Pick a World XI to play against Australia (test only).

[Slifer]

Similar to the ODI one we did a while back with Asia. Just my personal picks for Australia and world XI teams. No current players included:

Australia

Simpson
Hayden
Don
Chappell
Border*
Miller
Gilchrist +
Davidson
Warne
Lillee
McGrath

Vs

Hobbs
Hutton
Headley
Sachin
Sobers
Imran*
Flower+
Hadlee
Akram
Marshall
Murali

For Australia, also considered Morris, Lawry and Ponsford for the opening position. Left out the second spinner. Two leg spinners imo is over kill especially when they both turn it the same way. For the world Xi, Hammond or Sangakkara could replace Headley, the bowling imo is set. Possibly replace Flower with a more reliable keeper like Knott or a better keeper and decent batsman like Ames. Thoughts??

 

[trundler]

Hobbs
Hutton
Lara
Tendulkar
Sobers
Laxman
Knott+
Hadlee
Akram
Laker
Ambrose

Going by performances against Australia.

 

[Slifer]

Hobbs
Hutton
Lara
Tendulkar
Sobers
Laxman
Knott+
Hadlee
Akram
Laker
Ambrose

Going by performances against Australia.

???. Never looked at it from this pov. Interesting fwiw, Marshall did better vs and in Australia than Akram. Might also consider Wally Hammond at number 3 seeing that he was also a useful bowler...

 

[trundler]

???. Never looked at it from this pov. Interesting fwiw, Marshall did better vs and in Australia than Akram. Might also consider Wally Hammond at number 3 seeing that he was also a useful bowler...

Don't know why I forgot about Marshall. But I was subconsciously prioritising players who did well against the ATG Australian teams. Hammond and Barrington both averaged over 65 against Australia but against lesser attacks. Had standout innings in mind for all batsmen and yes I'm counting Sobers for RoW in '71/72.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Flower shouldn't even be in the top 20 keepers picked.

If you want to pick a keeper based mostly on batting Sanga and ABdV were both at least as good bats but much better keepers

 

[shortpitched713]

If you want to pick a keeper based mostly on batting Sanga and ABdV were both at least as good bats but much better keepers

Clyde Walcott was almost exactly the same batting as Sangakkara both as a keeper and specialist bat, by average, which I guess some would take to mean the Walcott was better overall given era, so he's a fine option as well.

Edited for clarification.

 

[Slifer]

Clyde Walcott was almost exactly the same batting both as a keeper and specialist bat, by average, which I guess some would take to mean the Walcott was better overall given era, so he's a fine option as well.

No. Walcott averaged in the 40s as a keeper afaik.

 

[Coronis]

Hobbs
Sutcliffe
Lara
Tendulkar
Hammond
Sobers
Sangakkara+
Imran*
Hadlee
Marshall
Murali

Tried to prioritise batting depth. Main thing about the team that would make me nervous is Murali in an Australia home game.

 

[Slifer]

Hobbs
Sutcliffe
Lara
Tendulkar
Hammond
Sobers
Sangakkara+
Imran*
Hadlee
Marshall
Murali

Tried to prioritise batting depth. Main thing about the team that would make me nervous is Murali in an Australia home game.

Agreed. Playing against tAustralia, it'll be in a neutral location outside of Australia and outside the traditional test playing nations. Maybe someplace like Dubai or Sharjah.

 

[shortpitched713]

No. Walcott averaged in the 40s as a keeper afaik.

Sorry, I worded that ambiguously. I meant to say that his averages as a specialist bat and as a keeper are almost the same as Sangakkara's.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Sorry, I worded that ambiguously. I meant to say that his averages as a specialist bat and as a keeper are almost the same as Sangakkara's.

Yeah I understood what you meant, I never saw him keep so I can't reasonably say exactly how good he was in that regard compared to Sanga or ABdV but he's another good option based on batting for sure

Agreed. Playing against tAustralia, it'll be in a neutral location outside of Australia and outside the traditional test playing nations. Maybe someplace like Dubai or Sharjah.

Would make the most sense for it to be in Australia I would have thought

 

[ankitj]

Would make the most sense for it to be in Australia I would have thought

In that case:

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Rahane
Pant
Mayank
Sundar
Thakur
Saini
Siraj
Natrajan

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Some interesting names in here
Best averages in Australia (minimum 8 innings):

Those who averaged over 60 (Pant is the only current player):
Faf Du Plessis 83.16!
Chris Broad
Barlow
Faulkner
Gomes
Barrington
Crowe
Trott
Goddard
Sutcliffe
Vaughan
Pant
Hammond
Foster
Alexander
Sangakkara 60.33

 

[subshakerz]

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Viv
Tendulkar
Lara
Sobers
Knott
Imran
Hadlee
Marshall
Murali

 

[TheJediBrah]

In that case:

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Rahane
Pant
Mayank
Sundar
Thakur
Saini
Siraj
Natrajan

would need a few more injuries and domestic cricketers to beat an ATG XI

 

[CricAddict]

Flower shouldn't even be in the top 20 keepers picked.

If you want to pick a keeper based mostly on batting Sanga and ABdV were both at least as good bats but much better keepers

Ha ha. I expected this post from you as soon as I saw the opening post.

 

[Spark]

Hobbs
Hutton
Lara
Tendulkar
Sobers
Laxman
Knott+
Hadlee
Akram
Laker
Ambrose

Going by performances against Australia.

How is this literally the only post so far mentioning Laxman

 

[Burgey]

Yeah he'd be one of the first blokes picked to play vs any Aus side tbh. Almost invariably brought it against our blokes.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Reckon Jadeja has a case to be included in this team too. Every series he's played against Australia he's made an enormous impact, often with both bat and ball. Makes more sense to pick him than Murali imo.

 

[Prince EWS]

How is this literally the only post so far mentioning Laxman

I don't think the OP meant 'pick a team based on who happened to be playing Australia when their best performances came around', he meant 'pick a team without any Australians in it'.

Given that Laxman would struggle to make an 8th XI.