**Official** 'My Current World XI' Thread

[Eclipse]

Vaas' batting is superior to that of Lee.

I ended up picking Pollock because, bascially, I always rated him, but dont really think he "deserves" it.

Not in ODI's I wouldn't think..

Lee's hitting ability is more importaint and If i'm right he has a much better batting average and strike rate in that from of the game.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Look at recent form...Dravid is still typecast as a defensive batsman not suited for ODIs from his early days - he has changed significantly since those days. He regularly scores at very good rates now and has that same ability as Ponting to up the tempo when it's required...In fact, he holds the joint Indian record for 2nd fastest ODI 50 (in 22 balls)...Add to the fact that no batsman contributes more to team wins and his commitment to the team, I don't think there is much to separate Dravid and Ponting.

I agree with you about Dravid being typecast, and I believe Dravid is an underrated ODI batsman, but that doesn't mean he's in the same class as Ponting, who is simply one of the best ODI batsmen in the world (and has a fair claim along with one or two others at being THE best with the dropping of Bevan and the decline of Tendulkar). Dravid is most certainly not solely a defensive batsman, but he doesn't have the ability to accelerate that Ponting does. Ponting has a wider range of attacking strokes, is much harder to tie down, and simply scores more runs than Dravid does. Scoring 50 off 22 balls is certainly impressive, but you're generally going to get more value out of building an innings for 20 overs and then cutting loose, which Ponting does as well as anyone in the world.

In terms of recent form, the same sorts of trends hold true. Since the start of 2003, Ponting still scores more runs, more centuries, and has a better average. I can't find SR stats for the period, but I'd be surprised if Dravid's was higher. Dravid's stats since 2003 are dragged down a bit by the poor series against New Zealand he had at the start of that year, but even without that he only averages marginally above 40.

Stats since the start of 2003:
Ponting - 84 matches, 79 innings, 9 not outs, 17 fifties, 8 centuries, 3019 runs @ 43.13
Dravid - 74 matches, 69 innings, 10 not outs, 20 fifties, 2 centuries, 2326 runs @ 39.42

 

[Jono]

I agree with Faaip, when it comes to ODIs I'd take Ponting over Dravid anyday. Ponting is one of the best limited over batsman going around today.

My World XI ODI (Overall, but must still be playing)

Tendulkar
Gilchrist
Ponting
Lara
Inzy
Flintoff
Symonds
Vettori
Bond
Murali
McGrath

Kallis would likely be my next pick, although recently I've felt Dravid has been the better ODI batsman so it'd be between those two. Bond just edges out Lee, but I do rate Lee quite highly in ODIs.

Sachin + Gilly is a dream opening partnership for me. I'd pay a hell of a lot of money to see those two coming out to bat when they're in full form.

 

[aussie]

and that combined with his lower ER overall ( I havent checked, but I think I can safely assume its lower than Lees 5+ ), I'd pick him ahead of Lee in the context of this thread.

i'm pretty sure Lee's economy rate is under 5, plus i agree with your analysis on Vaas & i think both him & Lee can fit into the same side...

 

[C_C]

Sachin + Gilly is a dream opening partnership for me. I'd pay a hell of a lot of money to see those two coming out to bat when they're in full form.

Yup. That is the dream team combo for me.
Technically, if it were just openers, i might go with Greenidge/Mark Waugh as openers only but Gilly at opening + keeping is a way better option than a bona fide opener + keeper down the order IMO.

 

[age_master]

lol. Perspective please. Its already been established that people here arent choosing their teams based on entire careers. Which is why I provided stats of their most recent games. And considering that some people constantly use the fact that Murali plays half his games in Sri Lanka as a stick to beat him with, I think its only fair that they consider that Vaas plays half his games on unresponsive pitches, adn has still managed a slightly better average recently than Lee. Therefore, in the context of this thread, Vaas >> Lee.

a career record of Vaas's shows that he hasn't been effective vs better oponents, his career average would probably be over 30 if he hadn't played against Zimbabwe....

