World 14-man Test Squad

[adharcric]

With performance over the past two years, overall talent and class as the considerations, what do you think of this 14-man World Test Squad?

Ricky Ponting* (AUS)
Rahul Dravid (IND)
Sachin Tendulkar (IND)
Brian Lara (WI)
Virender Sehwag (IND)
Graeme Smith (RSA)
Jacques Kallis (RSA)
Andrew Flintoff (ENG)
Adam Gilchrist+ (AUS)
Shaun Pollock (RSA)
Shoaib Akhtar (PAK)
Glenn McGrath (AUS)
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)
Shane Warne (AUS)

Suggest any necessary changes to the squad and then proceed with the real challenge: pick the final XI batting lineup.

 

[SJS]

With performance over the past two years, overall talent and class as the considerations, what do you think of this 14-man World Test Squad?

Ricky Ponting* (AUS)
Rahul Dravid (IND)
Sachin Tendulkar (IND)
Brian Lara (WI)
Virender Sehwag (IND)
Graeme Smith (RSA)
Jacques Kallis (RSA)
Andrew Flintoff (ENG)
Adam Gilchrist+ (AUS)
Shaun Pollock (RSA)
Shoaib Akhtar (PAK)
Glenn McGrath (AUS)
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)
Shane Warne (AUS)

Suggest any necessary changes to the squad and then proceed with the real challenge: pick the final XI batting lineup.

1. I would have Inzemaam even if it meant making it a 15 member squad.
2. I would prefer Harmison to Shoaib.
3. I would consider Strauss before Sehwag and Smith as opener.

 

[honestbharani]

And I am not sure if Ponting should be captain. I would rather have Gilchrist as captain.

 

[Lyell_Chris]

the team i'd like to see play is

Gilly
Tendulker
Ponting
Dravid
Lara
Flintoff
Kallis
Warne
Murali
Akhtar
McGrath

If i made any changes to the squad in would be Bond in for Akhtar

 

[SJS]

If i made any changes to the squad in would be Bond in for Akhtar

I stand corrected

Bond and not Harmison for Akhtar

 

[marc71178]

If it's the last 2 years play, I can't see how Tendulkar gets in to be honest.

 

[Lyell_Chris]

cose he is the best batsmen in the world

 

[marc71178]

He was once, maybe (I can't separate him and Lara)

But not now, by a long stretch of the imagination.

 

[Lyell_Chris]

you can't tell how good he is at the moment

if fully fit and seeing it well he is the best I think

 

[Jono]

3. I would consider Strauss before Sehwag and Smith as opener.

Really? Now I'm as big a fan of Strauss as any (bar probably many of the English I expect ) but you rate Strauss a better opener than Sehwag?

 

[SJS]

Really? Now I'm as big a fan of Strauss as any (bar probably many of the English I expect ) but you rate Strauss a better opener than Sehwag?

Yes on current form and for tests.

PS I am aware that the last time he played tests (in March against Pakistan) he scored nearly 500 runs in 3 tests. But I am influenced by his terrible form in most of what he has played since , which to be fair to him, has been all one dayers.

 

[Shoaib]

cose he is the best batsmen in the world

Lara is a million times better batsman than Tendulkar.Tendulkar has never played a match winning innings so i dont consider him to be a great player.Tendulkar isnt even best in India because Rahul "The Wall" Dravid stands first and probably there is no batsman in the world better than Dravid followed by Brian Lara Lara.And Strauss and Inzamam should be in for Smith and Kallis respectivly.

 

[SJS]

Yes on current form and for tests.

PS I am aware that the last time he played tests (in March against Pakistan) he scored nearly 500 runs in 3 tests. But I am influenced by his terrible form in most of what he has played since , which to be fair to him, has been all one dayers.

Strauss on the other hand has scored two centuries in his last three tests, all being in a series still going on so most current and both centuries against an attack that contained the best new ball attack and arguably the best spinner in the world. I do not see who has better credentials than Strauss at this point of time for opening on current form.

