All-Time World XIs: Discussion Thread

[centurymaker]

Regarding ankitj's composition- Im leaning towards that too given the team we have selected so far.

Move Sobers to 5. Gilly/Imran 6/7. Hadlee 8. That's more than enough batting. We need a subcontinental champion bowler to balance the bowling attack in my opinion, because right now we have Hadlee = McGrath plus Marshall. There's not enough variety (or diversity). Who out of the three has a proven record bowling reverse swing? So IMO we need someone like Imran.

 

[Thala_0710]

Regarding ankitj's composition- Im leaning towards that too given the team we have selected so far.

Move Sobers to 5. Gilly/Imran 6/7. Hadlee 8. There's more than enough batting. We need a subcontinental champion bowler to balance the bowling attack in my opinion, because right now we have Hadlee = McGrath and Marshall. There's not enough variety (or diversity). Who out of the three has a proven record bowling reverse swing?

Then you can have Imran over McGrath if you want that

 

[Thala_0710]

We already have sobers who is more than competent enough to be a very able 5th bowler. 4 proper bowlers after him. I don't think we need 5+Sobers.
If you want the Asian specialist, you can vote for Imran over McGrath

 

[centurymaker]

Then you can have Imran over McGrath if you want that

I can't though, because people will end up picking McGrath because he is a better bowler overall. And there is room for only one.

Player like Imran if you add his batting should be a lock.

We forget that we are forming a world XI that needs to take into account playing in all sorts of conditions. Half the test nations are in the subcontinent yet there's hardly anyone selected from there.

 

[Johan]

bit of an overkill tbh, with five ATGs and especially one spinner, one bowlers's bowling skills will go neglected, Sobers is good enough for five anyway.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Yeah, not feeling it as well. Definitely feel Imran is a very welcome addition and Warne-Murali is very tempting, but think that leaves the batting a bit weaker than I would like. In a World without Sobers I might lean towards it, but in one with him, not really convincing me.

 

[centurymaker]

We already have sobers who is more than competent enough to be a very able 5th bowler. 4 proper bowlers after him. I don't think we need 5+Sobers.
If you want the Asian specialist, you can vote for Imran over McGrath

Sobers was decent. Bowling avg 34, strike rate 92. But doesn't cut it for an ATG contest (as a bowler)

IMHO it is like having Thakur + Sundar. I wouldn't rely on their bowling against top class ATGs.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Sobers was decent. Bowling avg 34, strike rate 92. But doesn't cut it for an ATG contest (as a bowler)

IMHO it is like having Thakur + Sundar. I wouldn't rely on their bowling against top class ATGs.

He is 5th bowler though, you already have 4 of the 8 (at Worst) Greatest bowlers Ever

 

[Johan]

Sobers was decent. Bowling avg 34, strike rate 92. But doesn't cut it for an ATG contest (as a bowler)

IMHO it is like having Thakur + Sundar. I wouldn't rely on their bowling against top class ATGs.

Sobers doesn't have to take wickets though, just make sure he bowls enough overs economically so others can be rested, and also he made a bunny out of Geoffrey Boycott who is one of the greatest technicians of all time, so clearly he can dismiss good bats too

 

[Johan]

Think a Hadlee-Marshall-Warne-Murali attack would be tempting but Murali sadly has to go against McGrath for that and McGrath beats the dogshit out of him.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Damn it I should have voted last round and Smith and McGrath would have lost

Well, yeah it would have, but now Imran is almost certain to lose. On the bright side though, Viv's back in the lead with your vote

 

[subshakerz]

An ATG XI without Imran is odd for me but I can accept.

But without Viv it looks downright ugly.

 

[kyear2]

Yip. Hadlee is the top bowler, but there is so little between the top few that I'd leave him out to maximise variety.

Way weaker team than Imran Hadlee Marshall though.

That's the thing, I don't think so.

I think that and attack of Marshall, McGrath and Steyn have way more complimentary and varied styles, have gained success in more varied conditions and over different eras, but most importantly, would bowl out the opposition faster and for less.

This is something that we fundamentally disagree on and it's not based an animosity of any player or group of players, but on what actually wins games.

It's looking at where most lower order batsmen actually score most of the runs that boost their averges.

I'll post it elsewhere, but doing a deep dive on the top 8 teams or so of all time and looking at what kind of no. 8's and tails they had. I always reference the top 3, but will go further through the most successful and iconic and likely add an additional two from both ends of the era spectrum.

I'm not quite finished, but it's fairly clear that teams not only mostly just pick the best bowlers, but batting deep has never really been an indicator nor determinant of success.

 

[Johan]

But without Viv it looks downright ugly.

Yeah it's like making a top 10 of Boxers and leaving out Muhammad Ali.

 

[subshakerz]

Well, yeah it would have, but now Imran is almost certain to lose. On the bright side though, Viv's back in the lead with your vote

What sucks more is no reverser in the attack.

Just three new ball specialists.

At least have Wasim or Steyn.

CW posters honestly are such stat addicts.

 

[subshakerz]

That's the thing, I don't think so.

I think that and attack of Marshall, McGrath and Steyn have way more complimentary and varied styles, have gained success in more varied conditions and over different eras, but most importantly, would bowl out the opposition faster and for less.

You're wrong. Steyn is not getting the new ball over Marshall and McGrath and will get caned as a third seamer until the ball is old enough.

Imran is a much tighter bowler and IMO better at reverse plus is a specialist bat.

 

[Thala_0710]

You're wrong. Steyn is not getting the new ball over Marshall and McGrath and will get caned as a third seamer until the ball is old enough.

Imran is a much tighter bowler and IMO better at reverse plus is a specialist bat.

Yeah if you're not going for Marshall, McGrath and Hadlee.... Imran, Wasim or Bumrah make the most sense for third seamer over Steyn imo

 

[subshakerz]

Yeah it's like making a top 10 of Boxers and leaving out Muhammad Ali.

Imagine leaving out the best bat of arguably the best pace bowling era for a poser like Smith.

 

[Thala_0710]

But you can make the case too that if you want Imran in your team, and he'll be batting at 8 here, one could have voted for him over Hadlee instead of McGrath as well

 

[sayon basak]

Imagine calling Smith a loser.