Would Ponting make an Aussie all-time XI?

[the big bambino]

Pick Ponting at 3 as Bradman had the ability to adapt and bat anywhere in the order. Except opener of course.

 

[Coronis]

What if the other option is Sehwag?

Put in Sehwag…

 

[Adorable Asshole]

Put in Sehwag…

He wouldn't even touch a ball with his bat if Anderson was bowling

 

[Slifer]

#3 and #4 are taken by Bradman and Smith. At #5, Border and Waugh are among the best ever. It's indeed tricky. The opening spot is where Australia ATG XI has always looked weak. Does it make sense to have Ponting open?

Australian opening is only "weak" relative to England and that's it. Against all other All time XIs, Australia's is just as good if not better (WI, RSA, Pak, etc). And then Australia's middle order plus Gilchrist is unmatched.

 

[Gob]

Australian opening is only "weak" relative to England and that's it. Against all other All time XIs, Australia's is just as good if not better (WI, RSA, Pak, etc). And then Australia's middle order plus Gilchrist is unmatched.

Headley, Richards, Lara, Sobers is the best middle order imo

 

[Adorable Asshole]

Australian opening is only "weak" relative to England and that's it. Against all other All time XIs, Australia's is just as good if not better (WI, RSA, Pak, etc). And then Australia's middle order plus Gilchrist is unmatched.

India has way better opening

Gavaskar-Sehwag

And RSA is also better imo

Smith-Kirsten

 

[Slifer]

India has way better opening

Gavaskar-Sehwag

And RSA is also better imo

Smith-Kirsten

Gavaskar-Sehwag is not "way" better than any combination of the following:

Hayden
Langer
Simpson
Lawry
Ponsford
Hassett
Etc



And Australia has many more options because I didn't even mention folks like Taylor, Slater, Boon, Katich, Warner etc.

And RSA yeah that's debateable. The point is, only England has an opening pair head a shoulders above anyone else. Aussie opening can match or at the very least might be just a touch below others.

 

[Slifer]

Headley, Richards, Lara, Sobers is the best middle order imo

Even as a West Indian I respectfully disagree. Bradman is the difference really. Smith/Chappell/Waugh/Border vs Headley/Viv/Lara/Sobers is about even with WI having an edge. Take out any Aussie batsman and slot in the Don and it's over.

 

[Prince EWS]

Not even close IMO.

 

[GIMH]

Not even close IMO.

**** off you mole

 

[Prince EWS]

**** off you mole

Don't you have anything else better to do? You weak ****.

 

[Adorable Asshole]

Gavaskar-Sehwag is not "way" better than any combination of the following:

Hayden
Langer
Simpson
Lawry
Ponsford
Hassett
Etc



And Australia has many more options because I didn't even mention folks like Taylor, Slater, Boon, Katich, Warner etc.

And RSA yeah that's debateable. The point is, only England has an opening pair head a shoulders above anyone else. Aussie opening can match or at the very least might be just a touch below others.

Gavaskar alone is way better than any Aussie opener(if we are not going as far back as Trumper) and Sehwag is atleast as good as Hayden)

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah Gavaskar was easily the best non-English opener but Sehwag is a weak link. You can definitely argue it's better than whatever combination you come up with Aus but they're probably in the same league overall.

South Africa definitely have the second best opening combination with Smith and Mitchell. Australia's (and India's) are weak compared to that for sure, IMO.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Not long ago someone picked an all time Aussie XI with all six in it on the grounds that all Aussie openers are unworthy. I can’t remember which two were opening.

This has a lot of merit. It happens in real teams quite often, one of Aus' best opening pairs of recent times Watson & Katich were both middle order players.

There's no reason you can't do this for an ATG side other than being nit-picky

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Gavaskar-Sehwag is not "way" better than any combination of the following:

Hayden
Langer
Simpson
Lawry
Ponsford
Hassett
Etc



And Australia has many more options because I didn't even mention folks like Taylor, Slater, Boon, Katich, Warner etc.

And RSA yeah that's debateable. The point is, only England has an opening pair head a shoulders above anyone else. Aussie opening can match or at the very least might be just a touch below others.

Hassett was in the middle order.
Did you mean Arthur Morris?
Trumper also makes a lot of Aussie ATG great teams, and Khawaja might be a chance if he continues his amazing form for the next 2-3 years.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Ponting is 50/50 for me with G Chappell at 4.

 

[Slifer]

Hassett was in the middle order.
Did you mean Arthur Morris?

Yeah. My mistake.

 

[Prince EWS]

1 Trumper
2 Simpson
3 Bradman
4 Chappell
5 Border
6 Miller
7 Gilchrist
8 Davidson
9 Lindwall
10 Warne
11 McGrath

Ponting would probably make a second XI but Lillee and Hayden fans can cry harder about them not even making that.

I'm not going to consider Cummins or Smith until after they retire and I can let the dust settle, do some better analysis etc but I reckon they'll both end up in there. Cummins in particular would probably have Lindwall's spot even if he went wicketless for ten consecutive Tests from here and then retired in shame.

 

[Adorable Asshole]

Yeah Gavaskar was easily the best non-English opener but Sehwag is a weak link. You can definitely argue it's better than whatever combination you come up with Aus but they're probably in the same league overall.

South Africa definitely have the second best opening combination with Smith and Mitchell. Australia's (and India's) are weak compared to that for sure, IMO.

Sehwag is as good as Hayden who is probably the best Aussie opening bat since WW1. I'm not going back since Trumper because the game is entirely different.

 

[Slifer]

Yeah Gavaskar was easily the best non-English opener but Sehwag is a weak link. You can definitely argue it's better than whatever combination you come up with Aus but they're probably in the same league overall.

South Africa definitely have the second best opening combination with Smith and Mitchell. Australia's (and India's) are weak compared to that for sure, IMO.

Neither Smith or Bruce Mitchell or anyone else is in any league above the likes of Simpson, Lawry etc. Who here really feels that Smith is head and shoulders above his near contemporary Matthew Hayden? Therefore, England aside, no other team has a set of openers definitively above Australia's.