I agree with first perhaps we can replace. Gambhir in current form is better than Smith.North>Duminy imo.
Smith>Gambhir too.
If class is criteria yes but just on current form no. Also Katich is not better than Gambhir. Katich cannot be expected to play liek Gambhir did in Sri Lanka. When both came against each other, Gambhir comfortably outsocred Katich in 2008 home series.Ponting & KP over Clarke & Dumminy surely???. While Smith or Katich has a very strong case over Gambhir to open.
Class is permanent, form is temporary. Ponting is still the best batsman in the world, only if he was in decline you woud have a reason to not include him in world XI, which certainly isn't the case ATM.If class is criteria yes but just on current form no.
Why?Also Katich is not better than Gambhir.
Apparantley you didn't see Katich vs:Katich cannot be expected to play liek Gambhir did in Sri Lanka.
Ha well duh. If Gambhir had to bat againts poor & injured AUS attack.When both came against each other, Gambhir comfortably outsocred Katich in 2008 home series.
TBF Smith hasn't played a test since February so it's hard to say what his form's like on the back of his solitary duck today. Would have to be pretty special to be better than Gambhir's, but even so, I'd rather have Smith in my team than Gambhir. So, so good under pressure.I agree with first perhaps we can replace. Gambhir in current form is better than Smith.
Throwing Gambhir in there is a bit of a stretch IMO.India by a light year
A global test Xi batting lineup would look like this today
Gambhir
Sehwag
Kallis
Tendulkar
Clarke
Duminy
MS Dhoni
That is massive
I think then we ought to bring in Garfield sobers in that list. Ponting is not even in the top 10 icc batsman rankings and despite me being his fan, i would certainly say he is not the best batsman. his last two years are proof that heis declining fast. Kp too has had an indifferent year so far. Sangakkar is ofcourse better batsman than Dhoni, but Sangakkara is not keeper anymore, It was tough to get him out of that lineup.Class is permanent, form is temporary. Ponting is still the best batsman in the world, only if he was in decline you woud have a reason to not include him in world XI, which certainly isn't the case ATM.
Same thing applies with KP.
Also just realising Sangakkara>Dhoni as well surely..
1. So u admit India's bowling linup is better than australia's?Why?
Apparantley you didn't see Katich vs:
- Kumble/Harbhajan Syndey 04
- Murali/Hearth Colombo 04
- Kumble/Harbhajan in IND 04
- Harbhajan/Mishra/Kumble 08
Katich is EXCELLENT againts spin, only AUS batsmen that could have matched over the years are Hayden, Lehmann (although Martyn learnt to play quite well later in his career). Just as good as Gambhir IMO.
Ha well duh. If Gambhir had to bat againts poor & injured AUS attack.
The Indian attack with Khan/Ishant getting reverse swing along with the potent spin threat was far more challenging for Katich & the entire AUS batsmen than what IND had from the AUS bowlers.
There is nothing so far in the last year to suggest gambhir is not good under pressure. He has done what an opening batsman can do. He has scored against all opponents in all conditions india have played in the last year. Smith is good but just on current form i would back Gambhir to score more than Smith. And not playing tests is no excuse whether forced or unforced.TBF Smith hasn't played a test since February so it's hard to say what his form's like on the back of his solitary duck today. Would have to be pretty special to be better than Gambhir's, but even so, I'd rather have Smith in my team than Gambhir. So, so good under pressure.
Presumably this is based on players you like because neither Clarke or Tendulkar are in the top 10 averages in either the last 12 months or last 24. (Not suggesting stats always tell the full story, but still)India by a light year
A global test Xi batting lineup would look like this today
Gambhir
Sehwag
Kallis
Tendulkar
Clarke
Duminy
MS Dhoni
That is massive
Ratings are irrelevant. Ponting is still the best batsman in the world.I think then we ought to bring in Garfield sobers in that list.
Ponting is not even in the top 10 icc batsman rankings and despite me being his fan,
Haaa where is this proof?. This is second time in about 4 months i have heard this madness..i would certainly say he is not the best batsman. his last two years are proof that heis declining fast.
No he hasn't. Was his usual self vs WI, injury affected his batting during the Ashes which was the reason he missed most of those tests. He also remains quite fine.Kp too has had an indifferent year so far.
Sangakkara AFAICS only is not keeping test due to balance of SRI team. I dont think keeping has ever actually affected his batting as we see when he plays in ODIs.Sangakkar is ofcourse better batsman than Dhoni, but Sangakkara is not keeper anymore, It was tough to get him out of that lineup.
No just that i was better during that 08 series since the likes of Lee, Clark where bowling injured - no proper spinner & Johnson & Siddle where not test quality as yet.1. So u admit India's bowling linup is better than australia's?
I listed two full series IND 04 & 08.2. Gambhir did well against Murali & mendis in 2008 when the entire Indian linup save Sehwag struggled. I think that perforamnce is better than any of the lone performances you listed above.
Love is overated..3. I love Gambhir.
