Daemon
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Haha yes, that'll change things
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best team in world cricket right now
- Thread starter Shady Slim
- Start date
aNarcHy2day
Cricket Spectator
India vs Pakistan is not going to happen for a few more years at least. Move on people.
Justo
U19 Debutant
I don't think there's a clear best team at the moment. If you had to twist my arm I'd say Pakistan are slightly ahead but that will probably change in the next 12 months. The retirements of Misbah and Younis will hurt Pakistan significantly though so when this happens I can see them sliding.
IMO England, India and Australia are close by with very little to separate them. India dominate on the Sub Continent, Australia dominate in the Southern Hemisphere and England are able to compete in most places to a reasonable level (random failures aside). These 3 sides will all probably hold number 1 in the official rankings in the next few years most likely based around when they get favourable schedules. Given that England are the only side with significant retirements potentially coming up this balance could hold for the next few years. All 3 sides have a few flaws that will probably keep them from holding number 1 officially for significant periods of time.
NZ and SA aren't far behind these 3 but fall behind based on their poor results in the past 12-18 months. Both sides could certainly come back into contention but I'd say they both have a few more question marks over them (mostly just depth) than the above for now.
All in all I'd say it's an interesting time for test cricket. Hopefully as teams get a bit more experience they'll be better able to compete in conditions they aren't suited for.
Separately if Australia could keep our 3 gun pacers (Patto, Starc and Haze) fit I could see us breaking ahead of the pack slightly (similar to Pakistan now) but I doubt it will happen. The same could probably be said for most other teams at the moment though.
IMO England, India and Australia are close by with very little to separate them. India dominate on the Sub Continent, Australia dominate in the Southern Hemisphere and England are able to compete in most places to a reasonable level (random failures aside). These 3 sides will all probably hold number 1 in the official rankings in the next few years most likely based around when they get favourable schedules. Given that England are the only side with significant retirements potentially coming up this balance could hold for the next few years. All 3 sides have a few flaws that will probably keep them from holding number 1 officially for significant periods of time.
NZ and SA aren't far behind these 3 but fall behind based on their poor results in the past 12-18 months. Both sides could certainly come back into contention but I'd say they both have a few more question marks over them (mostly just depth) than the above for now.
All in all I'd say it's an interesting time for test cricket. Hopefully as teams get a bit more experience they'll be better able to compete in conditions they aren't suited for.
Separately if Australia could keep our 3 gun pacers (Patto, Starc and Haze) fit I could see us breaking ahead of the pack slightly (similar to Pakistan now) but I doubt it will happen. The same could probably be said for most other teams at the moment though.
TheJediBrah
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While I still think it's obvious that no one can really claim to be outright no. 1, Pakistan would probably be as good as any on recent performance.
This series has really changed my opinion of them, as I was touting England as just about as no. 1 as anyone pre-series and Pakistan have gone toe-to-toe with them in England
Furball
Evil Scotsman
On a serious note has there been any sort of moves by the ICC to get the boards together? Surely the boards can work out something mutually beneficial when it comes to revenue sharing and a series now between the two would be box office.
Did they not play an ODI series a couple of years ago? What's changed that makes a Test series so unlikely?
Zinzan
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Yup, this is the key for me. The fact this debate is so hotly contested shows there's really not that much in it. I don't recall a time in which the top 6-7 sides were this close. Not suggesting they're all even, but the gap is smaller.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, I'd settle for that.They should play a Test series here next summer. Lord's,The Oval & one other. And no England Tests at whichever grounds are used...
tbh all of England's test should be played at Edgbaston, Trent Bridge, Old Trafford, Durham and somewhere else out side the M25.
TheJediBrah
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Wonder what would happen if Aus played NZ in an Asian rank-turner . . .One minor little bouquet for NZ is it's easy to forget they've managed to draw their last 3 away series against England, Pakistan and SL. No mean feat. Just a shame they then went on to look like school kids against Aust both home and away.
Flem274*
123/5
comedy
Xuhaib
International Coach
watson
Banned
Let's not take anything away from Herath - currently 21 wickets at 13.95.
Best team? Herath and the other 10.
Last edited:
NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Yeah it's not like 3 batsmen put in some stellar innings this series for Sri Lanka or anything
hendrix
Hall of Fame Member
Southee and Boult were superb in Sri Lanka against a much better batting lineup than Aus is bowling to now (and much better than Australia's batting lineup). I also don't think McCullum is a significant loss with the addition of Latham, who's been excellent as an opener in Asian conditions. Taylor, Williamson and Watling are the key men anyway.
Spin bowling is a problem.
morgieb
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TBF wasn't that about four years ago? The Southee and Boult of today aren't showing anywhere near that sort of form.
Flem274*
123/5
UAE was 2014, sri lanka and india 2012. mccullum did less than nothing in two of those tours. sri lanka 2012 was the lowest point of his test batting imo. that bloody shot the over before stumps to herath (slogging him to the legside boundary fielder fwiw). nicholls is a massive downgrade though.
southee and boult bowled weak wayward puss last summer and if it continues then nz have a massive problem. if it doesn't then southee-boult-wagner will be the safe part in the asian type conditions. no the sad part will be ish sodhi long hops. hopefully santner gets the run and india pull out dean elgar 7fer style troll tops so all he has to do is bowl in a straight line and let the pitch do the rest.
anyway starc would be scary. limiting the damage he does would be any teams #1 priority over there because he's a bit of a lone ranger atm, a bit like johnson in the UAE. the other ten are relatively nerfed in those sorts of conditions, even lyon who isn't really a side spin bowler.
southee and boult bowled weak wayward puss last summer and if it continues then nz have a massive problem. if it doesn't then southee-boult-wagner will be the safe part in the asian type conditions. no the sad part will be ish sodhi long hops. hopefully santner gets the run and india pull out dean elgar 7fer style troll tops so all he has to do is bowl in a straight line and let the pitch do the rest.
anyway starc would be scary. limiting the damage he does would be any teams #1 priority over there because he's a bit of a lone ranger atm, a bit like johnson in the UAE. the other ten are relatively nerfed in those sorts of conditions, even lyon who isn't really a side spin bowler.