Best Test Team In The World?

[vcs]

Let's be honest, if your team lacks the depth to cover when you have some injured players, and are ecstatic at drawing a series against a team which lost it's greatest player ever, you're not a very strong team. Or rather one befitting a side that is "the best in the world".

I'm sure Dhoni and co will be gutted that Ikki thinks their performance was not befitting of a side that is "the best in the world".

social's assessment was much more gracious.

 

[Sir Alex]

Lose 9 very good to great players plus a number of their backups and then we'll talk

Which team had that misfortune, within span of weeks?

We lost 4 players who were in the original squad. Add to that a rookie at no.6. Pretty great job I'd feel if we drew this test rather than win.

 

[Ikki]

According to your logic, Australia were no way deserving of no.1 status after the summer of 2003-04.

What does the summer of 03-04 have to do with this?

 

[Sir Alex]

What does the summer of 03-04 have to do with this?

There is a difference between a champion no. 1 side, and a just no.1 side. Nobody claimed India is a side like Australia was or WI was. But they are still no.1 in their class.

 

[Ikki]

I disagree. They're not even as it stands IMO. S.Africa are a better side than them and have better balance and depth IMO. It's just a matter of time that the rankings reflect that. Even against India that summer with our bowlers out we were still disappointed to not have taken the series after not taking advantage of the position we found ourselves in the 2nd test when India were 4/notmuch.

 

[kingpin]

I disagree. They're not even as it stands IMO. S.Africa are a better side than them and have better balance and depth IMO. It's just a matter of time that the rankings reflect that. Even against India that summer with our bowlers out we were still disappointed to not have taken the series after taking advantage of the position we found ourselves in, in the 2nd test when India were 4/notmuch.

What ever you say we are no.1 and nothing can change that.....

 

[Ikki]

Meh, maybe I am harsh but I just think India are clearly underwhelming and am surprised by the fact that her own fans were in the downs just a couple days ago about the future and are now smelling roses.

I'm sure a part of me is comparing them to the Aus of old - as I pretty much agree with social's sentiment and don't really buy in to much of the excuses/reasons.

 

[kingpin]

Meh, maybe I am harsh but I just think India are clearly underwhelming and am surprised by the fact that her own fans were in the downs just a couple days ago about the future and are now smelling roses.

I'm sure a part of me is comparing them to the Aus of old - as I pretty much agree with social's sentiment and don't really buy in to much of the excuses/reasons.

That's typical Indian fan nature......You will never know about it.....

 

[Sir Alex]

I disagree. They're not even as it stands IMO. S.Africa are a better side than them and have better balance and depth IMO. It's just a matter of time that the rankings reflect that. Even against India that summer with our bowlers out we were still disappointed to not have taken the series after taking advantage of the position we found ourselves in, in the 2nd test when India were 4/notmuch.

Last 21 months

India series wins - 5, loss -0, drawn - 2

SA series wins - 3, loss - 1, drawn, 3.

Last one year

SA series wins -1, drawn - 2, loss -0
India series wins - 2, drawn - 2, loss - 0

Sorry but recent history just not substantiate that. Unless they start to translate the so called "edge" into performances, hard to call them undisputed no.1.

I'd agree had India lost the ongoing series in Lanka. They didn't and despite contingencies, managed to draw and win the last test in style.

Talking of depth, we showed how we managed to perform without three of our best bowlers and 1 of our best batsmen. Would SA have done the same without G Smith, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Paul Harris in Sri Lanka?

Leave all them. Without Dale Steyn alone, they'd become much lesser side.

 

[vcs]

No sane fan is really getting too excited.. we know the real tests are still to come away from the subcontinent, but we are finally showing some character and a semblance of consistency of performance that has long been missing from Indian sides.

 

[vcs]

Last 15 months

India series wins - 5, loss -0, drawn - 2

SA series wins - 3, loss - 1, drawn, 3.

Last one year

SA series wins -1, drawn - 2, loss -0
India series wins - 2, drawn - 2, loss - 0

Sorry but recent history just not substantiate that. Unless they start to translate the so called "edge" into performances, hard to call them undisputed no.1.

I'd agree had India lost the ongoing series in Lanka. They didn't and despite contingencies, managed to draw and win the last test in style.

Talking of depth, we showed how we managed to perform without three of our best bowlers and 1 of our best batsmen. Would SA have done the same without G Smith, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Paul Harris in Sri Lanka?

Leave all them. Without Dale Steyn alone, they'd become much lesser side.

Why 15 months? Does that timeframe include SA's away wins against England and Australia?

 

[social]

Fact is that all the sides are pretty average

Today, I was trying to remember the last time world cricket was so weak and I reckon you have to go back to the Packer era and compare the current lot to the "establishment" teams

 

[Ikki]

In the last 15 months they've drawn 2 series and won 1.

If you're going all the way back to the Australia series...well they beat us away and lost at home...you guys won at home and lost away. You have to go all the way back to 06 for them to have lost to any other side. In about that same time India have about the same record except that you guys beat England away and they drew - albeit I think England had a better side when they played S.Africa. Also, they've drawn a series at your home whereas you are yet to play there.

FTR, I didn't say S.Africa are without dispute the best. I just think they're better than you guys and as this poll has shown I am in the majority.

 

[Sir Alex]

Fact is that all the sides are pretty average

Today, I was trying to remember the last time world cricket was so weak and I reckon you have to go back to the Packer era and compare the current lot to the "establishment" teams

Yep they are all in a pack, and right now India have just edged ahead of the remaining. The lead will exchange hands between India and SA in all likelihood (SA if they win the coming winter series).. Australia and England are a bit behind with SL.

But that's missing the whole point. Fact is India at the moment is the best, not by a great margin, but by a definitive margin to call it no.1. ICC rankings support that. I can understand leads of 2-3 points, but 11? That's freakishly huge.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Haha, good to see the Aussie whinge army in full force.

 

[social]

Haha, good to see the Aussie whinge army in full force.

Please quote one post of mine, ever, where I've said that India shouldnt be ranked no. 1 atm

They've accumulated more points than anyone else atm so that, as far as I'm concerned, is that

 

[Dissector]

I am going to be fickle and change my mind after this win for a couple of reasons:
1) I hadn't realized that India had lost all three tosses in this series. On these pitches that is a pretty big handicap and tying the series in spite of that is a pretty impressive achievement.
2) I honestly don't think SA or anyone else would have done better than 1-1 in Sri Lanka if they lost all three tosses. Especially if they also had injury problems.

Since I thought India was marginally the no.1 team before this series and since I think their performance is no worse than I would expect from any other side under the circumstances, I think they are still very marginally no.1.

In any case right now it's a matter of opinion till the SA-Ind series. If either team wins that series then we should have a clear no. 1.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Please quote one post of mine, ever, where I've said that India shouldnt be ranked no. 1 atm

They've accumulated more points than anyone else atm so that, as far as I'm concerned, is that

Yeah, fair enough. I'm sorry. I've been skimming over the thread.

 

[Himannv]

I have a funny feeling that its probably England that is best right now. Gut instinct and nothing more gives them my vote.

 

[Ikki]

England? No way...viva la India.