ESPNcricinfo World XI

[AaronK]

No offence but this has to be one of the worst XIs I've seen

none taken.. i just wonder what makes a batting line up that is consist of Sanga, Sachin, Lara, Inzi and Sobers and a bowling line up consist of Wasim, ambros, imran and Murali who actually played at their peak worse than any other XI?

Hmm, no players from England, SA or Australia who would traditionally be thought of as the strongest sides. Did you realise that you had done this?

I didn't know i had to pick players from each side.. personally i never found any England players exciting and impressive enough over the years.. The XI that i picked are consist of players who not only played the game but also dominated it..and i thought most England players in the past lacked that dominance..

I picked kallis from SA but he can't be as good as those batsman that i have named to make the final XI.. same goes with Warne and Mcgrath.. they were never as good as Murali and Wasim akram..

I would like to say that i found Mcgrath's bowling a bit boring and predictable simply because mostly he bowled the same line and kept it the same while wasim had veriaty..It was interesting to watch wasim bowling simply because it made you guesing on what he is going to bowle next..

 

[GotSpin]

none taken.. i just wonder what makes a batting line up that is consist of Sanga, Sachin, Lara, Inzi and Sobers and a bowling line up consist of Wasim, ambros, imran and Murali who actually played at their peak worse than any other XI?
.

Just a few adjustments I think

Openers could certainly be bettered
Exclusion of Bradman is utterly criminal. Between XI's he really tips the scales in favour of his team. He should be a lock in for any world team
Think Gilly > Sangers
Really don't think Wasim should be there either. Marshall far better option
Inzi wouldn't get anywhere near my top 30 let alone AT XI. I mean, Border is far ahead if you want to include team support as a factor
Lara probably wouldn't make my team either.

Being rather harsh here as you've selected remarkable players in their own rights, but still feel they're behind the best of the best.

 

[ankitj]

On Wasim Akram

I agree with a few that he is a bit overrated as a test bowler (by casual viewers of our generation, that is. Not so much by cricket historians and ex-cricketers).

To give just one example, in ICC test bowlers ranking, Wasim Akram never achieved the rank 1 position. All other great fast bowlers of post 90's - Ambrose, Waqar, Donald, McGrath - achieved that at some point of their career. In 70's and 80's Marshall, Holding, Garner, Lilee, Roberts, Hadlee, Imran, all achieved rank#1 at some stage. In case of Imran it's quite incredible as he was also a batsman good enough to avreage 50 for last half of his career, back in days when batting was not as easy as it has been in the last decade.

 

[smash84]

I agree with a few that he is a bit overrated as a test bowler (by casual viewers of our generation, that is. Not so much by cricket historians and ex-cricketers).

To give just one example, in ICC test bowlers ranking, Wasim Akram never achieved the rank 1 position. All other great fast bowlers of post 90's - Ambrose, Waqar, Donald, McGrath - achieved that at some point of their career. In 70's and 80's Marshall, Holding, Garner, Lilee, Roberts, Hadlee, Imran, all achieved rank#1 at some stage. In case of Imran it's quite incredible as he was also a batsman good enough to avreage 50 for last half of his career, back in days when batting was not as easy as it has been in the last decade.

Well said..........

Wasim is certainly over-rated by the generation that grew up watching him on T.V.

And I think that Imran is quite under-rated given the fantastic bowler that he was at his peak. He was injured for 3 years at his peak and could not bowl. And yet when he finished he still had one of the best records ever. In fact on one of the analyses on cricinfo Imran came out on top in terms of quality of batsmen dismissed over the length of his career. He edged out Hadlee, Lillee, McGrath, and Marshall. And that is saying something.

And you are right. From 1982 till 1992 when he captained Pakistan in some 48 test matches his average with the bat was 52 and a bowling average of 19.8 or 19.9 with an excellent SR (overall career SR of 53.7). I can't think of anyone having as good a captaincy record as this. If this period of time (his captaincy era) is taken against some of the best players of all time Imran would still be able to hold his own. Add to this the fact that he was one of the best leaders ever in the game of cricket then certainly in my opinion he is a serious contender for the best cricketer after Bradman and Sobers.

 

[ankitj]

Well said..........

Wasim is certainly over-rated by the generation that grew up watching him on T.V.

