Best team since Waugh/ Ponting’s Australia?

[subshakerz]

I watched the whole series. Aus were coming directly off the 5-0 whitewash of England, Warner and S.Smith were in incredible form and showed hit, Ryan Harris was bowling the house down as well (on 1 leg by the end of the series). Add that to Johnson bowling ATG+ levels and SA were never going to win that series, they were lucky to come away with 1 win.

ABdV was the only SA bat that looked like hurting us. He was in great form

I mean, that was my impression, that Australia had everything going for them entering the series, while SA had lost Kallis, Steyn wasnt at 100% throughout and Smith's mind was elsewhere. But that same Australian side was embarrassingly whitewashed later in the UAE, so I do think SA were the better team in that period.

 

[Spark]

There is a reason that SA side from 08 to 14 couldn't win even 1 Test series in Asia against IND/PAK.

No. of Test series won by great SA side in 08 to 14 in Asia =1
No. Of series won by Kohli's side in 2020 in SENA = 2

It's reaaaaally unfair to hold the UAE series in 2010-11 against SA. Those pitches were near impossible to take 20 wickets on for anybody.

 

[ma1978]

Being a home bully doesn't make you a better side. The real question is: which is the better all-round side? And the clear answer is Smith's SA. Their only weakness was lacking a high quality spinner.

India, on the other hand, have a massive moon-sized weakness when it comes to their middle order fragility in swinging conditions which has been exploited time and again. India's batting is why they lost series in SA and England and why they were whitewashed in NZ and lost the WTC.

You guys are seriously underrating how good Smith, Amla, ABD and Kallis were in that period to think this Indian batting lineup even merits comparison to them. These guys could and did score runs everywhere in the world, and as a unit.

those guys were amazing but bottom line is that India wins more - a lot more at home and at least as much away.

can’t look beyond the actual results

 

[subshakerz]

There is a reason that SA side from 08 to 14 couldn't win even 1 Test series in Asia against IND/PAK.

No. of Test series won by great SA side in 08 to 14 in Asia =1
No. Of series won by Kohli's side in 2020 in SENA = 2

They won in Pakistan in 2007 with basically the same team. It's just that this series coincided with Australia's still dominant period but it should be counted.

 

[subshakerz]

those guys were amazing but bottom line is that India wins more - a lot more at home and at least as much away.

can’t look beyond the actual results

Is Kohli's India a better all-round side though? No.

 

[Test fan]

Do 2 match series even count as real series

Real questions should be like after seeing reply in this thread " do series win against Southafrica in South Africa even count"?

 

[sunilz]

They won in Pakistan in 2007 with basically the same team. It's just that this series coincided with Australia still dominant period.

So now you shifted the date to 07. So 1 series out of 6 is very good achievement and proof of being all rounded. ?

 

[sunilz]

Is Kohli's India a better all-round side though? No.

Who is more all rounded , Kapil Dev or Glenn McGrath ?

 

[anil1405]

There is a reason that SA side from 08 to 14 couldn't win even 1 Test series in Asia against IND/PAK.

No. of Test series won by great SA side in 08 to 14 in Asia =1
No. Of series won by Kohli's side in 2020 in SENA = 2

Tbf to Proteas, they haven't lost a single series in Asia for a 10 year period from 2006-15 where they played 8-10 series in Asia and won a test match in almost every series. So gotta give it to them on that front.

 

[ma1978]

Is Kohli's India a better all-round side though? No.

Yes - because they win more!

 

[Spark]

Real questions should be like after seeing reply in this thread " do series win against Southafrica in South Africa even count"?

It's a joke, champ.

 

[subshakerz]

Who is more all rounded , Kapil Dev or Glenn McGrath ?

A side more capable of winning in all conditions = a stronger side = Smith's South Africa.

 

[ma1978]

All of these academic comparisons are interesting but the reality is other than the two ATG sides. I modern era side has *won* as much as Kohli’s India

we can all debate about quality of players and I agree head to head it looks weaker on paper, but they win. And I think that comes from an ATG bowling record and doing a lot of little things wel.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Who is more all rounded , Kapil Dev or Glenn McGrath ?

McGrath has gained a bit of weight since retirement but Kapil is still more rounded

 

[ma1978]

A side more capable of winning in all conditions = a stronger side = Smith's South Africa.

except they have not won in all conditions as much as Kohli’s side

you cannot ignore the actual results

 

[sunilz]

A side more capable of winning in all conditions = a stronger side = Smith's South Africa.

So why they have lower W/L ratio than current Indian side ?( someone please fact check me )

 

[sunilz]

Please post Smith's side 2008-14 and IND side 2015-current W/L ratio

 

[subshakerz]

All of these academic comparisons are interesting but the reality is other than the two ATG sides. I modern era side has *won* as much as Kohli’s India

we can all debate about quality of players and I agree head to head it looks weaker on paper, but they win. And I think that comes from an ATG bowling record and doing a lot of little things wel.

It doesn't just look weaker, it is weaker. You think being a stronger team at home makes India a better side, and in your heart of hearts, you know that it is not.

 

[subshakerz]

So why they have lower W/L ratio than current Indian side ?( someone please fact check me )

Because India has excelled at home bullying. Nobody is arguing that they are a superior side at home. That doesnt make them a stronger team.

 

[sunilz]

It doesn't just look weaker, it is weaker. You think being a stronger team at home makes India a better side, and in your heart of hearts, you know that it is not.

Nah drawing overseas just winning at home makes you a better side.