"Gavaskar leads World XI selectors" ... who would you select?

[vic_orthdox]

in the test matches, if akthar is picked, i believe that the World XI needs to pick flintoff or another bowling all-rounder. because of akthar's inability to bowl threateningly for any time longer than three overs, it exposes the other three bowlers, and no matter their class, allows australian batsman to put them under more pressure than what they would usually be placed, as it effectively becomes a three man bowling attack plus a guy who can add the odd 5 over spell. to beat australia the World XI needs to take 20 wickets, something that will be made much easier to do with 5 bowlers. and with their choice of the best batting line-up in the world, 6.5 batsmen should surely be enough to post a winning total....surely

 

[Jono]

Rather than picking squads, I'll just choose the teams I'd like to see played. Reserves can be slotted in based on form, injures and availability.

Tests

Sehwag
Strauss
Dravid (c)
Tendulkar
Lara
Sangakkara (wk)
Flintoff
Pollock
Kumble
Akhtar
Murali

Reserves: McCullum, Kallis (Possibly slot in for Sachin if unfit), Harmison (Really based on his performance in the Ashes. Could slot in for Akhtar), Hoggard (Would like to see him opening alongside Akhtar)

ODIs

Tendulkar
Gayle
Lara
Kallis
Fleming (c)
Flintoff
Sangakkara (wk)
Pollock
Vaas
Akhtar
Murali

Reserves: McCullum, Inzamam, Cairns, Vettori, Dravid, Pathan

---

The more I think about this, the harder the job is. I would probably select a different team tomorrow. Every selection is going to be criticised one way or another, so I'm simply choosing on who I'd like to see on the field against Australia when I am at the ground watching.

 

[C_C]

Can you prove he took it to mask anything and not to help lose weight?

Losing weight by using a banned substance *IS* performance enhancement, as losing fat directly improves your physical conditioning and makes an impact in a physical sport.

I think he's had the criticism, but some people are going over the top about things that there is absolutely no proof of.

Warne got off with the proverbial slap on the wrist.
Going over top ?
Puh-lease.
Some chinese and bulgarian weightlifters have been banned for upto 3 years when they tested positive for a masking agent (first time offence)

Ben Johnson got banned for the second time when only one of his samples tested positive out of three ( test period of one week ) for a diuretic, used as a masking agent for nandrolone, a muscle-increasing drug.

Silver medallist Ferenc Gyurkovics failed a drug test where he tested positive for a diuretic, got his olympic medal stripped and banned.
,
considering all this,, Warne's one year ban and no revocation of his records for the series immediately preceeding the drug test is a slap on the wrist.

 

[C_C]

in the test matches, if akthar is picked, i believe that the World XI needs to pick flintoff or another bowling all-rounder. because of akthar's inability to bowl threateningly for any time longer than three overs, it exposes the other three bowlers, and no matter their class, allows australian batsman to put them under more pressure than what they would usually be placed, as it effectively becomes a three man bowling attack plus a guy who can add the odd 5 over spell. to beat australia the World XI needs to take 20 wickets, something that will be made much easier to do with 5 bowlers. and with their choice of the best batting line-up in the world, 6.5 batsmen should surely be enough to post a winning total....surely

A very salient point.
This is the best reasoning i've heard why one would pick a bowling allrounder like Flintoff over Kallis.

 

[marc71178]

Losing weight by using a banned substance *IS* performance enhancement, as losing fat directly improves your physical conditioning and makes an impact in a physical sport.

And the moon is made of cheese.

 

[marc71178]

considering all this,, Warne's one year ban and no revocation of his records for the series immediately preceeding the drug test is a slap on the wrist.

Why revoke records when there's no proof of any performance enhancing drugs being taken?

 

[garage flower]

A very salient point.
This is the best reasoning i've heard why one would pick a bowling allrounder like Flintoff over Kallis.

But Kallis is still worth his spot as a specialist batsman - so why not pick both?

 

[sledger]

But Kallis is still worth his spot as a specialist batsman - so why not pick both?

possibly already enough quality batsman in there. Would make more sense to pick one who can add all round value to the side. There are plenty of batsman who can put in a performance like kallis, not that many who can match freddy with bat and ball though....

 

[garage flower]

possibly already enough quality batsman in there. Would make more sense to pick one who can add all round value to the side. There are plenty of batsman who can put in a performance like kallis, not that many who can match freddy with bat and ball though....

Even if you're only picking 3 specialist middle order bats (+ Flintoff and Sangakarra), I don't think there are 3 better than Kallis at the moment.

 

[C_C]

And the moon is made of cheese.

You can make as many smartass comments as you want but the FACT remains.
Warne is a drug cheat and unlike other drug cheats, his records immediately preceeding the failed test have not been revoked.

Why revoke records when there's no proof of any performance enhancing drugs being taken?

The IOC, IAAF etc. consider taking banned diuretics to be implicit proof of performance enhacing drugs usage and partially performance enhancing in itself- as it helps reduce weight. Disqualification of records earned immediately preceeding drug usage and a 2-3 year ban are automatic. Same standards should've applied to Warne.

But Kallis is still worth his spot as a specialist batsman - so why not pick both?

Until Kallis does anything of substance against a quality attack, i wouldnt include him over Tendulkar, Lara or Dravid.
That leaves 1 spot in the middle so it comes down to kallis or freddie.

