The Wisden XI

[hang on]

Sachin Tendulkar and India dominate Wisden's Test team of the year - Telegraph

Was struck by the fact - as was Berry himself - that there are no Australians in the team. Who woulda thunk it?

Good team though not too convinced by the openers.

What do you think?

 

[vcs]

Dhoni's recent Test form hasn't been that good, not sure I'd pick him. Cook over Iqbal.

 

[Blaze 18]

Not a bad side. Would have Cook over Tamim Iqbal though.

 

[TT Boy]

On batting it is Prior > Dhoni, as Prior scored more runs, averaged more and scored 1 century more than Dhoni in 2010. Dhoni failed with the bat against Aus, had average series in RSA and Sri Lanka and was one of four centurions in Kolkata as India amassed 600+. But as India didn't lost a test series in 2010 (to the best of my knowledge), defeated Aus, drew in South Africa and Sri Lanka, then it is a fair inclusion.

Strauss or Cook should have got the nod instead of Iqbal.

 

[hang on]

anybody want to punt on what next year's team is going to be?

 

[Howe_zat]

Doesn't Wisden generally pick with a hefty focus on the cricket played in England? If that's the case, Tamim over Cook is a fair call. But then, you'd think Jonathan Trott would be in there.

Regardless I think Trott should be there, likely ahead of Sangakkara, based on the achievements of last year. Almost immovable during the Ashes, cashed in big against Bangladesh and had a brilliant series against Pakistan while both batting lineups were being minced.

 

[hang on]

the wisden 5 is based on the cricketing summer in england. but the wisden 11 is, i think, based on cricket the world over.

 

[Spark]

It does say that the English summer has a very large weighting in deciding it and Cook's summer was fairly dismal, tbh.

 

[vcs]

Yeah, Trott is awesome. Very hard choice between him and Sanga.

 

[Teja.]

Why should Sanga be moved? It's hardly his fault that he doesn't get as many tests as others. He does extremely well almost every time he plays.
He averages 99.28 in 2010 ffs. Sanga is pretty much the last batsman and second last player, after Steyn, that I'd drop from that team. He's an invincible batsman aws.

 

[vcs]

Why should Sanga be moved? It's hardly his fault that he doesn't get as many tests as others. He does extremely well almost every time he plays.
He averages 99.28 in 2010 ffs. Sanga is pretty much the last batsman and second last player, after Steyn, that I'd drop from that team. He's an invincible batsman aws.

Well, by the same token, Trott has done nothing wrong either. It's close enough, for mine.

 

[Borges]

It does say that the English summer has a very large weighting in deciding it and Cook's summer was fairly dismal, tbh.

Cook was nowhere near consistent enough through the year, to merit consideration.

All in all, a decent team, IMHO. The bowlers pick themselves; among the batsmen, Amla and Trott somewhat unlucky to miss out.

 

[Jono]

Doesn't Wisden generally pick with a hefty focus on the cricket played in England?

I thought that was only for the "players of the year" award.

However the team of the year and leading cricketer of the year are based on cricket around the globe as far as I know.

 

[MW1304]

Why should Sanga be moved? It's hardly his fault that he doesn't get as many tests as others. He does extremely well almost every time he plays.
He averages 99.28 in 2010 ffs. Sanga is pretty much the last batsman and second last player, after Steyn, that I'd drop from that team. He's an invincible batsman aws.

If the selection is weighted towards the English summer then its pretty insane that Trott was left out. Did you happen to see how much the ball swung in the Pakistan series? As Howezat said, every single other batsman was terrible, except Gul and Broad Hey, I'm a Sri Lankan but I'd defo have Trott ahead of Sanga, and (even though I hate him) probably de Villiers ahead of Sanga too.

Oh and definitely Tamim over Cook, had a godawful summer bar one (probably career-saving-and-ultimately-making) knock.

 

[Burgey]

anybody want to punt on what next year's team is going to be?

Watson
Katich
Khawaja
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
O'Keefe
Copeland
Dougeh

 

[Furball]

While there's definite cases for Tamim and Sangakkara, their selections smack a little of filling a quota to get as many different Test nations as possible represented.

 

[Blaze 18]

If the selection is weighted towards the English summer then its pretty insane that Trott was left out. Did you happen to see how much the ball swung in the Pakistan series? As Howezat said, every single other batsman was terrible, except Gul and Broad Hey, I'm a Sri Lankan but I'd defo have Trott ahead of Sanga, and (even though I hate him) probably de Villiers ahead of Sanga too.

Oh and definitely Tamim over Cook, had a godawful summer bar one (probably career-saving-and-ultimately-making) knock.

Always thought you were from England.

 

[Howe_zat]

Always thought you were from England.

It was a reference to his avatar (alway the flag of the last team to have beaten England IIRC) of the Sri Lankan flag.