Pick one former player to add to your current Test team

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

Given that Kapil would walk into the current side as a specialist bowler but probably wouldn't make it as a batsman, why is it even a question?

Because he's an allrounder.

It'd be a situation where you would play 5 bowlers. There are plenty of examples of allrounders who wouldn't make the team solely as a batsman but batted top 7 because they had enough batting talent and their bowling added balance to the team.

As I said, I personally prefer India with 7 batsman as I think its their strength, so I'd drop a bowler for Kapil Dev, but dropping Raina (which looked a lot more reasonable before the WI tour and day 5 of the Lord's test) for Kapil Dev would hardly be the worst move. It'd strengthen the often criticised Indian bowling line-up, and Dev is hardly a mug with the bat. You can't say Kapil Dev's batting is that much worse than Raina, Yuvraj, Pujara etc. who have played for this Indian team in recent years.

[Agent Nationaux]

Every Pakistani would pick King Khan. We desperately need a leader who the players respect and admire and he can slap Big Butt without facing the threat of suspension. Plus he can bat and bowl and was a great captain.

[kyear2]

Sobers for Sammy might be a slight upgrade.

[zaremba]

Big bias in favour of the all-rounders here: Imran, Kapil, Hadlee, Botham, Procter, Sobers, Hammond.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by kyear2

Sobers for Sammy might be a slight upgrade.

[BlazeDragon]

[Jacknife]

Has to be Botham for me, obviously prefer the 77-81 vintage to the '92 one but it's what the current England team lack.

[Flem274*]

Hadlee the obvious choice considering our bowling;

McCullum
Guptill
Williamson
Taylor
Ryder
Vettori
Young
Hadlee
Southee
Bennett
Martin

Chris Cairns and Glenn Turner other good shouts. If we weren't allowed to pick a superstar then Bruce Taylor would slot in nicely at eight and be our best bowler in all probability.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Originally Posted by Flem274*

Chris Cairns and Glenn Turner other good shouts. If we weren't allowed to pick a superstar then Bruce Taylor would slot in nicely at eight and be our best bowler in all probability.

Given current needs, you'd simply have to bring in a strike bowler. Hadlee, Bond or Cairns. A couple of years back, Turner or a number of other top order options would have been in the mix, but we desperately need a strike bowler right now.

[Joao]

Merv.

Would do 2 things, improve our bowling (quite a lot IMO) and relax our stupid stance on not picking fatties to allow Cosgrove to get a game instead of Darsh or someone equally undeserving.

Watto
Phughes/Usman
Ponting
Cosgrove
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Left arm all over the place
Copeland
Merv
Woefully inadequate spinner no.19

Plus Merv just oozes charisma and our team could use some of that...

[GotSpin]

I'd take the Don obviously. Though I'm sure Ponting would insist on batting at 3, Clarke at 4 so he'd have to bat at 5

[JBMAC]

Bradman for Clarke and drop Ponting to 2nd drop

[Spikey]

sk warne, if he can get a game ahead of Beer or Lyon.

[KiWiNiNjA]

Paddles

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by KiWiNiNjA

Paddles

An attack of Hadlee Martin, Southee Vettori
is probably on par with Hadlee, Morrison, Chatfield, Bracewell

the only question is who would you pick if you couldn't take him.

Would take Turner as our opening batting has been weak for sometime although Brendon may seek to turn that around.