 

[garage flower]

Until Kallis does anything of substance against a quality attack, i wouldnt include him over Tendulkar, Lara or Dravid.
That leaves 1 spot in the middle so it comes down to kallis or freddie.

That's pretty harsh on Kallis given his recent performances in India and against a good England attack. Picking Tendulkar at this stage when he's unfit and has no form to speak of also seems unwise, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[C_C]

That's pretty harsh on Kallis given his recent performances in India and against a good England attack.

Good england attack ?
An overrated Harmison, a modest Flintoff, a decent-at-best Giles and a good Hoggard ?
Please.
No attack today is good except the aussies.

icking Tendulkar at this stage when he's unfit and has no form to speak of also seems unwise, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

like i said, form is temporary, class is permanent. i would pick an out of form tendulkar/Lara over a very in form Kallis. Kallis has never done anything worthwhile against ANY decent attack of his era.
Pretty bad against Pakistan when they boasted an awesome lineup.
pretty bad against Australia
Pretty bad against WI when they boasted Ambrose and Walsh.
And if tendulkar is ruled out of the pak series, i would not consider him for this matchup.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Warne is a drug cheat and unlike other drug cheats, his records immediately preceeding the failed test have not been revoked.

Other cricketing drug cheats, such as?

The IOC, IAAF etc. consider taking banned diuretics to be implicit proof of performance enhacing drugs usage and partially performance enhancing in itself- as it helps reduce weight. Disqualification of records earned immediately preceeding drug usage and a 2-3 year ban are automatic. Same standards should've applied to Warne.

Fine, but the IOC and the IAAF are not sporting bodies associated with cricket, and instead govern over a completely different sporting system with different requirements. The ICC had no such rule in place, so Warne could hardly be held to it. Even if you buy your theory about Warne's intentional taking of a diuretic as a performance-enhancing drug, or to mask them, would you suggest he be punished retroactively with laws put into place after his alleged crime? Perhaps he took the diuretic for the reason stated (to lose weight to look good on television for his ODI retirement), but would not have if there had been rules in place saying that taking a diuretic would result in a lifetime ban and a removal of statistical records. Whether or not you like Warne as an individual or a cricketer, and whatever you think of his motives in taking said substance, you cannot possibly expect him to obey laws and face punishments which were not in place at the time.

Until Kallis does anything of substance against a quality attack, i wouldnt include him over Tendulkar, Lara or Dravid.
That leaves 1 spot in the middle so it comes down to kallis or freddie

Well, what qualifies as a quality attack? The Australian team Kallis faced in 2002/03 is undoubtedly one of the strongest ever fielded, and Kallis was easily the best South African batsman, scoring a very respectable 245 runs @ 49.00 in the away series, and an average 184 @ 36.80 in the home series. In the home series he also took 11 wickets. Since then he has undoubtedly improved as a batsman, but I'm really not sure what you would consider a "quality attack" in that time.

His 50+ average series since then are:
165 runs @ 55.00 vs Sri Lanka (home)
136 runs @ 68.00 vs Pakistan (home)
712 runs @ 178.00 vs West Indies (home)
354 runs @ 70.80 vs New Zealand (away)
241 runs @ 80.33 vs India (away)
625 runs @ 69.44 vs England (home)

Surely at least India in India and England would qualify as good bowling attacks... and Pakistan and Sri Lanka aren't too bad either. I think you'll find his record in the same period compares favourably with the batsmen you mentioned.

 

[chaminda_00]

Kallis for me is certain pick at No 6 unless of course Flintoff does a Botham '81 against the Aussie, unlike though. I don't think u can pick Flintoff over Kallis as Flintoff only performed well for 18 months whereas Kallis has been consistenly the best All Rounder for last 5 to 6 years in Test Cricket.

Out of current pace bowlers i think Shoaib has the best record aganist Australia. I can't rememeber any current fast bowler who bowled better aganist. He fittness is a worry, but Murali bowls in a two man attack most of the time for Sri Lanka, so i'm sure he could cope with a 3 man attack.

 

[marc71178]

You can make as many smartass comments as you want but the FACT remains.

Yes, the fact does remain that you have absolutely no proof that he took performance enhancing drugs.

 

[marc71178]

Good england attack ?
An overrated Harmison, a modest Flintoff, a decent-at-best Giles and a good Hoggard ?

Flintoff is far from modest with the ball nowadays.

 

[Bookie]

Kallis has to be picked. Who in Sydney has already bought their tickets?

 

[Jono]

I live in Melbourne, but I've bought my tickets for the Super Tests anyway. Will be travelling up there for it.

 

[adharcric]

there's no reason not to pick both kallis and flintoff ... lara, tendulkar, dravid are automatic selections ... that leaves guys like gayle, sarwan, gibbs, inzamam, youhana, jayasuriya, sehwag, laxman, fleming ... i'd take kallis over all of them, even as a specialist batsman he'd be at the top of that list with a one-day average of 46 and test average of 55, and then he's a good bowler as well ... as for flintoff, he's not as much of a sure bet but considering he can almost make it as a bowler alone and he is tremendous with the bat, no reason to leave him out either ... with sangakarra as the keeper, there is still one spot for a batsman in the final 11, which is plenty (if it was a guy like gayle, you could even select another batsman because you'd only need 3 specialist bowlers then)

 

[cric_manic]

if we are talking tests i would like to see Mcullum instead of sangakarra as the keeper