2018 World Test XI

[Bolo]

Maharaj not getting the respect he deserves here.

He's one of the best. Too close to call between him, Ashwin, Shah, Lyon, and maybe Jadeja. But he wasn't too special last year. One amazing game (statistically at least), and anything between mediocre and good the rest of the time.

 

[trundler]

Was good against Australia and had a great game in SL. That's more than Ashwin and Lyon. Maybe on par with Jadeja and behind Yasir who only played in UAE. Solid argument for Keshav.

 

[Borges]

Don't rate either Ashwin or Yasir. In general, don't rate spinners who lack a big heart; who just give up when things aren't going their way.

 

[trundler]

The infuriating thing with Ashwin is that he ought to succeed but he throws in the towel too early and starts trying out too many things.

 

[vcs]

Don't rate either Ashwin or Yasir. In general, don't rate spinners who lack a big heart; who just give up when things aren't going their way.

Fair comment on Ashwin, but one thing Yasir definitely doesn't lack is a big heart/stamina, he is not the most naturally gifted though (not a huge turner of his legbreak and haven't seen him bowl many googlies either).

 

[trundler]

Part of Yasir doing terrible away can be attributed to terrible captaincy

 

[Borges]

The problem with Ashwin is that he starts resorting to too many harebrained ideas, all mixed up at the same time.
The problem with Yasir is that he just goes through the motions without having a plan B.

 

[srbhkshk]

holder is good with the bat though?

Yeah, as Pews said, I meant if you pick Holder in top 7.

 

[StephenZA]

Mahraj is an interesting one, he did not have as good a year in 2018 as he did in 2017. But he took wickets in SL, as wanted and expected; else all the rest of his matches have been played here in SA where the fast bowlers where doing the job. He had a 5 for against Aus but that is not difficult for a spin bowler.

Still would go with Yasir Shah as the best spinner for 2018.

 

[vcs]

Yeah I'd go with Shah too. Pretty much single-handedly won one Test match with an ATG spell of bowling.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Maharaj not getting the respect he deserves here.

No gives a **** about rulers with absolute power anymore.

 

[trundler]

Think an underrated aspect of test match cricket the previous year was the rise of the old school defensive test specialist batsman. It was good to see guys like Latham, Elgar, and of course Pujara. Guys with sub 50 strike rates.

 

[Spark]

Think an underrated aspect of test match cricket the previous year was the rise of the old school defensive test specialist batsman. It was good to see guys like Latham, Elgar, and of course Pujara. Guys with sub 50 strike rates.

unsurprisingly given the unusually bowler-dominant pitches and era tbh

 

[Daemon]

Azhar Ali and Brathwaite didn't have very good years tbf. They're both the slowest in the business.

 

[Bolo]

2018 in review: ESPNcricinfo's Test, ODI, T20 and women's teams of the year | Cricket | ESPNcricinfo

The most leftfield calls relative to CW popular opinion are:

Gabriel earning a place above Cummins, Bumrah and Curran (5 man attack). I'm assuming Cummins or Bumrah did enough at the end to overtake Anderson, but if not add him to the mix.

Butler picked as a keeper in a year he didn't really keep.

 

[mr_mister]

Gabriel is a literal machine. Deserves his spot