Lee has a top class record against almost every side.

 

[Deja moo]

a career record of Vaas's shows that he hasn't been effective vs better oponents, his career average would probably be over 30 if he hadn't played against Zimbabwe....

Lee has a top class record against almost every side.

Thats the career record, not the most recent games. I remember seeing him bowling well when Australia played their last One Day series there.. Plus he bowls half his games in Sri Lanka, and for a much inferior attack, doesnt he ?

 

[C_C]

Its interesting how Age_Master brings in the 'pitches dont suit Warne/he doesnt bowl as much in the subcontinent' when Murali whips him in career averages ( and still ahead of him in overall career averages when BD/ZIM are removed) but forgets all that in Lee vs Vaas.

Oh the objectivity and the consistency !

 

[Jono]

Just a little bump of this thread. It'd be interesting to see how many people would put Michael Hussey into their side now. In the Northern Hemisphere XI vs. Southern Hemisphere XI thread I couldn't think about leaving him out of the Southern Hemisphere ODI team, even with other quality players who have been playing ODI cricket longer. He's quickly becoming one of, if not, the best finisher in the game.

 

[Jono]

I agree with you about Dravid being typecast, and I believe Dravid is an underrated ODI batsman, but that doesn't mean he's in the same class as Ponting, who is simply one of the best ODI batsmen in the world (and has a fair claim along with one or two others at being THE best with the dropping of Bevan and the decline of Tendulkar).

This decline of Tendulkar may exist in test cricket after 2002, but he has been consistently scoring as he always does in ODIs since 2002 with the exception of 2005, which has been a relatively poor year for him due to his return from his elbow injury. 2003 and 2004 however were fantastic years for him where he averaged 57.05 and 40.60 respectively. In that same period Ponting averaged 46.16 and 38.18. 2005 is the only year since 2002 that Ponting has outperformed Sachin.

What's also interesting is this myth that Sachin chokes when he is chasing large totals (or chasing in general) in ODIs. This is completely proven false in this column on Cricinfo, and ironically its Ponting who chokes when chasing a big total.

Since 2002 in all run-chases Tendulkar averages 39.70 at a strike rate of 83.07. Ponting averages a little less at 37.76 with a strike rate of 78.66. However in run chases of 240 or more since 2002, Tendulkar (The apparent choker) averages 37.60 at a strike rate of 87.65 compared to Ponting who averages a mere 21.79 at a strike rate of 71.76.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/columns/content/story/228073.html

Whether it be before 2002 or since 2002, Tendulkar has always been the better batsman in ODIs. Its only this year where Ponting has had a better year. Tendulkar's ODI decline is non-existent. Its tests where he has fallen off.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Just a little bump of this thread. It'd be interesting to see how many people would put Michael Hussey into their side now. In the Northern Hemisphere XI vs. Southern Hemisphere XI thread I couldn't think about leaving him out of the Southern Hemisphere ODI team, even with other quality players who have been playing ODI cricket longer. He's quickly becoming one of, if not, the best finisher in the game.

He's certainly getting there. I'd wait until the world cup or so before passing judgement on him in the long term, but he's played a fair number of games now and has been unbelivably good, and like Bevan he can not only smack a quick 50 on a flat deck in the death overs, but he can also grind out a tough one on a seaming wicket against good bowlers, as he showed a few times in England.

Has the potential to be a truly great ODI batsman, and a real replacement for Bevan, who is undoubtedly the best late-overs ODI batsman of all time.

 

[SJS]

Just to put the transformation of Dravid as an ODI batsman in perspective., in the last 70 matches (spread since March 2003), ....
....Dravid has scored 2391 runs at 76.4 per 100 balls and an average of 43.5 !!

I promise you not many batsmen in the world have done better than that.