If you want to go by ICC rankings (which as a statistical form guide is about as good as you're going to get unless you want to break it down on a case-by-case basic), you get this as a batting order:Presumably this is based on players you like because neither Clarke or Tendulkar are in the top 10 averages in either the last 12 months or last 24. (Not suggesting stats always tell the full story, but still)
Best Test averages - Last 12 months (qual 500 runs)
G Gambhir (India) 6 11 1 1003 179 100.30 1978 50.70 5 2 0 113 3 investigate this query
R Dravid (India) 7 12 1 883 177 80.27 1884 46.86 3 5 1 116 4 investigate this query
TT Samaraweera (SL) 12 22 3 1386 231 72.94 2372 58.43 4 6 1 191 4 investigate this query
AB de Villiers (SA) 7 11 2 632 163 70.22 1224 51.63 3 3 0 60 9 investigate this query
DPMD Jayawardene (SL) 12 22 1 1363 275 64.90 2571 53.01 4 3 1 151 3 investigate this query
TM Dilshan (SL) 12 20 1 1158 162 60.94 1404 82.47 6 1 2 127 10 investigate this query
CH Gayle (WI) 11 17 1 949 197 59.31 1504 63.09 5 1 1 105 25 investigate this query
JH Kallis (SA) 7 11 1 592 116* 59.20 1158 51.12 2 3 0 73 6 investigate this query
V Sehwag (India) 7 11 0 648 293 58.90 599 108.18 2 1 1 94 11 investigate this query
RR Sarwan (WI) 10 15 1 813 291 58.07 1412 57.57 4 1 0 97 3 investigate this query
Best Test averages - Last 2 years (qual 1000 runs)
G Gambhir (India) 2008-2009 13 25 1 1861 206 77.54 3635 51.19 7 7 0 217 5 investigate this query
TT Samaraweera (SL) 2008-2009 17 30 5 1816 231 72.64 3142 57.79 6 8 2 246 4 investigate this query
DPMD Jayawardene (SL) 2007-2009 18 32 3 2062 275 71.10 3853 53.51 7 5 1 224 4 investigate this query
AG Prince (SA) 2007-2009 16 24 6 1125 162* 62.50 2224 50.58 5 2 0 137 8 investigate this query
GC Smith (SA) 2007-2009 20 33 4 1799 232 62.03 2739 65.68 6 7 3 231 4 investigate this query
S Chanderpaul (WI) 2007-2009 19 32 8 1487 147* 61.95 3647 40.77 5 10 3 150 7 investigate this query
AB de Villiers (SA) 2007-2009 21 32 5 1636 217* 60.59 3102 52.74 6 6 1 178 13 investigate this query
V Sehwag (India) 2008-2009 20 36 1 2093 319 59.80 2282 91.71 5 7 1 273 33 investigate this query
TM Dilshan (SL) 2007-2009 18 29 2 1539 162 57.00 1934 79.57 7 3 3 174 12 investigate this query
RR Sarwan (WI) 2008-2009 16 26 1 1406 291 56.24 2598 54.11 6 5 0 162 6 investigate this query
Truly bizarre that Vettori's had a better year with the bat than Tendulkar - even with the minnows removedYes Zinzan bias has indeed crept in my selection. I think it should have been Abe villeirs instead of Tendulkar perhaps based on their performances in the last 12 months.
Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com
However averages hardly tell the story because despite 4 SL batsman in the top they hardly look the best lineup in the world. Most of their numbers are inflated by pathetic pitches of subcontinent especially Pakistan.
To this the answer is provided by another quote of urs:Ratings are irrelevant. Ponting is still the best batsman in the world.
Haaa where is this proof?.
statistically he had in an indifferent year fuelled largely by terrible WI wickets.No he hasn't. Was his usual self vs WI, injury affected his batting during the Ashes which was the reason he missed most of those tests. He also remains quite fine.
Haha sanga became batsman to keep balance? of what? If he had been keeper it would have improved SL's balance. Check out statsguru in cricinfo.com, he averages 40 as keeper and 70 as not keeper. http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/50710.html?class=1;template=results;type=battingSangakkara AFAICS only is not keeping test due to balance of SRI team. I dont think keeping has ever actually affected his batting as we see when he plays in ODIs.
Indian side was none the better. Kumble was over the peak. Mishra was just coming to hold. Khan was the only bowler who looked threatening in that lineup. Harbjan was having off and on days.No just that i was better during that 08 series since the likes of Lee, Clark where bowling injured - no proper spinner & Johnson & Siddle where not test quality as yet.
In 2008 series Gambhir outplayed Katich it s no joke. 2004 does not apply because we are looking at current form.I listed two full series IND 04 & 08.
You are joking. Gambhir is the best player of spin in the team after Tendulkar. He has butchered spinners in domestic cricket and countless times commentators ha ve wondered how sucha good player of spin happens to open. Gambhir proved himself in NZ and that's enough. anyway under similar conditions, Gambhir outscored Katich that is enough.The entire IND team outside Gambhir/Sehwag did struggle in SRI 08. But having seen that series & Gambhir play spin in general IMO him & Katich are even againts spin. I give Katich the slight edge overall since he has scored runs againts good/very good pace attacks in testing conditions vs SA & ENG recently, Gambhir has yet to do so/prove himself in such conditions.
Quite a philosophical thought aussie.Love is overated..