Would Shane Warne have been an ATG Test Captain?

[subshakerz]

Assuming in an alternative universe he took over the reigns from Taylor, where would he be ranked among the great test captains?

 

[Qlder]

About as good as Neil Harvey or Mark Waugh

 

[Coronis]

No.

Btw your captain being suspended for drugs would have been quite the story, and would probably automatically take him out of that discussion.

 

[Starfighter]

If he captained the same way he talked when commentating he'd have found innovative and novel ways to lose. Of course, almost everyone's an ultra-attacking captain from the commentary box.

 

[Himannv]

He’d have been fine towards the latter part of his career. As a younger player - I’m not sure.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Did alright in that first IPL year. He would have been mercurial one way or the other. Probably have moments of brilliance and moments of stupidity

 

[duffer]

In his opinion, yes

 

[social]

He would have been captaining an atg team so hard to lose games with that bunch

Steve Waugh had the creativity of a turnip & they still won a lot

 

[GotSpin]

If he captained the same way he talked when commentating he'd have found innovative and novel ways to lose. Of course, almost everyone's an ultra-attacking captain from the commentary box.

Yeah I don’t think his commentary should be a reflection on what his captaincy would have been like.

Warne was very happy to have periods of negative play for example when it suited

 

[Arachnodouche]

He would have been captaining an atg team so hard to lose games with that bunch

Steve Waugh had the creativity of a turnip & they still won a lot

Yeah, this. Warne probably would've been a fine, proud captain but those teams operated on automatic anyway and rarely faced adverse situations or were entirely capable of extricating themselves from an adverse situation by sheer force of individual talent.

 

[Red]

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
Waugh
Waugh
Martyn
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Gillespie
McGrath

all suggest yes is the answer

 

[kyear2]

He would have been captaining an atg team so hard to lose games with that bunch

Steve Waugh had the creativity of a turnip & they still won a lot

This, but also a couple points.

Most find it hard difficult to decide who was a great captain of the ones who actually were, this is infinitely harder.

That being said, one if the Cricinfo writers for the all time XI actually proposed that Warne would be the ideal candidate for captain of that squad.

Go figure.

 

[King Kane]

Warne was a great test cricketer but I'm not sure he would have been a great test captain, he was way too erratic both on and off the field for that job.

I can see why the ACB or CA chose a more steady hand in Steve Waugh as captain, Warne held a grudge against him for that and for dropping him too.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

He'd probably have lost more games than Waugh did trying to win. Well if he did what he always said in the commentary box that is.

 

[jcas0167]

Assuming in an alternative universe he took over the reigns from Taylor, where would he be ranked among the great test captains?

Craig McMillan played a season under Warne in County Cricket and rated him the best captain he played under. And McMillan played under the highly rated Stephen Fleming for 10 years.

 

[Coronis]

I mean, would Warne (especially considering his off field persona and issues) have the respect of quality players to be a successful captain? I’m not so sure.

I’m not so sure a spinner as captain is ideal when the majority of bowling will likely be pace, how adept will they be with those tactics?

 

[King Kane]

Craig McMillan played a season under Warne in County Cricket and rated him the best captain he played under. And McMillan played under the highly rated Stephen Fleming for 10 years.

There was always some great banter between McMillan and Warne in NZ v Aus ODI games, McMillan could slog a few sixes before Warnie got him out.

 

[jcas0167]

I think the players would love him. He'd have had strong support from people like Ponting, Symonds, McGrath and Hayden. He probably wouldn't have been on the same wavelength as Buchanan the coach though.

In terms of the majority of the bowling being pace are there instances of spin bowling captains who have struggled for that reason? I'm not familiar with what the attack under Benaud was like.

 

[subshakerz]

I mean, would Warne (especially considering his off field persona and issues) have the respect of quality players to be a successful captain? I’m not so sure.

I’m not so sure a spinner as captain is ideal when the majority of bowling will likely be pace, how adept will they be with those tactics?

Why are bats as captains adept? Why can't spinners be?

 

[Daemon]

Why are bats as captains adept? Why can't spinners be?

Bowlers have to worry about their own bowling. Must be pretty mentally and physically draining if you have to bowl 20 overs and not be able to tune out for a bit all day. If you have a bad spell it might be tough to focus on anything else as well.