Best all time XI for each country

[kyear2]

A combo India / Pakistan XI

Sunil Gavaskar
Virender Sehwag
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
Javed Miandad
M.S Dhoni
Imran Khan
Wasim Akram
Anil Kumble
Fazal Mahmood
Waqar Younis

Inzaman Ul Haq
Erapalli Prasanna
Vinoo Mankad

 

[ankitj]

South Africa:

Barry Richards
Bruce Mitchell
Jacques Kallis
Graeme Pollock
Dudley Nourse
Dennis Lindsay +
Shaun Pollock
Mike Procter
Dale Steyn
Hugh Tayfield
Allan Donald

Unlucky that Faulkner misses out but I think I have to pick the best spin bowler. Faulkner was probably more a batting all rounder than a bowling one.

 

[kyear2]

Was going to selct the same team but though 5 fast bolwers was a tad much, but I guess Mitchell could help with the spin if required. But I guessKallis would get his wish and not have to bowl.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

In terms of overall Stats, the top 3 test nations have been Australia, England and Pakistan.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...rby=win_loss_ratio;template=results;type=team

 

[kyear2]

So are you saying that the top 3 All Time teams are from Pakistan, Australia and England?

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Going by best XI, no, but overall consistent performance throughout test history, yes.

 

[kyear2]

Was just trying to verify. So what order would you have them in? And waht do you think of the Pak. XI and squad I put together?

 

[Agent Nationaux]

You have a good Pak squad there, I would have something similar

Majid Khan/Hanif
Saeed Anwar
Abbas/Younis
Miandad
Inzy
MoYo
Imran (c)
Moin/Latif
Wasim
Saqlain/Qadir
Waqar

In reserve I would prefer Asif and Fazal Mahmood over Akhtar.

Order is OK, but no 3, 4, 5 could be in any order really. West Indies and Aus for the top spots obviously.

 

[kyear2]

Also I belive that South Africa are quite under rated and very strong and England has a very good balance.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

A lot of people say that our batting is weak but Inzy, MoYo, Miandad and Abbas/Younis are a strong middle order, all averaging 50.

 

[kyear2]

But none of them could make the middle order of Australia or W.I. , Miandad would for S.A or England, but thats it.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

But how can you compare batsmen from different eras? For example Inzy averaged 50 and so did Dudley Nourse but both played in different eras against different bowlers. How can you say one is better than the other? Have you seen both play?

 

[kyear2]

But every thing we do is based on comparing players from different eras. Additionally what I was saying is that Miandad would replace Nourse in a S.A XI, but none of the other Pakistani batsmen would be able to unseat any more of the S.A middle order, Pollock or Kallis.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

You put Eddie Barlow in as an opener who averaged something similar to Anwar, but in a completely different era. Again how can you compare the two or assume the Pakistani batting is weaker because it's Anwar whereas RSA has Barlow.

 

[Red]

You put Eddie Barlow in as an opener who averaged something similar to Anwar, but in a completely different era. Again how can you compare the two or assume the Pakistani batting is weaker because it's Anwar whereas RSA has Barlow.

I guess one thing that counts against a guy like Inzy is perceived laziness. No doubt a great batsman, but also clearly not that fit. In an all time XI, you'd want batsman who were good in the field etc.

Perhaps another perceived weakness of some Pakistan batsmen is that they faced India a lot early on, and India have never had great attacks, while guys from Aust, Eng and the WIs faced each other's very hostile attacks regularly.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

All I am saying is that with a bowling line up as strong as Pakistan's and a good batting line-up they can surprise you.

 

[Red]

All I am saying is that with a bowling line up as strong as Pakistan's and a good batting line-up they can surprise you.

Agree absolutely, they could rip through anyone on their day.

 

[Jager]

All I am saying is that with a bowling line up as strong as Pakistan's and a good batting line-up they can surprise you.

^ one of the reasons I love Pakistan. I really want to go there, too.

Combined India/Pakistan XI

Gavaskar
Anwar
Dravid
Tendulkar
Miandad
Laxman
Engineer+
Imran*
Akram
Qadir
Waqar

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Nice of you to say that Jager. Not many people would want to visit Pakistan right now and I wouldn't really recommend it either.

I would have Kumble instead of Qadir and it's really tough on Kapil that he can't get into the team. Top bloke.

 

[kyear2]

All I am saying is that with a bowling line up as strong as Pakistan's and a good batting line-up they can surprise you.

I agree to a certain extent as well which is why I have them top five. Just don't think that the batting line us is as strong as some of the other top teams.