Who would be your number 3 in your test team?

[Black_Warrior]

You are the captain of a test team. You have to pick a batsman at number 3.
Your options are
1) Ricky Ponting
2) Rahul Dravid
3) Jacques Kallis


Now this is not necessarily NOW hence Ponting's and Dravid's current poor form does not count.

Say this is an imaginary period where Ponting is at his peak scoring century almost every match, Dravid just got his 230 in Adelaide, and Jacques Kallis is averaging 55 with the bat.




1) You are the captain of the team, hence whether Ponting is a good or a bad captain is irrelevant.

2) This is NOT Ponting vs Kallis vs Dravid overall. I think it is pretty clear Ricky Ponting is the better batsman..he is compared with Tendulkar and Lara after all.
This is an imaginary time period where Dravid, Kallis and Ponting are at their peaks at the very same time.

3) No you do not get Tendulkar and Lara and Sehwag, This is not your All Time XI

4) This is a 6th or 7th ranked test team, so the players are of that quality.

5) We will assume Jacques Kallis does not bowl.



These three players are as very different from each other and yet they made the number 3 position their very own in their respective teams. Ricky Ponting is the attacking one, with all the shots in the book, Rahul Dravid at his peak was the wall, almost impossible to get him out while Jacques Kallis has been the most solid, dependable and successful batsman of his team.

Basically I am interested in how players of different styles and nature appeal to different people.

Who would you pick?

 

[vcs]

Ponting.

 

[Noble One]

So essentially this is the same thing as Ponting v Kallis v Dravid at each individual cricketers peak?

All three very much equals with the bat and you lose very little by selecting one over the other. I would select Kallis simply for the extra value he brings to the team.

 

[Jono]

Right, if it is overall, and not now, than Ponting.

 

[Athlai]

Almost impossible to say without knowledge of team balance since they all offer their own unique little something extra. Kallis bowling, Dravid defence, Ponting captaincy, fielding and attack.

Ponting is probably the best batsman so I'll go him without anything else.

 

[honestbharani]

As others have said, depends on what the rest of the team is like. IF I get Lara and Sachin at 4 and 5 with say a Sehwag also there at the top, then I would take Kallis, coz he fits in there.. Else, always go for the best batsmen, which I feel is Ponting, among these 3.

 

[Spark]

If we're talking at their peaks then I would take Ponting over almost every other single batsman you could ever name.

 

[wpdavid]

Good luck persuading Kallis to bat at number 3.

 

[GIMH]

Stuart Broad

 

[Shri]

Poontang. Only attacking option among the three and he was better at his peak anyway even if we don't take that aggressive factor into discussion.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Trott.

Has to be Ponting though over their careers.Been a class act and a threat to all.

 

[vcs]

Stuart Broad

 

[Black_Warrior]

Ok sorry,

here is more information


1) You are the captain of the team, hence whether Ponting is a good or a bad captain is irrelevant.

2) This is NOT Ponting vs Kallis vs Dravid overall. I think it is pretty clear Ricky Ponting is the better batsman..he is compared with Tendulkar and Lara after all.
This is an imaginary time period where Dravid, Kallis and Ponting are at their peaks at the very same time.

3) No you do not get Tendulkar and Lara and Sehwag, This is not your All Time XI

4) This is a 6th or 7th ranked test team, so the players are of that quality.

5) We will assume Jacques Kallis does not bowl.



These three players are as very different from each other and yet they made the number 3 position their very own in their respective teams. Ricky Ponting is the attacking one, with all the shots in the book, Rahul Dravid at his peak was the wall, almost impossible to get him out while Jacques Kallis has been the most solid, dependable and successful batsman of his team.

Basically I am interested in how players of different styles and nature appeal to different people.

 

[Teja.]

Ponting.

 

[Migara]

Sangakkara

 

[Shri]

Not an option. Try again.

 

[Spark]

Yeah, that doesn't change much. Almost any "pick the best batsman" involving Ponting at his peak will IMO end in one way.

 

[kingkallis]

<----------

 

[Uppercut]

Kallis isn't a number 3.

Of the other two, you kinda have to pick Ponting if they're all at their peak. Ponting had a higher peak than any batsman I can remember. All-round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

 

[Jamee999]