Test Captains And Their Tactics
 

How do you rate test captains in the world class teams ? And do you agree or have any queries about the tactics ?

Captain rankings:

1. MS Dhoni
2. Mahela Jayawardena
3. Chris Gayle
4. Daniel Vettori
5. Graeme Smith

I dont rate Ricky Ponting at all, a year ago Stephen Fleming would have been leading the pack.

Why dont you rate ponting ? that is very interesting

Ponting, great at leading from the front. Tactically average at best.

TBF guys like Gayle, KP, Vettori and Dhoni all need more Tests under their belts before we can tell. Pakistan captain changes a fair bit too.

Jayawardene
Smith
Ponting
Ashraful

I never understand when australia have a team struggling as indi are at the moment and he will not bowl agressive bowlers such as Lee. Where as if south africa or sri Lanka ever have a team on the ropes smith or jayawardne will throw the ball straight to Steyn or Malinga and 9 times out of ten will pick up another wicket. That is why I don't like or rate ponting.

It will be interesting to see how the Nagpur test turns after the decisions Dhoni made on Day 3 - two of those have come under criticism - first, the field, and then Chappell argues that India used slow over rate as a tactic.

And frankly, was India's over rate that slow? Seems like the Aussies have been doing no better at about 86-87 overs a day. I find it a little rich that Chappell is advocating suspending India's captain for something Ponting has been guilty of all series.

Some may call it questionable, or even negative - but at the end of the day, the game is in a much better position for India and although India may have been playing defensively, they now seem to be in a much better position to actually win than at the end of Day 2 when it looked like the Aussies were set for 500+.

Yeah, maybe we're not advocating good, riveting test cricket where both teams have an equal chance of winning until the very last session on the very last day, but then again, the Aussies have been shutting teams out on Day 2 or 3 for over a decade now.

The use of slow over-rates as a tactic is not on, but nor is the slowing of over-rates to anything below 15-an-hour for any reason. The only time less than 15 overs per hour should be bowled is if there've been interruptions.

AWTA, except I've no idea about Gayle.

I feel like Gayle to an extent is like Ponting. He's the kind of player who can lead from the front with a good innings.

On the tactical front, they are comparable as well, I feel. Often Ponting's tactical leadership is put down because he has a strong team so people say anybody could captain Australia to victory cuz Ponting just inherited a great team from Waugh/Taylor. Whereas Ponting has (or had) an incredibly strong team full of world beaters and just needed to show up to win, Gayle has a team on the opposite end of the spectrum and no amount of tactical excellence will change his team's success. So he could be the greatest captain since Fleming and we would never know. :(

Still to few tests under his belt for Dhoni to be judged the best test captain in the world TBH.
Smith and Jayawardene the best experienced test captains ATM, though Ponting and Vettori both lead from the front very well. Gayle and Ashraful too inconsistent to be good test captain IMO. Be interesting to see how KP and Dhoni develop as captains, as both have the potential to go either way. And as for Pakistan, is Malik still their captain, cos TBH, I have completly lost track of their cricket?

Ponting is gun! :ph34r:

Prescient thread

ponting is such a selfless leader :D

Actually. He knows his presence is extremely vital for Aus to win against NZ. So he put team's interest (long term) in front of err... team's interest.(short term.)

His presence isn't vital for Australia to beat NZ. Don't be ridiculous.