Mine is slightly different
May end up with a similar team, but though process would be a bit different.
Don Bradman
Garry Sobers
No possible arguments for those 2, so locks and automatic selections.
Malcolm Marshall
Len Hutton
These two are the next two names on the list and the last of my absolute automatic slots. Hobbs may be acclaimed as the greatest, but Hutton was the best opener of all time in my opinion. The was the 1st great opener to play in the modern era with modern rules, lbw being chief among them. He faced and succeeded against the best bowlers of the pre and immediate post WW2 era , while dealing with a devastating injury after the war. Marshall was in my opinion quite simply the greatest bowler in history. He had every tool in the box and knew when and how to use them. He succeeded everywhere even the placid pitches of the sc, especially India. He took the WI from a great team to the undisputed best of the era and one of the top 2 ever up to the point. The only series lost while he opened the bowling was the one he didn't play. For me there were two great phenomenons that shaped and dominated the modern game Bradman and invincibles and the WI pace quartet and Marshall was unquestionably the best among them.
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Sachin Tendulkar
Viv Richards
They were quite a few keepers whose glovework was better than Gilchrist, and some would argue that should be the primary consideration when selecting for the position, but when we factor in the importance of the batting requirement of the position in the modern era it boils down to basically Gilly and Knott and Gilly kept successfully to Warne and was hence at a minimum test quality and the gulf in the batting is just too much to ignore for the no. 7 position. Shane is neck and neck with Murali for the spin slot, and it's almost impossible to separate them in that discipline. What Warne then brings to the table with his batting and ability to stand in the cordon is what easily pushed him over the top. Sachin is locked in a similar battle with his contemporary BCL, some would argue Lara was more explosive and possibly even more gifted, but Sachin wins it by his greater application, technique and consistency. Viv's position is seen by some as under threat by young Mr Smith, but for now for me at least, IVA still stands as the greatest ever player of fast bowling, and he faced off against the very best and the most destructive batsman along with Gilchrist who played the game at a high level.
The opening slot for me is a tough discussion between Hobbs, Gavaskar and yes, Baggy would hate this, Barry Richards. And the selection comes down to if it's based on accolade or picking a team to actually take the field and more or less boils down to Hobbs or Richards.
The two remaining fast bowling slots are similarly right and between Hadlee, Steyn and McGrath. Steyn likely takes the second spot and while McGrath definitely deserves the final one and was likely a hair better than Hadlee, his batting was so terrible and Hadlee was so similar in style that it should be an easy decision, but it really still isn't. At least not for me.