 

[SJS]

Lara is a million times better batsman than Tendulkar.

Only a million ??

 

[SJS]

1. I would have Inzemaam even if it meant making it a 15 member squad.
2. I would prefer Harmison to Shoaib.
3. I would consider Strauss before Sehwag and Smith as opener.

Its a mug's game but here's one XI

Strauss
Sehwag
Dravid
Lara
Kallis
Flintoff
Gilchrist
Pollock
Warne
MacGrath
Murali

12th Man Ponting

 

[Lyell_Chris]

the crowds will want to see tendulker and ponting more than strauss and sehwag

 

[Jono]

Tendulkar isnt even best in India because Rahul "The Wall" Dravid stands first and probably there is no batsman in the world better than Dravid followed By Lara.And Strauss and Inzamam should be in for Smith and Kallis respectivly.

Currently, yes. Over the past 10-15 years? No.

And in a test squad, why should Inzamam be in for Kallis? I'm not saying Inzy doesn't deserve to be in (but there are quite a few in front of him IMO) but how on Earth is he better than Kallis considering the criteria is based on the past 2 years, a period which Kallis has been outstanding.

 

[Jono]

Yes on current form and for tests.

PS I am aware that the last time he played tests (in March against Pakistan) he scored nearly 500 runs in 3 tests. But I am influenced by his terrible form in most of what he has played since , which to be fair to him, has been all one dayers.

Strauss on the other hand has scored two centuries in his last three tests, all being in a series still going on so most current and both centuries against an attack that contained the best new ball attack and arguably the best spinner in the world. I do not see who has better credentials than Strauss at this point of time for opening on current form.

To each their own, but merging ODI form and test form and performances is just silly. Sehwag has never been one of the best ODI batsman in the world, never. In fact I think its a misguided opinion that Sehwag has been good in ODIs just because of his aggressive nature. He's always been extremely dangerous in ODIs, but never consistent. I think Sehwag's been pretty dman consistent in tests on the other hand. That's why I agree with the few who believe that Sehwag shouldn't have been selected in the ROW XI for the ODIs ahead of Gayle.

Whilst with tests he's recently become one of the best openers in the world. He's been amazing. Strauss has been superb lately, but if we go back 12 months Sehwag would have been the first chosen opener. He hasn't played much tests since then (as you've acknowledged) and the few he's played he's been scoring runs at will.

Basically IMO the gap between Sehwag in ODIs and Tests is so large that converging them is dangerous. Whereas with some other players if they are out of form in ODIs, it can transform to their test game because they play a similar style which the two different forms don't factor in as much influence. I reckon Sehwag is different.

 

[Jono]

the crowds will want to see tendulker and ponting more than strauss and sehwag

You're right, which makes it that much harder for me to leave out those two.

Here's my Test World XI.

Sehwag
Langer
Dravid
Lara
Kallis
Flintoff
Gilchrist+
Pollock
Warne
Murali
McGrath

Leaving Ponting and Sachin out is ridiculous but IMO that's the best team ATM. Strauss is the next opener in line for me, and Harmison is the next bowler in line for me followed by Akhtar. I think Bond in tests is still relatively unproven (that doesn't mean he isn't very good, but injuries have prevented him from showing us all what he has in this form of the game).

 

[aussie]

With performance over the past two years, overall talent and class as the considerations, what do you think of this 14-man World Test Squad?

Ricky Ponting* (AUS)
Rahul Dravid (IND)
Sachin Tendulkar (IND)
Brian Lara (WI)
Virender Sehwag (IND)
Graeme Smith (RSA)
Jacques Kallis (RSA)
Andrew Flintoff (ENG)
Adam Gilchrist+ (AUS)
Shaun Pollock (RSA)
Shoaib Akhtar (PAK)
Glenn McGrath (AUS)
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)
Shane Warne (AUS)

Suggest any necessary changes to the squad and then proceed with the real challenge: pick the final XI batting lineup.

Langer would open in front of Smith for sure.....