Wildcard

[honestbharani]

Interesting stuff guys.. As far as opening is concerned, the thing is Lara was at his best in ODIs when he opened or was at 3. Given I rate him the best batsman I have seen him, I didn't want to see him shutted out of the side because of Richards and Ponting are there, who are obviously both all time greats too. Plus it is not like Lara or Sachin cannot do well attacking if they were given the licence either.. For a guy with a comparatively mediocre record (compared to Sachin, Ponting and Viv here), Lara has played some of the most destructive ODI innings against some of the best attacks in the world... I feel he will go alright as the opener.


I like the idea of replacing Pollock with any one of McGrath, Klusener, Hadlee, Marshall, Lee here.. Perhaps I would lean towards GI Joe's idea and use Klusener instead of Imran and use Lee instead of Pollock because Akram and Murali can take care of the ERs anyway. Perhaps we can also include Jayasuriya instead of one of the spinners and move everyone down one spot but I feel an all time side deserves to have a 5 man bowling attack. And with Klusener at 7 and Lee, Akram, Warne following him, we do have reasonable depth in the side.

 

[honestbharani]

The only reason why I clicked on this thread, didn't disappoint

 

[Isura]

Brian Lara Out. Sanath Jayasuriya opening with Tendulkar. Arguebly the 2nd best opener in the last 20 years in ODIs.

 

[Matt79]

I'm worried by having two of five bowlers as spinners in most conditions - I'd look at McGrath in for one of Murali or Warne.

 

[Uppercut]

I'm worried by having two of five bowlers as spinners in most conditions - I'd look at McGrath in for one of Murali or Warne.

Couldn't possibly be for Murali surely.

I wonder how Wasim Akram would have gone had he played when the 34th-over ball change was in place.

 

[Matt79]

I'm sidestepping reopening Murali vs Warne Part 2058 by saying that one of them would probably be the one to go.

 

[Shri]

Brian Lara Out. Sanath Jayasuriya opening with Tendulkar. Arguebly the 2nd best opener in the last 20 years in ODIs.

The second best ODI opener? I would rate Anwar, Hayden, Greenidge and Graeme Smith above him. Jayasuriya was unstoppable when he got going on his day for sure but he was a bit inconsistent compared to the others. Not saying that it is criminal to choose him over the others, I just think there are better options available. My 2 cents.

 

[zaremba]

Another thought:

Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Viv Richards
Ricky Ponting
Michael Bevan
M.S. Dhoni (wk)
Shaun Pollock
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Joel Garner
Muttiah Muralitharan.


It remains an awesome batting line-up and the bowling is even stronger (IMO) with Garner in for Imran

 

[Shri]

Pollock has a better ER than Hadlee compared to the ER of the eras that they played.

Hadlee swung the ball dangerously if conditions assisted him and he could

a) open the bowling if it is swinging conditions
b) bowl at the death well with his great accuracy

Not saying that Pollock is a lesser player compared to Hadlee. Just a matter of preference I suppose.

 

[SJS]

Another thought:

Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Viv Richards
Ricky Ponting
Michael Bevan
M.S. Dhoni (wk)
Shaun Pollock
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Joel Garner
Muttiah Muralitharan.


It remains an awesome batting line-up and the bowling is even stronger (IMO) with Garner in for Imran

I did think of bringing in Joel Garner but thought getting Gilchrist did more for the side.

It is difficult to leave Garner out of an ODI side but I would bring him in place of one of the spinners.

Like Garner, Saqlain too was a great limited overs bowler. I would put him in any side but then we are allowed just one substitution

 

[honestbharani]

lol.. the idea was that we often say a certain player wud ve made a huge difference to any side. I juz wanted to see how much that thing would be true..


It is clear that at least in an all time XI, a single player is not gonna make such a huge difference, either to the balance or to the quality of the side... Almost all the sides named here seem to be of reasonably level terms in terms of quality, ability and balance.

 

[zaremba]

lol.. the idea was that we often say a certain player wud ve made a huge difference to any side. I juz wanted to see how much that thing would be true...

It's been an interesting exercise, but not for that reason.