And I think that Imran is quite under-rated given the fantastic bowler that he was at his peak. He was injured for 3 years at his peak and could not bowl. And yet when he finished he still had one of the best records ever. In fact on one of the analyses on cricinfo Imran came out on top in terms of quality of batsmen dismissed over the length of his career. He edged out Hadlee, Lillee, McGrath, and Marshall. And that is saying something.

And you are right. From 1982 till 1992 when he captained Pakistan in some 48 test matches his average with the bat was 52 and a bowling average of 19.8 or 19.9 with an excellent SR (overall career SR of 53.7). I can't think of anyone having as good a captaincy record as this. If this period of time (his captaincy era) is taken against some of the best players of all time Imran would still be able to hold his own. Add to this the fact that he was one of the best leaders ever in the game of cricket then certainly in my opinion he is a serious contender for the best cricketer after Bradman and Sobers.

Indeed! Every once in a while I ruffle up quite a few people by telling them Wasim is over-rated They of course think he is the greatest fast bowler ever to live. I on the other hand will not be able to place him in even my second World XI (for which I will take Ambrose, Trueman and McGrath to compliment Keith Miller who would play as an all-rounder).

Imran Khan clearly is the greatest Pakistani cricketer (and of the sub continent in my opinion). He is no less than Wasim and Waqar (only better IMO), could bat and was a remarkably good captain. I will put him right behind Bradman and Sobers too (which makes him the best cricketer of last 40 years). For some time I rated Sir Viv ahead, but more I read about Imran, more I am impressed.

 

[Himannv]

Wasim > Waqar for me personally.

 

[weldone]

Wasim > Waqar for me personally.

For me, too.

 

[Teja.]

Waqar>Imran>Wasim, for me.

 

[weldone]

Clearly Imran>Wasim>Waqar for me in tests.

[And Wasim>Imran=Waqar in ODIs]

 

[ankitj]

Waqar>Imran>Wasim, for me.

That's how I will also like it sometimes. I have a soft corner for Waqar

 

[Xuhaib]

Imran>Waqar=Wasim.

 

[Slifer]

For me Bradman>>Sobers>=Imran

 

[vcs]

Clearly Imran>Wasim>Waqar for me in tests.

[And Wasim>Imran=Waqar in ODIs]

Agree.

 

[Ikki]

Imran Khan clearly is the greatest Pakistani cricketer (and of the sub continent in my opinion). He is no less than Wasim and Waqar (only better IMO), could bat and was a remarkably good captain. I will put him right behind Bradman and Sobers too (which makes him the best cricketer of last 40 years). For some time I rated Sir Viv ahead, but more I read about Imran, more I am impressed.

Yeah, Imran is a straight legend. As a bowler could be the greatest of the lot if you look carefully at his record. How he did in the 80s is remarkable - as good if not better than Hadlee and Marshall. The mentoring role he played for young talent coming up, like Wasim and Waqar, can't be understated either.

 

[smash84]

For me Bradman>>Sobers>=Imran

True.....I agree...

Yeah, Imran is a straight legend. As a bowler could be the greatest of the lot if you look carefully at his record. How he did in the 80s is remarkable - as good if not better than Hadlee and Marshall. The mentoring role he played for young talent coming up, like Wasim and Waqar, can't be understated either.

Agreed at least in test matches......

For me personally....

In ODIs Wasim>Waqar>>Imran
In Tests Imran>Waqar>=wasim

 

[smash84]

Yeah, Imran is a straight legend. As a bowler could be the greatest of the lot if you look carefully at his record. How he did in the 80s is remarkable - as good if not better than Hadlee and Marshall. The mentoring role he played for young talent coming up, like Wasim and Waqar, can't be understated either.

Agreed/

I also believe that in terms of legacy Imran is peerless.....he literally raised a whole generation of Pakistani cricketers....Wasim, Waqar, Inzi, Saeed Anwar, all of them credit their success to Imran's mentorship. Even today a lot of the cricketers who saw Imran playing when they were young kids have him as a role model in their minds. In addition to that he was probably Pakistan's (and perhaps cricket's) biggest heart throb and gave cricket in Pakistan (and to some extent in India and Bangladesh as well) a kind of glamor that had been missing previously. As captain he drew 3 series with the windies home and away in the 1980s. And the list goes on.......

