting one.

However, Sehwag and Merchant was an interesting case till a few years ago (in fact, I was tilted in favor of the later). But Sehwag has done enough now to claim that spot (undoubtedly, for my likings). SJS wrote a nice piece a few months ago regarding this comparison, and why he thought it was over by then (in favor of Sehwag, of course). SJS knows a zillion times better than me about the history of Indian cricket. And he is certainly not one who would choose a current player over someone from the past without strong (may I say, very strong) reasons.

Would love to read what SJS has to say. Link please.

 

[vcs]

How many people would have Kumble in their All-Time XI?

 

[weldone]

Would love to read what SJS has to say. Link please.

Can't spot it. A mod can help probably.

 

[weldone]

How many people would have Kumble in their All-Time XI?

He might be in my All-Time India XI, not an automatic selection though.

 

[M0rphin3]

He might be in my All-Time India XI, not an automatic selection though.

Harsh

 

[weldone]

India All-Time XI:
Virender Sehwag
Sunil Gavaskar*
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
VVS Laxman
Kapil Dev
Farookh Engineer+
Anil Kumble
Subhash Gupte
Zaheer Khan
Mohammad Nissar

Reserves: Vijay Merchant, Gundappa Vishwanath, Mahendra Dhoni, Vinoo Mankad, Amar Singh

 

[George.Hinton]

Personally would have MS Dhoni in all time Indian X1.

He's probably one of the best (if not the best) batsmen of the keepers that have played for India.
His keeping is competent enough and he honestly is one of the best skippers that India have had.
Pataudi may have been a better captain but there is no way Pataudi would make an all time team as a batsman.

 

[Capt Blackadder]

Brothers XI

Here is my first XI of Brothers who have played for Australia. my own cravat is that I had to pick both brothers for the side. Finding a WK was impossible as were the fast bowlers. Batsmen I had an embarrassment of riches.

Neil Harvey
Merv Harvey
Ian Chappell
Steven Waugh (VC)
Mark Waugh
Greg Chappell
Richie Benaud (C)
Hugh Trumble
John Trumble
Brett Lee
Shane Lee

12 Man
John Benaud

The Hussy's were unlucky to miss out but the batting line up is just too strong. The bowling line up is pretty bad. If I could do father son I could get a WK but alas since it is a brothers team I can't get any. My fast bowling stocks are very limited I hope soon in the future is Pattison plays for Australia I could get a proper pace attack.

 

[smash84]

Here is my first XI of Brothers who have played for Australia. my own cravat is that I had to pick both brothers for the side. Finding a WK was impossible as were the fast bowlers. Batsmen I had an embarrassment of riches.

Neil Harvey
Merv Harvey
Ian Chappell
Steven Waugh (VC)
Mark Waugh
Greg Chappell
Richie Benaud (C)
Hugh Trumble
John Trumble
Brett Lee
Shane Lee

12 Man
John Benaud

The Hussy's were unlucky to miss out but the batting line up is just too strong. The bowling line up is pretty bad. If I could do father son I could get a WK but alas since it is a brothers team I can't get any. My fast bowling stocks are very limited I hope soon in the future is Pattison plays for Australia I could get a proper pace attack.

welcome to CW. A very nice first post .

 

[Tom 1972]

Mullet Hairdo XI

Not all big beefy mutant mullets but rest assured - all had one at some time in their career... Always thought the short mullet a'la Bruce Reid was just as ordinary on the eyes... Note: this is not a "big hair" XI or the likes of Imran/Lillee would walk straight in.

Sorry about the Australian bias. And I struggled to think of well known opening batsmen...

Not a bad side all the same and no surprise that they mostly played in the fashion decade of shame

W Phillips +
D Boon
A Lamb
M Waugh
D Gower
S Waugh c
I Botham
S Warne
J Gillespie
T Alderman
B Reid

 

[Tom 1972]

While I'm at it.

Fat Bastards XI

Mark Taylor
Colin Cowdrey (RIP)
Inzinaam ul Haq (spelling?)
Jacques Kallis
Greg Richie
Mike Gatting
Arjuna Ranatunga
Ian Botham
Shane Warne
Merv Hughes

Can someone help me with another opening bowler?