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Auto Picks

Slifer

International Captain
What I'm about to write might prove controversial but bear with me. I was thinking about the ATG XIs for each nation and was wondering what players past/present would you consider Auto picks for your countries. Here are mine:

WI: Marshall, Sobers, Greenidge
Eng: Trueman, Hammond
Australia: Don, Gilchrist
India: Dev, Gavaskar, Sachin
Nz: Hadlee, Crowe, Williamson,
SL: Sanga, Vaas, Murali
RSA: Kallis, Tayfield (?)
Pakistan: Javed, Wasim, Imran, Waqar

WI have about a half a dozen great fast bowlers and middle order batsmen so that's self explanatory. As far as wicket keepers I've seen Walcott slotted in at times ahead of Dijon

Aust. Again self explanatory. Tons of opening and middle order options. Funny enough they also have the 3 greatest leg spinners ever and enough fast men to make those choices tough. (Imo)

Eng. Three great openers to choose 2. Plenty of middle order options with Hammond just about being the undisputed daddy of the group. Trueman; England's only really atg fast bowler. I know nothing about what Barnes bowled but imo conditions were loaded in his favor.

The rest self explanatory again. Let me know what you think. If something like this has been discussed b4, feel free to merge...
 

Slifer

International Captain
You would think Miller would be automatic, but I've seen plenty of Oz XIs where he wasn't. And tbh i can understand his omission or inclusion. You include him because Oz has Bradman and Gilchrist and so relative to other XIs, they can afford a decent batsman (which Keith is) to come in at 6 and either have three pacemen and two spinners or 4 pacemen and a lone spinner.
 

h_hurricane

International Vice-Captain
Dravid is certainly an auto pick for India.

RIchards, Lara and Headley(if you ignore longevity) are auto picks for WI, though I get it that there are a number of other ATG batsmen as well.

Younis Khan is an auto pick for Pakistan.
 

StephenZA

Hall of Fame Member
Steyn for SA. And I would argue Aubrey Faulkner as well.

Richards, Proctor and G. Pollock would all probably also be auto picks except for the obvious unfortunate test limitations.
 

Slifer

International Captain
McGrath for sure
Viv not an auto pick for WI?
In my mind both are but you could very well pick a wi team without Viv and there wouldn't be much of a discernible decrease in quality. McGrath is a gun but so were Davidson, Lindwall and Lillee and the lindwall and David could bat a bit.
 

Slifer

International Captain
My wi team would consist of:

Hunte
Greenidge
Headley
Viv*
Lara
Sobers
Dujon +
Marshall
Holding
Garner
Ambrose

But you could very well go

Greenidge
Gayle
Weekes
Kanhai
Worrell*
Sobers
Walcott+
Marshall
Bishop
Roberts
Walsh
 

TheJediBrah

Request Your Custom Title Now!
In my mind both are but you could very well pick a wi team without Viv and there wouldn't be much of a discernible decrease in quality. McGrath is a gun but so were Davidson, Lindwall and Lillee and the lindwall and David could bat a bit.
McGrath is easily a tier above Lindwall and Lillee
 

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
Good idea for a thread. I love this sort of stuff. Here's how I'd see it:

WI:

G. Greenidge
-
-
B. Lara
V. Richards
G. Sobers
-
M. Marshall
-
-
C. Ambrose

Greenidge the the best of their openers, the remaining spot would be fought out between Haynes, Fredericks and Hunte. Lara and Richards deserve a spot in the middle order on talent/longevity combined. Headley is debatable, as there is potential for Weekes or Walcott to be included in the middle order. Marshall and Ambrose are above all the quicks, however marginal you might see the gap. Other contenders are well known, Garner, Holding and Roberts are the frontrunners. Keeping spot could go to Dujon, Walcott or Hendriks.

Eng:

L. Hutton
J. Hobbs
W. Hammond
-
-
-
-
-
-
F. Trueman
-

Hutton and Hobbs clear cut the two best English openers, and imo the two best ever. Sutcliffe is a contender but these two are better than him. Gooch and Boycott are also high class. Hammond will bat somewhere in the middle order, and in addition offers some handy seam bowling. Other places in the middle order are debatable, Compton, Barrington, Pietersen, May, Gower could all slot in, with most teams (but not all) including Botham at 6 or 7. Knott and Ames are vying for the keeping job. Trueman is their best quick, imo, and Bedser, Anderson, Broad, Statham, Tyson, Larwood are all contenders. Laker and Underwood both have claims on the spinner's spot, along with Swann.

Australia:

-
-
D. Bradman
-
-
-
A. Gilchrist
-
-
-
G. McGrath

No outstanding openers are clear cut for Aus, any combo of Lawry, Simpson, Trumper, Ponsford, Hayden and Morris could lay claim. #3 is sorted. Greg Chappell was for a long time a clear cut at #4 but Smith has made it debatable. Middle order slots could be filled by any combo of Chappell, Waugh, Border, Harvey, Trumper, Macartney, with Miller as an all rounder being a possibility depending on the side set up. McGrath is a slight cut above all other Aus quicks, with the other spot/s decided between Lindwall, Davidson and Lillee. Warne, OReilly and Grimmett all high class legspinners, you'd think Warne is a auto pick but some prefer the older leggies.

India:

S. Gavaskar
-
R. Dravid
S. Tendulkar
V. Kohli
-
K. Dev
-
-
-
-

Gavaskar their best opener, and Kohli and Sachin locks in the middle order. Dravid is their best 3 over Pujara. Sehwag or Merchant could partner Gavaskar, and any of Hazare, Laxman, Vengsarkar and Azhurradin could slot in the middle order. Keeping between Dhoni, Engineer and Kirmani the keepers, and India has muliple spinning options that they'd keep to: Ashwin, Bedi, Chandra, Kumble and a few others. Kapil makes the team easily, Bumrah probably close now, and the other quick bowling spot could be tossed up between Srinath, Zaheer and Nissar.