Hard to beat Imran's achievements.....

 

[AaronK]

Just a few adjustments I think

Openers could certainly be bettered
Exclusion of Bradman is utterly criminal. Between XI's he really tips the scales in favour of his team. He should be a lock in for any world team
Think Gilly > Sangers
Really don't think Wasim should be there either. Marshall far better option
Inzi wouldn't get anywhere near my top 30 let alone AT XI. I mean, Border is far ahead if you want to include team support as a factor
Lara probably wouldn't make my team either.

Being rather harsh here as you've selected remarkable players in their own rights, but still feel they're behind the best of the best.

I haven't watched Bradman bat and i don't pick anyone based on their stats.. plus there is alot of ifs and buts involved with Bradman.. he played all of his cricket in England and Aus.. that means his record may have been different if he would have played somewhere else.. also we would never know how he would play against pakistan who historical have always had a strong bowling line up..

I picked Sanga simply because i think he is a better keeper and batsman than Gilly.. Sanga haven't been keeping wicket in test much.. but the fact that he has played and has done a fab job while playing and keeping for Murali makes him a better option than Gilly.. Gilly mostly kept for Warne who didn't swing the bowle as much as Murali.. not to forget Murali's Doosra could have make things further worse for gilly if he was to keep for him... So i am going for a better option.. not to forget, Sanga can bat at number 3 where he bats usually and has an average of over 50..

I could have picked Marshal, Kapil, Walsh, Holding, Lalie, Mcgrath and afew other bowlers over Wasim.. but I picked Wasim simply because he was one of the most interesting bowler i have watched.. the way he bowled.. his tricky short run up and his ability to swing the bowle and bowle six different deliveries in an over made him better than anyone else in my opinion.. He would keep you interested and guessing about what he would bowle next.. he could swing the bowle both ways.. reversing it better than anyone else in the history of cricket..

you go through all those batsman that are there on the same catagary as Inzi.. if you look at them they all had genion batsman who supported them.. some of them even had far superior openners who gave them a perfect start.. Inzi batted alone through most of his career.. he had that fearless style that could take the game away from any team during any situation.. he has played most innings under pressure than any of those batsman on that list and he has done pretty well ending with average of 50 while playing for pakistan..

My ODI and Test matches are not complete without Sachin and Lara.. so I don't want to even state why i would go with these great batsman over anyone else..

 

[Athlai]

I haven't watched Bradman bat and i don't pick anyone based on their stats.. plus there is alot of ifs and buts involved with Bradman.. he played all of his cricket in England and Aus.. that means his record may have been different if he would have played somewhere else.. also we would never know how he would play against pakistan who historical have always had a strong bowling line up..

I picked Sanga simply because i think he is a better keeper and batsman than Gilly.. Sanga haven't been keeping wicket in test much.. but the fact that he has played and has done a fab job while playing and keeping for Murali makes him a better option than Gilly.. Gilly mostly kept for Warne who didn't swing the bowle as much as Murali.. not to forget Murali's Doosra could have make things further worse for gilly if he was to keep for him... So i am going for a better option.. not to forget, Sanga can bat at number 3 where he bats usually and has an average of over 50..

I could have picked Marshal, Kapil, Walsh, Holding, Lalie, Mcgrath and afew other bowlers over Wasim.. but I picked Wasim simply because he was one of the most interesting bowler i have watched.. the way he bowled.. his tricky short run up and his ability to swing the bowle and bowle six different deliveries in an over made him better than anyone else in my opinion.. He would keep you interested and guessing about what he would bowle next.. he could swing the bowle both ways.. reversing it better than anyone else in the history of cricket..

you go through all those batsman that are there on the same catagary as Inzi.. if you look at them they all had genion batsman who supported them.. some of them even had far superior openners who gave them a perfect start.. Inzi batted alone through most of his career.. he had that fearless style that could take the game away from any team during any situation.. he has played most innings under pressure than any of those batsman on that list and he has done pretty well ending with average of 50 while playing for pakistan..

My ODI and Test matches are not complete without Sachin and Lara.. so I don't want to even state why i would go with these great batsman over anyone else..

Wow

 

[Teja.]

Yeah, Wow.

 

[GotSpin]

lol what Don't think I'll bother here. Could be writing all day. I'll leave it to Aussie or someone haha