If you're trying to find out how much difference a single player can make to a team, the place to start is most definitely not an all-time XI which includes high-class all-rounders. Because that kind of team by its very nature is of sufficient quality and flexibility to make up for the absence of any one of its members.

If you want to find how much difference a single player can make to a team, imagine NZ in the mid-80s without Hadlee or Crowe; West Indies in the early 2000s without Lara or presently without Chanderpaul; Australia in the mid-2000s without Mick Lewis.

 

[gvenkat]

Ok.. I am gonna post here my all time ODI XI... You guys have to make ONE change... Not one change to the team above you, but one change to my team here and post it. And we will compare how much of a difference the one player makes between the two sides.



Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Viv Richards
Ricky Ponting
Michael Bevan
M.S. Dhoni (wk)
Imran Khan (c)
Shaun Pollock
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Muttiah Muralitharan.



I have refrained from pick some of the all time great PURE fast bowlers and have rather gone for the guys who can also bat.. Imran and Wasim will be my strike bowlers with Shaun Pollock providing the economy and support. And the usual middle overs singles won't be that easy to take with an attacking captain like Imran and attacking spinners like Murali and Warne. And there is always Richards, Sachin, Bevan to bowl few overs in the extremely rare case that one or two of the main guys have an off day.


The batting looks after itself with 4 of the all time greats (IMO among the top 15 of all time in all forms of cricket) in the top 4 to be followed by two of the best ODI batsmen, esp. for the middle and slog overs situation. And the hitting will be taken care by Pollock, Wasim, Warne and Imran himself, should the situation arise. These 3 can also do a rearguard in case of an unlikely collapse of the top 6.

Replace Ponting With Sanath Jayasuriya and Lara to bat at #3.

Sachin Tendulkar
Sanath Jayasuriya
Brian Lara
Viv Richards
Michael Bevan
M.S. Dhoni (wk)
Imran Khan (c)
Shaun Pollock
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Muttiah Muralitharan.

 

[Jono]

Cool thread HB

 

[Dan]

Sachin Tendulkar
M.S. Dhoni (wk)
Ricky Ponting
Brian Lara
Viv Richards (c)
Michael Bevan
Imran Khan
Malcolm Marshall
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Muttiah Muralitharan.

Not sure of Malcolm's ODI record, but I reckon he would have a larger impact in the bowling stakes than Pollock. His extra couple of yards of pace and accuracy would trouble the best of batsmen. Also changed the captain from Imran to Sir Viv, and rearranged the batting order.

I was tempted to swap out Imran for 1980's Steve Waugh...

 

[honestbharani]

interesting thought to open with MSD... But Lara actually has a better record opening than MS does.


And zaremba, I understand what you are saying, but it is interesting to see how the balance and complexion of the side can change with just one player, although the quality pretty much remains the same in such an all time XI...


For instance, I thought I covered almost all bases with my side, but seeing some of the sides posted here, it just shows how much can change even if we are only changing one player..


Also, one other suggestion is, since we have already have 10 all time greats in the side, you guys can also try including your favourite players who are not necessarily all timers..


Like here, I can try to replace Ponting in my side with one of my fave all time players.. Jonty Rhodes..


Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Viv Richards
Michael Bevan
MS Dhoni (wk)
Jonty Rhodes
Imran Khan
Shaun Pollock
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Muttiah Muralitharan



With Rhodes at point, you can say good bye to any quick singles square of the wicket on the offside and any easy leg side tiip and runs off the spinners... I think this is a workable side, because Bevan has a fab record at #4 himself..

 

[Matt79]

It's been an interesting exercise, but not for that reason.

If you're trying to find out how much difference a single player can make to a team, the place to start is most definitely not an all-time XI which includes high-class all-rounders. Because that kind of team by its very nature is of sufficient quality and flexibility to make up for the absence of any one of its members.

If you want to find how much difference a single player can make to a team, imagine NZ in the mid-80s without Hadlee or Crowe; West Indies in the early 2000s without Lara or presently without Chanderpaul; Australia in the mid-2000s without Mick Lewis.

Lol. Poor Lewis. He was an honest enough FC bowler but that's not what he'll be remembered for. Zimbabwe of a decade ago with Andy Flower, or Sri Lanka without Murali would be two other examples.