NZ:

-
-
K. Williamson
M. Crowe
-
-
R. Hadlee
D. Vettori
-
S. Bond

Bond and Hadlee open the attack, no question. Vettori makes it on dearth of other spinners and his consistency over time. Williamson and Crowe standout in the middle order. Opening and middle spots open and debatable between a few, as is the keeping.

RSA:

G. Smith
-
J. Kallis
G. Pollock
-
-
-
-
D. Steyn
H. Tayfield
A. Donald

Smith walks in imo. Other opening spot between B.Richards and Mitchell. Kallis walks in as a batting A/R, G.Pollock too special not to include. DeVillers, Amla and Nourse all vying for middle order spots. Steyn and Donald the best quicks, and could be partnered with any of S.Pollock, Procter, Rabada, Adcock or Philander. Tayfield really their only elite spinner. Keeping could be Boucher, DeVilliers, DeKock, Waight or Lindsay.

Pakistan:

S. Anwar
-
Younis Khan
J. Miandad
-
Imran Khan
-
Wasim Akram
-
-
Waqar Younis

Younis the most underrated ATG. Miandad a bit forgotten. Anwar is an elite opener, really the only one they've produced. Imran, Wasim and Waqar easy selections imo. All other spots are open for debate, with plenty of middle order options in Inzy, Abbas, MoYo and Malik.
 

Slifer

International Captain
Good idea for a thread. I love this sort of stuff. Here's how I'd see it:

WI:

G. Greenidge
-
-
B. Lara
V. Richards
G. Sobers
-
M. Marshall
-
-
C. Ambrose

Greenidge the the best of their openers, the remaining spot would be fought out between Haynes, Fredericks and Hunte. Lara and Richards deserve a spot in the middle order on talent/longevity combined. Headley is debatable, as there is potential for Weekes or Walcott to be included in the middle order. Marshall and Ambrose are above all the quicks, however marginal you might see the gap. Other contenders are well known, Garner, Holding and Roberts are the frontrunners. Keeping spot could go to Dujon, Walcott or Hendriks.

Eng:

L. Hutton
J. Hobbs
W. Hammond
-
-
-
-
-
-
F. Trueman
-

Hutton and Hobbs clear cut the two best English openers, and imo the two best ever. Sutcliffe is a contender but these two are better than him. Gooch and Boycott are also high class. Hammond will bat somewhere in the middle order, and in addition offers some handy seam bowling. Other places in the middle order are debatable, Compton, Barrington, Pietersen, May, Gower could all slot in, with most teams (but not all) including Botham at 6 or 7. Knott and Ames are vying for the keeping job. Trueman is their best quick, imo, and Bedser, Anderson, Broad, Statham, Tyson, Larwood are all contenders. Laker and Underwood both have claims on the spinner's spot, along with Swann.

Australia:

-
-
D. Bradman
-
-
-
A. Gilchrist
-
-
-
G. McGrath

No outstanding openers are clear cut for Aus, any combo of Lawry, Simpson, Trumper, Ponsford, Hayden and Morris could lay claim. #3 is sorted. Greg Chappell was for a long time a clear cut at #4 but Smith has made it debatable. Middle order slots could be filled by any combo of Chappell, Waugh, Border, Harvey, Trumper, Macartney, with Miller as an all rounder being a possibility depending on the side set up. McGrath is a slight cut above all other Aus quicks, with the other spot/s decided between Lindwall, Davidson and Lillee. Warne, OReilly and Grimmett all high class legspinners, you'd think Warne is a auto pick but some prefer the older leggies.

India:

S. Gavaskar
-
R. Dravid
S. Tendulkar
V. Kohli
-
K. Dev
-
-
-
-

Gavaskar their best opener, and Kohli and Sachin locks in the middle order. Dravid is their best 3 over Pujara. Sehwag or Merchant could partner Gavaskar, and any of Hazare, Laxman, Vengsarkar and Azhurradin could slot in the middle order. Keeping between Dhoni, Engineer and Kirmani the keepers, and India has muliple spinning options that they'd keep to: Ashwin, Bedi, Chandra, Kumble and a few others. Kapil makes the team easily, Bumrah probably close now, and the other quick bowling spot could be tossed up between Srinath, Zaheer and Nissar.

NZ:

-
-
K. Williamson
M. Crowe
-
-
R. Hadlee
D. Vettori
-
S. Bond

Bond and Hadlee open the attack, no question. Vettori makes it on dearth of other spinners and his consistency over time. Williamson and Crowe standout in the middle order. Opening and middle spots open and debatable between a few, as is the keeping.

RSA:

G. Smith
-
J. Kallis
G. Pollock
-
-
-
-
D. Steyn
H. Tayfield
A. Donald

Smith walks in imo. Other opening spot between B.Richards and Mitchell. Kallis walks in as a batting A/R, G.Pollock too special not to include. DeVillers, Amla and Nourse all vying for middle order spots. Steyn and Donald the best quicks, and could be partnered with any of S.Pollock, Procter, Rabada, Adcock or Philander. Tayfield really their only elite spinner. Keeping could be Boucher, DeVilliers, DeKock, Waight or Lindsay.

Pakistan:

S. Anwar
-
Younis Khan
J. Miandad
-
Imran Khan
-
Wasim Akram
-
-
Waqar Younis

Younis the most underrated ATG. Miandad a bit forgotten. Anwar is an elite opener, really the only one they've produced. Imran, Wasim and Waqar easy selections imo. All other spots are open for debate, with plenty of middle order options in Inzy, Abbas, MoYo and Malik.
Bond is such a stud:


??
 

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