 

[Jono]

Adding on from SJS' point, if you look at that article I posted a link of above when discussing how Sachin performs chasing targets, Kallis and Dravid have been the absolute best at chasing since 2002. It doesn't surprise me much actually, since those two are the most composed batsman in the world. Both have wonderful temperaments.

Dravid averages 45.94 chasing, and a massive 47.90 when chasing targets over 240!!! That 26.11 runs more than Ponting when chasing over 240. His strike rate, something Ponting has been known for and Dravid has been criticised of in the past, is also better than Ponting's. Dravid's is 76.85 compared to Ponting's at 71.76.

Dravid is most definitely a changed ODI batsman, and he continues to improve year by year. His ODI series against Sri Lanka was absolutely phenomenal. On present form he'd definitely make a World ODI side. Mind you I'm not saying he's the better ODI batsman than Ponting, because Ponting is having a great year as well and has always been great whereas Dravid is improving all the time, closing the gap on Ponting and the other top ODI batsman around the world.

 

[Beleg]

Current World ODI XI:

1. Gilchrist
2. Tendulkar
3. Dravid
4. Lara
5. Ponting
6. Inzamam
7. Flintoff
8. Warne/Pollock
9. Shoaib/Bond
10. McGrath
11. Muralitharan

 

[andyc]

Current World ODI XI:

1. Gilchrist
2. Tendulkar
3. Dravid
4. Lara
5. Ponting
6. Inzamam
7. Flintoff
8. Warne/Pollock
9. Shoaib/Bond
10. McGrath
11. Muralitharan

Just a bit hard for Warne to play, seeing as how he's retired and all.

 

[Slats4ever]

Just to put the transformation of Dravid as an ODI batsman in perspective., in the last 70 matches (spread since March 2003), ....
....Dravid has scored 2391 runs at 76.4 per 100 balls and an average of 43.5 !!

I promise you not many batsmen in the world have done better than that.

in the scheme of things however if all batsman in the team striked at 76.4 then the team total would only be 228. Surely you'd much rather just pack a one day team full of major strike power like shewag and symonds. all you need is for 2 or 3 of them to come off and you've got over 300 each time.

 

[Beleg]

Just a bit hard for Warne to play, seeing as how he's retired and all.

He'll be back for the world cup.

 

[Ming]

Symonds is extremely overrated. One of the worst bowlers for Australia ever, and his batting is inconsistent.

 

[Sanz]

A World XI for ODIs

A world XI which will play against the World Champs, so obviously you cant have any aussie player in the side.

1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Hershelle Gibbs
3. Rahul Dravid (Captain)
4. Kevin Pietersen
5. Yuvraj Singh
6. Andrew Flintoff
7. Irfan Pathan
8. Kamran Akmal (Wicket Keeper)
9. Daniel Vettori
10. Makhaya Nitni
11.Shane Bond

I selected Vettori as spinner ahead of Murali because Vettori has performed as well as Murali in last 50 games and for a no. 8 has been solid with the bat. Nitni and Irfan both have really done very well in last 25-50 ODIs and hence picked ahead of everyone else. Shane Bond is lethal and IMO little better than Akhtar hence makes into my team.

In the opening slot Gibbs is obviously way better than Sehwag as an ODI batsman. I considered Tresco, but he hasn't done as well as Gibbs either.

Another important position was that of Wicket Keeper, Mark Boucher, Sangakkara, Akmal, Dhoni are all good, but IMO Akmal is a better keeper than all of them, although Sanga is a very good batsman, but it would be hard to fit him @ his usual slot with Rahul and KP already accupying no 3 and 4. IMO Akmal is a better batsman than Boucher and Dhoni hence his selection as the wicketkeeper.

In the middle order, Inzi misses out because Yuvraj has been in the form of his life and is great in the field.

 

[DanielFullard]

1. Strauss
2. Dravid
3. Pointing
4. Kevin Pietersen
5. Yuvraj Singh
6. Flintoff
7. Dhoni
8. Lee
9. Harmison
10. H.Singh
11. Sreesanth